Alexandria

Alexandria is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. First settled in 1858, it was named after Alexander and William Kinkead. The 2008 estimated population of Alexandria was 12,415. The city has a museum housing the controversial Kensington Runestone, which is thought by some to indicate that Vikings had visited the area in the 14th century. Outside the museum stands Big Ole, a 25-foot-tall statue of a Viking o... more

Alexandria is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. First settled in 1858, it was named after Alexander and William Kinkead. The 2008 estimated population of Alexandria was 12,415. The city has a museum housing the controversial Kensington Runestone, which is thought by some to indicate that Vikings had visited the area in the 14th century. Outside the museum stands Big Ole, a 25-foot-tall statue of a Viking originally built for the World's Fair in New York in 1964. The city hosts the annual Vikingland Band Festival parade marching championship. Alexandria is a popular vacation area with its many lakes. The main "Chain of Lakes" have multiple beaches, Lake Carlos State Park, Mount Carmel, Lake Geneva Camp, and Arrowood Resort and Conference center along their shores along with other smaller resorts. Every 4th of July Lake Carlos (part of the chain) hosts the 4th of July Boat Parade at 10:30 a.m. Hundreds of people arrive in their red, white, and... less