The Union Pacific Railroad line from St. Paul to Shakopee runs along
the base of the Minnesota River bluff through the
Mendota Heights area. There is a walking trail that runs parallel to
the railroad but about 15 feet below the track. This is
a rather obscure bit of urban wilderness in Fort Snelling State Park
and is unknown to most Twin City residents. Only the
occasional hiker or mountain biker uses this trail.
On Dec. 11, 1999 while walking along the trail, I noticed this
"sign" up by the railroad. It is installed a short way up the
river bluff next to the track. The sign board is maybe 4 ft by 5 ft
and is supported by two corrugated steel posts of the
type used for highway signs. Printed on this board is a picture of
a young man's head and upper body. Overlaid on that
picture there is a smaller picture of what appears to be a room with
an open door. The pictures are the sort of thing that
you might find in an photography exhibition.
I have walked that trail dozens of times and never noticed this sign.
There is a thick strip of brush growing between the
trail and the railroad so in summer it is hard to see anything up on
the track from the trail. The sign should be visible to the
train crews but only if they happen to be looking in the right direction
when they pass. They could easily miss it.
I wonder why is this sign there? Who put it up? Who is the person in
the picture. Why they put these pictures in a place
where almost nobody could see them?
Copyright 1999 Gerald Kackman