Visitor center nears completion

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published 12:49 p.m., May 19, 2009

Dennis Tuel, Sr., and wife, Marsha, are the founders of ShoreMaster, Inc. They moved the company to from Carlos to Fergus Falls, in 1985, and have given back to the community in many ways. They live on South Swan Lake and are instrumental in establishment of the new Continental Divide Visitors Center.

They own the property where the Continental Divide Visitors Center is being constructed, near Big Chief, south of Fergus Falls.

To make room for the center, an old service station was torn down to make room for what Dennis refers to as “a gateway to Fergus Falls here in Dane Prairie Township.”

In previous months, the Tuels had assistance from committee members, among them the late Vern Arneson, Al Seltz, Bill Giesen, Chris Schuelke (Historical Society) and others who provided input.

Building the center is Jake Wasson of Fergus Falls. He does custom sawing and log building and operates under the business of Timberwolf Craftsman.

“I see this site as a welcoming park to Fergus Falls and Otter Tail County for visitors who stop while traveling along Interstate 94,” said Dennis. “It will give visitors a chance to see what Fergus Falls and Otter Tail County have to offer. An information booth will be available.”

At the site, the Otter Tail County Historical Society has a surveyors transit, built by Steve Jaenisch. This is a commemorative of the Continental Divide. The location of the new center, near Big Chief and Swan Lake, is where two watersheds divide.

Water flows north to Hudson Bay via the Otter Tail River. The Otter Tail heads west to Breckenridge-Wahpaeton where it joins the Bois de Sioux River, from the south, to form the Red River of the North that flows to Fargo-Moorhead, Grand Forks-East Grand Forks and then to Winnipeg.

The Swan Lake outlet heads south to the Minnesota River, then to the Mississippi River and eventually to the Gulf of Mexico. This is part of the Pomme de Terre Watershed.

The Pomme de Terre River flows through nine cities, with the largest populations being in Morris (5,068) and Appleton (2,871), and six counties in West Central Minnesota: Otter Tail, Grant, Douglas, Stevens, Swift and Big Stone.

Big Chief, which operates 24 hours a day, will have its employees keep watch on the new visitor center. It will be well lighted, with log-type picnic tables, each measuring six feet in length.

“We feel that visitors will take advantage of the opportunity to stop, learn more about the continental divide, and pick up maps and other tourism information,” Tuel said.

The project, in addition to completing the log visitor center, includes landscaping on the two-acre site.

“Eventually,” said Dennis Tuel, “we also hopes to have a full-scale oxcart positioned at the site. During the 1800s, oxcarts passed through this area of Minnesota, along trails form Pembina, N.D. to St. Paul. This is another way to have the center provide some historical information.”

Wasson started building the center last fall. Hopefully, the center will be completed by mid June.

Dennis Tuel, Sr., is a native of Brandon, and his wife, Marsha, is from Duluth. Both are interested in preserving the history of this area. They also appreciate working with staff and volunteers of the Otter Tail County Historical Society.

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