Photos: Sarah Dovolos
Explore statues around Edina and Minnesota with tried-and-true routes.
Edina is full of hidden delights, even when those gems are giant statues that are in plain sight. Because, let’s face it, most of us will drive or walk by a statue and never take the time to stop and learn what is behind it. My son has always adored statues. He loves to take his time walking by them, examining them up close and then from afar. His attention to detail has taught us how to appreciate the world around us.
Over the last few years, we’ve come up with different routes. Some can be explored by foot, which is ideal for the warmer months. Others, we follow in winter, when it’s best to go by car. Those driving journeys are fun because we make multiple stops.
Here are our favorite routes.
Walking: Edina Promenade and Centennial Lakes Park
This is one of my family’s favorite walks in the city. It can be divided into three segments, or if you are ambitious, it can be traversed in a single day.
Begin your walk at the Edina Promenade Entrance on W. 70th Street. It’s located just behind The Original Pancake House (a deserving finalist in our Best Breakfast or Brunch category), and my family often stops there for a bite before our walk.
Walking Through Rainbows has lost some of its luster over the years, but in the right sunlight, it still cascades beautiful colorful shadows across the grass. This was one of the creations from a contest in 2018 that asked students from across the city to submit ideas on the theme “I Am.” This was designed by Sylvia van Norman and brought to life by artist Charles Morrill.
Walking Through Rainbows
A Reflection of Me is a great conversation piece. It’s part of the same art contest and was the idea of student Ayana Griswold and made by Nick Legeros. The bronze statue has a reflective face and heart. We like to stand in front of it and view our reflection and talk about how we feel in that moment. Are we hopeful, inspired, happy? It’s a great way to start our walk and get conversation flowing.
A Reflection of Me
After crossing Hazelton Road, your walk down the Edina Promenade will bring you to a pond where Dancing Sand Hill Cranes by Jim Dehne awaits. These iron cranes elegantly perch along this pristine, artificial pond, from which a flowing stream glides next to the footpath.
Dancing Sand Hill Cranes
A few steps away, you will encounter the Three Trees by Kevin Komadina. This is a worthwhile place to stop for a moment. These ceramic obelisks represent how humans and nature are linked. Each is unique.
I encourage you to walk up close and observe their intricacies and how they relate to the relationship between humans and nature.
Three Trees
As the promenade ends, you will find a beautiful turtle of painted steel. This is Minn. Eco Turtle by Kathy Gustafson. It features plant life from across the state.
Minn. Eco Turtle
Continuing down the pathway will lead you to a pedestrian version of a traffic circle. Follow the signs to Centennial Lakes Park. We prefer to leave the path and walk down the Hidden Stone Staircase.
This leads to a gravel path and a delightful set of statues by Legeros. The first is The Glamorous Days of Flight portraying people boarding a plane. Nearby is Dreams Take Flight, which is two statues. One is a 10-year-old girl, and the other is a 5-year-old boy, both holding planes. These statues commemorate the employees of Northwest Airlines and honor late Edina resident Donald Nyrop, who was the company’s CEO.
To keep older children interested, encourage them to play Pokémon Go along the way. Most of these statues are PokéStops, and these pathways can also be routes. The Glamorous Days of Flight
The gravel pathway leads back onto the main path. Enjoy a stroll by the garden maze, and you will find the Pinecone by Marcia McEachron. It’s 10 feet tall and made out of stainless steel. Cross the bridge.
Pinecone
As you walk by Hughes Pavilion, notice a series of bench swings. Right at the end of the line is a subtle, yet elegant statue, Reflecting on Friendship, also by Legeros. Two children are playing with bubbles, and we often break out the bubbles once we get home. It’s a great way to unwind after a day of exploration.
My favorite part of Centennial Lakes is the fountain. I adore this circular path. The first statue you will see is Golden Memories, a statue of a golden retriever. This is a memorial to Pam Schulstad who used to walk her dog around the lake. The statue was also created by Legeros.
Golden Memories
The loop around the lake ends with a statue called School of (Fish). It’s made from glass, bronze and stainless steel. It was also part of the “I Am” competition. The idea was from then 5th grader Alex Wyatt. The statue was made by artists Alan and Nicole Milligan.
School of (Fish)
From here, we walk up to the boat rental. Sometimes we rent a paddle boat or play a round of mini golf. If we are tired, we will venture to the Tree in the Lake and sit there while people-watching. Depending on the time of day, we have a late lunch or early dinner at nearby Pinstripes.
