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Rice Lake State Park

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50-427: Rice Lake State Park is a state park of Minnesota , United States, just east of Owatonna . Park lands entirely surround Rice Lake, an important stopping point for migrating waterfowl. The lake covers 750 acres (300 ha) with an average depth of three feet (1 m). The park's bedrock is limestone laid down 500 million years ago as organic sediments settled to the bottom of a shallow sea that covered much of

100-526: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of

150-589: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about

200-591: A lawsuit filed by the farmers, and the final segment of I-35 was allowed to proceed, eventually opening in 1975. The Paseo Bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri, was replaced by the dual-span cable-stayed Christopher S. Bond Bridge in December ;2010. The proposed Trans-Texas Corridor toll-road project included one proposal (TTC-35) to primarily parallel I-35 from

250-699: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use

300-484: A state park around Rice Lake. The idea was appealing for several factors. Owatonna had lost part of Kaplan Woods State Park to construction of Interstate 35 , and the Owatonna swimming pool was crowded. Residents expected that the state would dredge Rice Lake to improve boating and swimming. With such support, legislation creating Rice Lake State Park passed in 1963. That same year the shrunken Kaplan Woods State Park

350-481: A subject of question and uncertainty, and ensure that our safety and security will not be compromised in order to promote the business interests of our neighbors." Fellow Republican Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul brought the issue to mainstream prominence during the December 2007 CNN – YouTube GOP debate, where he rejected the concept and also called it the NAFTA Superhighway after

400-641: A traffic-signaled intersection with Bus. I-35-A in Laredo, Texas , just north of the Rio Grande and the international border between Mexico and the US. It has a 17-mile (27 km) concurrency with US 83 . Through Webb , La Salle , and Frio counties, it has a mostly north-northeastern course, turning more northeasterly around Moore . It then cuts across the corners of Medina and Atascosa counties before entering Bexar County and San Antonio . I-35

450-561: Is located 16 miles (26 km) north of Burlington at exit 155. Historically, the intersection referred to as "BETO Junction" before I-35 was constructed was located on the old US 75 alignments two miles (3.2 km) south and two miles (3.2 km) east, near Waverly, Kansas . I-35 enters Missouri two miles (3.2 km) southwest of Kansas City's Central Business District as a six-lane highway. After merging with Southwest Trafficway and Broadway, it becomes eight lanes and continues north to downtown Kansas City, where it serves as

500-560: Is mainly parallel with US 69, traversing a vast and rural area of Iowa. I-35 is part of the Avenue of the Saints between Clear Lake and St. Paul, Minnesota. A four-lane link has been completed between Clear Lake and I-380 in Waterloo , Iowa . At Medford , Minnesota , the on- and offramps lead to roundabouts rather than standard cross intersections. This is the first site in

550-639: Is named the Pan Am Expressway in San Antonio. There, it has brief concurrencies with I-10 (with it US 87 ) and I-410 , and it serves as the northern terminus of I-37 . I-35 heads northeast out of the city toward the state capital, Austin . In Austin, I-35 is the Interregional Highway and has a concurrency with US 290 through Downtown Austin. Throughout Austin, elevated express lanes were constructed on either side of

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600-468: Is not possible to go from westbound I-94 to northbound I-35W, from southbound I-35W to eastbound I-94, and vice versa, without resorting to surface streets. On I-35E in Minnesota between MN 5 and I-94 , in both directions, trucks weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) are banned from the freeway, and the speed limit drops to 45 mph (72 km/h). This section was not completed until

650-508: Is not representative of the area's pre-settlement vegetation, which would have been oak savanna with somewhat denser tree growth on the east side of the lake. The water buffered the eastern shore against wildfires burning in from the prairie to the southwest. Wild rice grows naturally in the lake, hence its English name. Native Americans in the area harvested the rice as an important food source. The Treaty of Mendota in 1851 opened up southern Minnesota to European settlement. In 1854,

700-852: Is the traffic signal at Hidalgo Street in Laredo, Texas, just short of the Mexican border. Travelers going south can take one of two toll bridges across the Rio Grande and the border, either straight ahead into the Juárez–Lincoln International Bridge , or via Business Interstate 35-A (Bus. I-35-A) through downtown Laredo into the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge . To the north, I-35 terminates in Duluth, Minnesota, with connections to Canada from

750-635: Is the R.L. Thornton Freeway south of I-30 , which picks up the name heading east. North of I-30, it is the Stemmons Freeway. After passing through Dallas and Fort Worth, I-35's two forks rejoin each other in Denton near the University of North Texas campus. The unified Interstate then continues north to Gainesville before crossing the Red River into Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, I-35 runs from

800-660: The Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with

850-664: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Interstate 35 Interstate 35 ( I-35 ) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States . As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas , near the Mexican border to Duluth, Minnesota , at Minnesota State Highway 61 (MN 61, London Road) and 26th Avenue East. The highway splits into I-35E and I-35W in two separate places,

900-638: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas and at the Minnesota twin cities of Minneapolis–Saint Paul . At 1,568 miles (2,523 km), I-35 is the ninth-longest Interstate Highway following I-94 , and it is the third-longest north–south Interstate Highway, following I-75 and I-95 . Even though the route is generally considered to be a border-to-border highway , this highway does not directly connect to either international border. I-35's southern terminus

950-509: The Midwest . This limestone is entirely covered by glacial till deposited during a Pre-Illinoian glaciation about 400,000 years ago. As those glaciers were retreating, a block of ice broke off and remained embedded in the till. The ice melted, forming a kettle which became Rice Lake. 10,000 years ago the more recent Wisconsin glaciation missed Rice Lake, passing to the west of the park. Meltwater from that glacier eroded streambeds into

1000-506: The University of Texas at Austin and Baylor University are located adjacent to I-35. I-35 then heads to Hillsboro , where it splits into I-35W and I-35E and runs through the Dallas – Fort Worth area. The official milemarkers, along with the route of US 77, follow I-35E through Dallas—I-35W, which is 85 miles (137 km) in length, carries its own mileage from Hillsboro to Denton , as though it were an I-35 loop. In Dallas, I-35E

1050-584: The "Can of Worms". This junction features a pair of left exits from I-35, a stoplight, and lane drops over the I-35 bridge. The national northern terminus of I-35 is at an intersection in eastern Duluth. Drivers' options include merging with London Road/ MN 61 northbound, proceeding through the stop lights onto 26th Avenue East, or turning left onto London Road southbound. Some portions of I-35 in Oklahoma City were already built in 1953, before

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1100-457: The 20th century, Rice Lake became a recreational destination in the area, for although it was filling in, it was one of the few lakes in southeast Minnesota. The Izaak Walton League owned 50 acres (200,000 m) on the north shore, and another fishing and hunting club owned other lakefront. In 1961, the newspaper editor in Claremont , Dana Hinckley, sparked strong local interest in creating

1150-636: The FY2008 Transportation Appropriations Act, prohibiting the use of federal funds for Department of Transportation participation in the activities of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). Hunter stated that: "Unfortunately, very little is known about the NAFTA Super Highway. This amendment will provide Congress the opportunity to exercise oversight of the highway, which remains

1200-494: The Interstate running through Carter Co. and Murray Co. were opened to traffic. The final segment of I-35 (as originally planned) to open was in north-central Iowa , between Mason City and US 20 near Iowa Falls . This segment was delayed due to some controversy. Originally, I-35 was to follow the alignment of US 69 from Des Moines to the Minnesota border, but Mason City's business community lobbied for

1250-522: The Interstate system was created. Through Norman , Oklahoma , the Interstate opened in June ;1959. In Moore , it opened in two parts: the northern half, connecting Moore to Oklahoma City, opened in January ;1960. The southern half, linking it to Norman, was opened to traffic in June 1967. I-35 through Oklahoma largely parallels US 77 . This is in large part due to efforts of

1300-538: The Interstate's terminus via MN 61 to Grand Portage , or north to the border at International Falls, Minnesota , via U.S. Route 53 (US 53) in Duluth. In addition to the Dallas–Fort Worth and Minneapolis–Saint Paul areas, the major cities that I-35 also connects to include (from south to north) San Antonio, Texas ; Austin, Texas ; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ; Wichita, Kansas ; Kansas City, Missouri ; and Des Moines, Iowa . I-35 northbound begins at

1350-461: The Iowa state line. In the southern sections of the state, I-35 is parallel to US 69 for much of its course. In Des Moines , I-35 has a 12-mile (19 km) overlap with I-80 . The concurrency takes place northwest of the downtown district of the city. At exit 127 of I-80, the overlap turns east and terminates at exit 137 via an interchange with I-235 . North of Des Moines, I-35

1400-870: The Kansan till. Rice Lake is the headwaters of the South Branch, Middle Fork of the Zumbro River . This east flowing stream was the lake's original outlet. After the Wisconsin glacier passed, the land to the west was lowered and a second outlet formed that flowed west into another watershed. This outlet feeds the Straight River , a tributary of the Cannon River . In historical times, Rice Lake may have been as much as 55 feet (17 m) deep, but has filled in considerably due to human influence and

1450-619: The Mexican border up to the Oklahoma border. There are major disagreements as to what impact this parallel route would have on I-35 in terms of traffic, maintenance, and commerce. The Trans-Texas Corridor was first proposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2002. It consisted of a 1,200-foot (370 m) wide highway that also carried utilities such as electricity, petroleum, and water as well as railway track and fiberoptic cables. In July 2007, US Representative Duncan Hunter successfully offered an amendment to House Resolution 3074,

1500-592: The Red River at the Texas border to the Kansas state line near Braman . It passes through or adjacent to many of the state's major cities. From south to north, these cities include Ardmore , Pauls Valley , Purcell , Norman , Moore , Oklahoma City , and Edmond . In Downtown Oklahoma City , I-35 has a major junction with I-40 and spurs into I-235 through the north central inner city as heavy traffic follows through

1550-658: The city into the northern area of the state. Between the Oklahoma state line and Emporia , I-35 is part of the Kansas Turnpike . This section of Interstate serves Wichita and passes through the Flint Hills area. At Emporia, I-35 branches off on its own alignment. This free section of I-35 provides access to Ottawa before entering the Kansas City Metropolitan Area , where it serves Johnson County and Kansas City, Kansas . Of note on

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1600-738: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with

1650-478: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are

1700-484: The late 1980s (although the route was cleared and graded earlier) due to opposition from the historic Crocus Hill neighborhood, which sits only a few hundred feet from the alignment. The four-lane alignment, "parkway" design was a compromise. The truck bypass for this section is signed on I-494 and I-694 to the east of Saint Paul. I-35 has an interchange with I-535 / US 53 in Duluth, Minnesota , known locally as

1750-493: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to

1800-604: The northeast corner of the state park. Rice Lake's other outlets were dammed and diked in the 1870s to channel more flow down the eastern outlet to power a mill in Wasioja . Nevertheless, the water level would periodically drop too low to run the mill, and it went out of business, later burning down in 1891. Most of the water control structures remained in place, however, limiting outflow and resulting in eutrophication from accumulated agricultural runoff. Rice Lake grew progressively shallower as it filled in with dead vegetation. In

1850-503: The original freeway . Prior to this expansion, this section included an at-grade railroad crossing , which is extremely unusual for a freeway. From Austin, I-35 goes through Round Rock , Temple , Pflugerville , and Waco . In Belton , south of Temple, it serves as the current eastern terminus for I-14 . In Waco, I-35 is known as the Jack Kultgen Freeway, and begins its concurrency with US 77 . The campuses of both

1900-491: The process of eutrophication . Today, Rice Lake is ringed with marsh vegetation. The marshy, shallow nature of the lake, as well as its being the only large lake in the area, make it ideal for migrating waterfowl. Whistling swans , Canada and snow geese , diving ducks , western and pied-billed grebes , and black terns are frequent visitors. The park lands are covered in a hardwood forest of maple , basswood , elm , and oak , with some meadow openings. However this

1950-455: The route to be moved closer to their city. On September 1, 1965, the alignment was changed to instead parallel US 65 through northern Iowa, which brought the highway much closer to Mason City. This created a long diagonal section through Wright and Franklin counties. Local farmers objected to their farms being bisected into triangular pieces, and resulting litigation delayed I-35 for several years. A November 1972 ruling rejected

2000-576: The route, at several points between Cassoday and Emporia in the Flint Hills, dirt driveways that provide direct access without a ramp, for cattle trucks, may be found in either direction along the highway. BETO Junction is a highway intersection in Coffey County, Kansas , that is the intersection of US 75 and I-35. It derives its name from the four major cities nearest the intersection: Burlington , Emporia , Topeka , and Ottawa . It

2050-474: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by

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2100-521: The state linked to a major highway to use roundabouts. I-35 splits again into I-35W and I-35E in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area. The mile- and exit-numbering sequence continues along I-35E. At one sharp turn in I-35W near the junction with I-94, drivers are advised to slow to 35 mph (56 km/h) (although many drivers are able to maintain the speed limit of 55 mph (89 km/h)). It

2150-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park

2200-452: The sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in

2250-411: The towns of Wynnewood , Paoli , and Wayne , which fought to keep I-35 as close as possible to US 77. This was successful due to a threat from Governor Henry Bellmon to build a toll road rather than I-35, and legislation preventing state funds for the Interstate from being spent if it were more than one mile (1.6 km) from the U.S. Route. I-35 was completed in Oklahoma in 1971, when parts of

2300-401: The village of Rice Lake arose on the northeast shore of the lake, along an important stagecoach route. The village was expected to grow significantly for a rail line was planned to pass through, but the line was ultimately laid farther south and Rice Lake was soon abandoned. The one surviving structure from the village of Rice Lake is a Methodist church built in 1857, which still stands in

2350-543: The west and north legs of the downtown freeway loop . Along the north edge of the loop, I-35 joins with I-70 immediately west of Broadway and carries six lanes of traffic with a speed limit of 45 mph (72 km/h). Upon leaving the loop, I-29 begins, concurrent with I-35. The two Interstates cross the Missouri River together on the Bond Bridge . After crossing the river, I-29 and I-35 split. I-35 heads north to Cameron, Missouri , and then continues northward to

2400-439: The years, but the dream of dredging Rice Lake proved unfeasible. Moreover, the mud, algae, and leeches compromised the lake's appeal as a swimming destination. However, as Rice Lake has become less appealing for human activities, it has become more appealing to waterfowl. Rice Lake State Park has reinvented itself as a birdwatching destination. State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at

2450-417: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like

2500-448: Was transferred to Owatonna as a city park, known today as Kaplan's Woods Parkway. The actual purchase of lots from their various private owners proceeded more slowly than local enthusiasm would have indicated. Several owners were reluctant to sell, but by 1967 recreational facilities had been installed in the north central part of the park, mostly on the former Izaak Walton League property. Inholdings have been acquired periodically over

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