Barnesville

60.10 miles, 896 feet. Leaving Fargo, we crossed the Red River into Moorhead, MN. It took a few miles to get away from the city. We soon headed southeast on a two lane road with a slight tailwind. It was mostly agricultural with lots of corn and soy beans.

As we approached Fergus Falls, our route took us on a gravel road for about two miles. Pavement was a welcome sight. Lunch was waiting for us at Dave's Red Chair Diner when we arrived at our hotel. Fergus Falls is the county seat of Otter Tail County.

This afternoon I visited a nearby quilt shop and visited with the Tuesday Quilting Group. They suggested I visit the historical Fergus Falls State Mental Hospital. It was built in the late 1800's in the Kirkbride Plan. The building was enormous and my photos don’t do it justice. The hospital was designed on a model established by physician Thomas Kirkbride. Kirkbride believed that building design was an important part of patient treatment programs. The typical Kirkbride structure consisted of a central administrative structure in the middle, with long, straight wings that radiated from it. Patients lived in the wings, which were uniform, precise, and austere. The bare façade was supposed to bring discipline into patients' lives. Kirkbride asylums were designed to provide "moral treatment." That included exercise, farming, entertainment, and classes like reading and sewing.Read more