Reimagining Agate Bay in Two Harbors
In 2025, RSDP selected the Friends of the Waterfront in Two Harbors for the Empowering Small Minnesota Communities program, a community-centered collaboration with the University of Minnesota to support small communities in becoming well-positioned to benefit from federal, state and local investments.
The goal was to support the citizen groups’ efforts in implementing a design they developed in 2024 with architects from the Citizens Institute for Rural Design, a program offered by the federal Housing Assistance Council.
The community plan reimagined more than 40 acres of undeveloped Lake Superior waterfront just steps from downtown Two Harbors, turning a century-old brownfield on Agate Bay into a vibrant community park space. Working with RSDP partners and lead consultant Kjersti Duval from the Minnesota Design Center, the community documented the steps they needed to move forward with a project that will benefit the community for decades to come.
Highlights
- RSDP impact: Chelsea Morning Farm in Two Harbors is one of the five newest farmer partners throughout Greater Minnesota to build and test prototype farm-scale deep winter greenhouses.
- 4-H’ers in Lake County became Water Watchers as they joined other community scientists to explore local lakes and waterways in partnership with Lake County Soil and Water Conservation. They learned research methods, collected samples, learned about invasive species and connected with nature through kayaking.
- Extension conducted an economic contribution analysis, surveying ATV riders. On average, each ATV rider who visited the region that includes Lake, Koochiching and St. Louis counties spent $144 per day, while local riders spent $38. Roughly 200,000 riders in 2023 spent an estimated $23.4 million at businesses in the region. Lake County can use the report to plan for future investments and public promotion of the trails.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: Berger Family
- Minnesota Master Naturalist training: Northwoods, Great Lakes biome (Finland)
- SuperShelf: Two Harbors Area Food Shelf
- Extension and NOAA are working with partners across the Arrowhead to establish a resilience collaborative and create a regional climate resilience plan through the Climate Adaptation Partnership.
Lake County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Lake County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.