This cache is located at Inspiration Point Wayside Park near Lanesboro which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Inspiration Point Wayside Rest which was built in 1934-1937, is one of the first designs by Consulting Landscape Architect Arthur Nichols after the start of his collaboration with the Minnesota Highway Department and as such is exceptional in its historic significance. In addition, Nichols used dry stone masonry for a majority of the masonry walls. Dry stone masonry is a wall construction technique that uses no mortar but creates a wall that interlaces face stone and core stones that are ‘packed’ into the middle of the wall. This packing of stones creates a unified, durable wall that can drain, accommodate ice accumulation, and can easily be rebuilt if damaged. This technique was only used on one other site in the MnDOT inventory, the 9 Camp Ripley Entrance Walls, which adds an even greater level of historic significance of Inspiration Point Wayside Rest.
The surrounding area is beautiful and the view here would indeed be inspirational, except for one problem--knotty trees and buckthorn. The trees and buckthorn have grown to block almost all of the view, making it very difficult to see anything but leaves, branches and knots. Since the overlook does not provide the view it promises, we thought we could make the stop worth your time by adding a cache here. The trees are very interesting and unique, offering their own scenic beauty. We hope you are inspired as you search through the knots for "shiny treasure." Please carefully place cache back where you found it and be kind to the knotty trees.