VERGAS, a Village For All Seasons

Vergas, Minnesota is located in picturesque Otter Tail County in the heart of Minnesota’s famous lake country. This quaint, charming village is surrounded by over 325 sparkling lakes, rolling hills and curving roads-- free of billboards and full of wildlife. It is a verdant land in summer, a riot of color in autumn and pristine white in winter—a lovely playground in any season.

As stated in the Minneapolis Star/Tribune newspaper, “Otter Tail County comes as close as any place can to being a Minnesota microcosm. Best known for its lakes, the largely agricultural county also boasts prairie and forest preserves, a vibrant arts scene, a host of oversized road statuary, historic B&B’s, great camping and a growing ethnic diversity.”

Deb Holmes and Pat Simonson
2006 Looney Daze Parade
(Their 14th year of coming to the B&B)

Vergas a village of 311 souls, oozes mostalgia. Main Street, one block long, has changed little since its creation in 1902. Charming upscale gift shops hide behind the old storefronts. The creamery—its portal for incoming cream cans still visible-- now houses the Liquor Store and city offices. Up the stairs, is the Attic Shoppe, its slogan “It’s Worth the Climb,” offers gifts, clothing and more. All the original buildings still stand. Some have a new paint job and some a bit of a face lift, others just rearranged, their squeaky old floors a testimony to age, but no new—built from scratch—buildings detract from Main Street’s appealing and captivating ambience.

The Quiet Cricket

Time Matters, an antique shop; The Real Thing, a clothing and accessories shop; and the very upscale Quiet Cricket, home accessories, furniture, jewelry and art, as well as espresso and latte’s, beckon to tourists and locals alike. The Loon’s Nest, a timeless café (pie and coffee for 99 cents!) and Billy’s Bar--a family affair—from babies in cradles to the elderly with walkers--offer respite and comfort food to tired shoppers. Goodman’s Grocery, Ace Hardware, Vergas Bank, Hanson’s Plumbing and Franklin Fence Lumberyard provide the essentials of daily life. The American Beauty Shop and two Real Estate offices round off Main Street. The Vergas Park, fronting a swimming beach with playground and picnic areas, is located on its most eastern edge. Here sits the Vergas Loon—the world’s largest! Churches abound, their steeples soaring above the treetops, signaling their presence.

Photo courtesy of NMN Inc. Crosslake, MN

Vergas is sited within the confluence of three world biomes: grasslands, boreal forest and north central hardwood forests. There are fewer than a dozen places in the world where this occurs. It is also the most western area for commercial maple syrup production and boasts 3 licensed producers. This triggered the innkeeper’s father Lyle Tweten’s idea for the Vergas Maple Syrup Fest held the first Saturday in April. The Fest features a pancake feed with PURE maple syrup, tours of the sugarhouses and Main Street specials. More than 1100 visitors come from as far away as northern Minnesota, western North Dakota, the Minneapolis/StPaul metro, Iowa and parts of Wisconsin. A guessing contest is held during February. “When Will The Bucket Be Full?” The event is widely promoted and appears on the Vergas website www.vergasMN.com. Entries come from all over the US. First prize is a night in the Fredholm Suite of our Loghouse & Homestead on Spirit Lake. Other prizes range from a gallon of pure maple syrup to sweat shirts and tote bags. As stated elsewhere on our webpage, our 60 acres of maple woods are tapped by Jake’s Syrups and is on sale at our B&B.

In addition to the Syrup Fest, Vergas hosts “Looney Daze” held the second weekend in August. It draws thousands of visitors with its street dance and fair, parade, scavenger hunt and more. Vendors come from far and near. Many of our visitors schedule their stay with us to coincide with this event.

Vergas is centered in a ring of small communities, Perham, Detroit Lakes, Pelican Rapids, Frazee and Fergus Falls. Tourism is the main industry. Each town is unique, offering everything from antiques to museums to theater. There is a plethora of excellent golf courses in the region. The arts abound. Vergas has its own. The Forest Edge Art Gallery is located in a country setting a few miles out of town. The owners Helena Johnson and Patrick Shannon (painter and sculptor) have their works all over the world.

There are two state parks in the area, plus Minnesota’s famous Itasca—the source of the Mississippi—which is only a little over an hour away. Maplewood is but 11 miles, a magnificent sight in the fall. The Friends of Maplewood, in which the Loghouse & Homestead is actively involved, host Leaf Days on the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October. The Friends sell Elmer’s authentic Texas BBQ, brats, smoked turkey legs, sweets and beverages from a 40ft kitchen wagon donated by Elmer’s BBQ for the Friends use. All proceeds go to Park projects. In the autumn, Maplewood’s hills are covered with blazing color, offering delightful hiking. A magnificent view is to be had from Halloway Hill, the highest point in the Park. Lakes abound and one can fish, swim, picnic, hike or bring your horse and do the trails. A Candlelight Ski Night is held the last weekend of February. Luminaries line the ski trail around one of the lakes and a huge bonfire offers warmth and a chance to visit and enjoy sweets and hot chocolate. The Park has snowmobile trails as well.