The Rodeo Capital Of Minnesota Is One Of The Most Charming Small Towns You'll Ever Visit
By Trent Jonas|Published July 06, 2023
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
Hamel, Minnesota is… complicated. It has all you could hope for in a charming small town: local businesses, an interesting history, a dominating youth baseball program, and a beautiful park. It even happens to be the rodeo capital of Minnesota, playing host to the state’s largest annual rodeo for decades. And yet…
Technically speaking, Hamel, Minnesota is not a town - not even an unincorporated one.
There was service to a Hamel train station from 1886 to 1963.
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Hamel even had a branch of the Hennepin County Library for more than 40 years. The historic Hamel Library now serves as a history center for - you guessed it - Hamel.
Hamel Historic Library, Hamel Road, Medina, MN, USA
Not only is Hamel not currently a town - it never was. There was a community called Lenz at this location in the early 1860s, but by the 1880s, folks started calling it Hamel after a prominent local citizen. It was platted as a town but never incorporated. Ultimately, the borders of the neighboring cities of Medina and Corcoran met each other in the middle of Hamel. But Hamel and its residents didn’t seem to notice or care. They kept right on being Hamel.
And when you’re hungry in Hamel, you grab breakfast or lunch from Peg’s Countryside Cafe, where you can get a good cup of coffee, a hearty meal, and news of the… neighborhood.
And every summer, folks polish their boots and buckles, dust off their Stetsons and get ready for Minnesota’s largest rodeo: the Hamel Rodeo and Bull Ridin’ Bonanza… in Corcoran.
Check out CCX Media’s highlight reel from the Hamel Rodeo and Bull Ridin’ Bonanza on YouTube:
So, go ahead. Call it Medina or Corcoran or whatever. But it will always be Hamel to us – and it will keep being the rodeo capital of Minnesota. And be sure to remember your Stetson when you head out to the rodeo!
Have you spent any time in Hamel – attended the rodeo? breakfast at Peg’s? – or had your big league dreams crushed at Legion Park? Let us know in the comments!
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