The Riverfront Village That Feels Like a Slice of Europe in the U.S.

The German city of Ulm was founded on the banks of the Danube River around 850 C.E. About 1,000 years later and 4,000 miles away, German immigrants established the town of New Ulm along the banks of the Minnesota River in what was then the Minnesota territory. Unlike the citizens of most towns in the American Midwest, New Ulm's founders maintained a deep connection to their homeland and an affinity for German culture that has transcended generations. To this day, this riverfront Minnesota town is a place you can go to get a taste of Europe in the U.S.

New Ulm, Minnesota, sits at the confluence of the Minnesota and Cottonwood Rivers. A true river town, it is regionally famous for its deep German roots and connection to Teutonic culture. In fact, New Ulm is frequently considered one of the "most German" towns in the United States. Folks visit from throughout the state and the Upper Midwest to experience a little slice of Germany without committing to a lengthy Lufthansa flight to the Fatherland.

You'll notice several nods to the town's German history immediately upon arriving in New Ulm, from the "Willkommen" sign at the city limits and the arch announcing the way to the Marktplatz Mall to the architecture of the post office. Other details emerge with a bit more exploration.

On one downtown corner, for example, you'll see a modest clock tower that doesn't rise much higher than the two-story buildings lining Minnesota Street. If you step into the small green space where it's located, Schonlau Park, though, and look more closely, you'll see a dozen figurines adorning the 45-foot tower. Wait a little longer, and music will flow from the structure, which houses a 37-bell glockenspiel that plays several times each day.

A few blocks west of the commercial district, on a bluff overlooking downtown New Ulm and the Minnesota River, you'll find a 102-foot monument in Hermann Heights Park. Topping the monument is a 27-foot copper and iron statue of Arminius, an ancient German chieftain. The monument commemorates the defeat of the Romans at the hands of German warriors at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 C.E. The monument was erected in the 1890s, and Arminius—also known as Hermann—is the third largest copper statue in the U.S. (the Statue of Liberty is first). I am the first to admit that a massive monument celebrating a German victory over Romans more than 2,000 years ago is not something I expected to find in a small Minnesota town; but it's certainly a testament to New Ulm's connection to its German roots.

About a mile south of Hermann, on the edge of town, the August Schell Brewing Company is perched on a bluff overlooking the Cottonwood River. The beer maker was founded in 1860, and it's currently the second-oldest family-owned brewery in the U.S., as well as the largest brewery in Minnesota. Schell's and the town of New Ulm host what is widely considered one of the most authentic Oktoberfest celebrations in the country. Other community events and celebrations throughout the year, including a Christmas market, cement the town's link to Germany. If you visit between celebrations, you can still get a taste of the old country at local businesses like Schell's and Kaiserhoff New Ulm, as well as the Backerei and Coffee Shop.

So next time you're hoping for a waterfront slice of Europe without the travel hassles, pack your lederhosen, hop in the car, and head for southern Minnesota. New Ulm will be waiting with a hearty "Willkommen."