For me, finding the Thrive! Center and Park was a complete surprise, the result of driving around the village of Nelson in Buffalo County and exploring. This was quite a worthwhile discovery!
While driving on Hwy 35 along the Great River Road into Nelson, look for Cleveland Street turning off the highway toward the bluffs. Turn on it and climb up until it ends at the Thrive! Center and Park.
Once there, you’ll see a few dark brown buildings and a parking area. This building is a restored 1885 farmhouse.
I parked outside the buildings, got out, took a few steps to look around, and wondered what this was all about. Shortly after, a man came out, walked to the car, and chatted. He is shown here next to my car.
It turned out he was Gary “Chris” Christopherson. As he liked to be called, Chris has had a distinguished career in human services with the US government, has authored several nonfiction books, and is a sculptor. Chris is the founder of Thrive! Furthermore, he donated 25 acres of a Mississippi River bluff top and bluff side to the Village of Nelson. It is now a Nelson Public Park open to all visitors.
Thrive! is an effort by Chris to help people enjoy a thriving and better future. You can visit Chris at the Thrive! Center in Nelson and discuss his vision. Call him at 301-318-3760 or e-mail him at GChris@GChris.com. You can also see his Thrive! Endeavor website.
Chris is a fascinating man. He has produced over 200 abstract sculptures, copper and wood, of varied sizes. Some make sounds and some move. Purchases from him are used for a scholarship fund.
This is one sculpture he had placed on a picnic table outside, overlooking the valley below.
This is as fascinating as is Chris. He explained that he designed this to be a foolproof bird feeder; no squirrel can climb up it and eat the bird feed!
This building is an old-time 1880s bee house. Bees mostly prefer to live in a communal environment near one another. I have seen these structures referred to as “bee hotels.”
I have enhanced that photo to show you the slots built into the side of the bee house. The Modern Farmer website tells us the bees use these as “rooms.” It says,
“Female bees will construct individual chambers throughout each hole with mud, chewed-up plant material, and other substances, depending on the species. A single egg is deposited in each room, and some pollen for the baby bees to eat after they hatch. Once a tube is filled, it will be sealed off at the opening to prevent moisture and predatory insects from entering.
“The hatched bees remain inside the sealed tubes through the winter, emerging as adults in spring when warm weather returns. After the exiting bees have broken all the sealed openings, bee experts recommend removing the old “rooms” and building a new set each year as a precaution against transmitting diseases from one generation to the next.”
I mentioned the barn. Here is a closer look. Neat! Look up at the bluff behind it. That is part of the Thrive! Park of Nelson. Chris has described the park this way:
“Thrive! Park is a great place to enjoy nature! Much of the park is covered by a diverse oak woodland home to many critters and spring wildflowers. With hiking trails already established, walking uphill is made easier. The upper side of the bluff is a
And finally, this is an excellent place to park yourself after climbing the trails. This bench, down by the buildings and parking lot, overlooks Nelson, the Mississippi river, and the bluffs along the Minnesota side of the river. Next time, God willing, I will try to do the climb.
