Why Winona Looks This Way: Sea Creatures, Water & Rocks

If you’ve ever wondered why Winona looks the way it does, you can find some of the answers inside The River Gallery at the Winona County History Center.

The River Gallery explores the story of the Mississippi River and the landscape that surrounds Winona, including the geology, waterways and natural history that helped shape our community. Guests are able to learn about how ancient seas, tiny sea creatures, glaciers and water helped shape the landscape we know today.

And one of the coolest parts? Some of those ancient sea creatures can still be found in the stone used around Winona today.

Winona Was Once Under a Shallow Sea

Long before Winona was a city, this area was near the equator and covered by a shallow inland sea.

That ancient sea was full of life, including tiny creatures like cephalopods and snail-like animals. Over millions of years, those creatures became embedded in the layers of rock that now make up the bluffs and surrounding landscape.

Today, you can still find evidence of that ancient underwater world in the local stone used throughout Winona.

Much of this stone is locally quarried and is often referred to as Winona Stone. You can find it on the outside of buildings throughout the community, including both historic buildings and newer construction.

So next time you’re walking around Winona and looking at the stone buildings around you, take a closer look. You might be looking at a tiny glimpse into a world that existed millions of years ago.

Water Helped Shape the Valley

The ancient sea isn’t the only water story connected to Winona.

Much later, glaciers to the north began to melt, creating a massive lake. Eventually, that lake broke through, sending a tremendous rush of water known as River Warren through the landscape.

Over time, River Warren carved out what we now know as the Mississippi River Valley and helped create the beautiful blufflands surrounding Winona.

The landscape we see today was shaped over an incredibly long period of time by ancient seas, shifting land, glaciers and powerful water.

History Is All Around Us

One of the fun things about exploring Winona is realizing that history isn’t always found behind glass in a museum.

Sometimes, it is right under your feet.

It is in the rocks of the bluffs. It is in the stone buildings downtown. It is in the shape of the river valley. And sometimes, it is even in the tiny fossils hiding within the stone around you.

The next time you’re exploring Winona, take a closer look at the landscape and buildings around you. You might just spot a little piece of a world that existed millions of years ago.

Visit The River Gallery

Want to learn more about the story behind Winona’s landscape?

Visit The River Gallery at the Winona County History Center to explore more about the Mississippi River, the natural landscape of the region and the history connected to the river and surrounding area.