Onamia (pop. 850) is located on Mille Lacs Lake. The town began in 1908 when lumbering was a major industry and the first trains reached the town. More than 1,000 Indian mounds are located along the shoreline.
The "thousand lakes" were once the heartland of the Dakota Indians and home to the Mille Lacs Indian Museum.
The Mille Lacs Indian Museum presents the history and culture of the Mille Lacs band of Ojibwe Indians. The craft room serves as a demonstration area for traditional cooking, birch-bark basketry and beadwork.
Hours:
April 1 to May 31: 11am-4pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Tue
June 1 to August 31: 11am-4pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Tue, Sun, Mon
September 1 to October 31: 11am-4pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Tue, Sun, Mon, Sun, Mon, Tue
Always opened on: Memorial Day - USA (last Monday, May ), Labor Day - USA (1st Monday, September)
Tips: Open for group reservations all year around.
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park north of Onamia features 9,000 years of human history as a result of the Dakota Sioux Indians congregating in the area. The park offers camping, hiking, cross-country skiing and swimming opportunities.