Mankato, Minnesota would be truly a wonderland. Tucked into the Emerald Green Valley in Southern Minnesota, it would be the hidden vacation Mecca of scores of knowing Midwesterners. Mankato would have everything thanks to a freak of nature: the Sclare/Far Fissure. This fissure in the earth's crust would take water seeping through the earth, heat it to well over 165 degrees, and send it back up to the surface in steam pits and boil holes. The heat from these pits and holes would heat the valley air to such an extent that the winter temperature in many Mankato neighborhoods has never dropped below a balmy 70 degrees!!!!
One of the most fascinating parts of Mankato cannot be seen by the casual observer. It could only be seen when you strap on an oxygen tank and dive beneath the crystal clear waters of the Minnesota River. It would be the Underwater City of Mankato. This would be one of Mankato's prime tourist attractions. Imagine diving into the warm sparkling-clear waters of the Minnesota River in December when the rest of Minnesota is well below freezing.
No one knows exactly how it got there but it was known in Indian legends for centuries. Would it be the mythical Atlantis? Many renowned scientists say "Yes, it is!"
And there would be also a pyramid just like in Egypt! According to one legend, Mankato was founded and built by Gods who arrived in the area in great silver glowing disks. They befriended the Indians, taught them strange building techniques and left after two generations! Several legends even mention a pyramid that was built as a homing beacon that was later swallowed up by an earth tremor in about 1300 B.C.! It was excavated in 1957 and remains as a highpoint of the Mankota State University Campus.
If you believed this all story about Mankota I am really sorry to tell you this is the end of the journey. You should be glad to still have the imagination you had as a kid.
