Lake City's "Birthplace of Water Skiing" Ralph Samuelson Statue

02/21/2023

Another fun winter activity!! ❤️

🏖️⛸️🪁Take note. Lake City’s beach parties aren’t just for summertime!
Join us on Saturday, February 25 for our annual ice skating and kite flying pop up on Lake Pepin at Government Pier Beach (next to the downtown marina) from 12-4pm!

07/18/2022

Wednesday July 13, “Walking Lake Pepin” walkers met at Ohuta Park to welcome and celebrate the Ralph Samuelson stature that was dedicated on July 2, 2022 at 4:11 pm, 100 years from Ralph’s first successful attempt of water skiing on Lake Pepin.
John Hutchinson from Destination Lake City (DLC) joined the group and shared stories of Ralph and his early attempts at waterskiing. Ralph believed if you could ski on snow you could ski on water and by trial and error made it happen 100 years ago.
John also shared how Ralph made no fortune on his achievement or skills. He spent a few years after 1922 performing in Minnesota, Michigan and Florida but eventually he came back to Minnesota to farm.
Destination Lake City is a non-profit group who’s mission is to work with city stakeholders to make Lake City a vibrant place to live, work, play, and visit.
At the end of 2021 they set out to have the statue designed, built and dedicated by the 100th anniversary of Ralph Samuelson’s invention of water skiing. With the help of generous community donors DLC made it happen.
While the WLP walkers were at the park a visitor form Iowa approached the group and asked what we were doing at the park. The group pointed to the statue and asked if she knew who he was. She did not, so the WLP group told her the Ralph Samuelson story.
The visitor commented that she had heard about Lake City and water skiing but thought it was marketing gimmick. Now she knows who Ralph Samuelson is and that Lake City is the one and only “Birthplac3 of Waterskiing!”
Walking Lake Pepin will meet next week for a group walk on Wednesday July 20 at the Villa Maria on Wabasha County 2 at 6:30 pm. All are welcome. Questions? Contact Patty Svien 345-4383.

07/03/2022

A special shout out to Kris Ryan for his amazing re-enactment of Ralph Samuelson, arriving at the right spot at the exact right time - and he looked just like Ralph!!! Amazing! Thank you Kris!!

07/03/2022

The rain stopped, the sun shone, the bells rang, and the eagles swooped yesterday at exactly 4:11pm as water skier Kris Ryan re-enacted Ralph’s historical trip down Lake Pepin perfectly; just in time for the unveiling of Lake City’s beautiful bronze life-size statue of Ralph Samuelson! Mayor Mark Nichols received a mini version of the statue to represent this gift to the city. Ralph’s 3 children spoke as did a few other relevant speakers to mark this special day! A special thanks to Tom Rasmussen and John Hutchinson for all their hard work to make this happen!

07/02/2022

TODAY IS THE BIG DAY!!
4PM AT OHUTA PARK!

JOIN US FOR THE UNVEILING OF THIS VERY SPECIAL STATUE AND A PIECE OF LAKE CITY HISTORY!

06/30/2022

😃We had such a great time at Water Ski Days and we hope you did too!
We’d like to take this time to thank our sponsors, without whom, our event would never happen.💪
Be sure to visit them in person and on the web!
Water Ski 100 Presenting Sponsor
Hearth & Home Technologies Careers
Admiral Sponsors
Tenneco Inc., Lake City Federal Bank, Ardent Mills, Mayo Clinic Health System, Xcel Energy, Jimmy's Salad Dressings and Dips, Alliance Bank, Ackermann Total Eye Care, Allegra of Rochester, J&B Pallet, AmericInn of Lake City MN, Lake City MN Public Works, Knight Barry Title Inc, First Alliance Credit Union, Northern Beverage Distribution Co LLC
Commodore Sponsors
KLCH Radio, Hiawatha Broadband Communications, Inc., Pepin Valley Dental, Ed's Plumbing & Heating
Captain Sponsors
Pool 4 Adventures, New Image Siding & Windows, Perry Dental LTD, Jake Davidson Painting, LakePepinPetClinic, Lake City Sportsman's Club, Majerus Electric LLC
Special thanks to
USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, Lake City Market By the Lake, The Lake City Marina, Cemstone, J&J Crane Service, Lake City Area Arts, Lake City Lions Club

See photo below for all sponsors. Thank you!!!

06/28/2022

IT’S STILL NOT TOO LATE TO DONATE!

And be sure to join us for the unveiling this Saturday at 4:00pm and Ohuta Beach!

06/27/2022

Any guesses what this beautiful stone might be for??
..it is the future resting place of our city's new statue of Ralph Samuelson! Don't miss the unveiling on July 2nd at 4:00pm!

06/16/2022

It’s not too late to get your Ralph Samuelson souvenir! Go visit Sharon at Lake City Market by the Lake tonight!

06/15/2022

DLC is selling beautiful Ralph Samuelson souvenirs to mark this special year! They will be sold at the Farmer's Market, Water Ski Days (Patton Park) and Lake Pepin Pearl Button Store.

Coffee mugs, trivets and Coasterstone coasters (4 to a box)
Each item is $20. Limited supply!
Proceeds will help fund our new statue of Ralph!

06/09/2022

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO DONATE!

PLEASE CONSIDER A DONATION TO THE CREATION OF THIS SPECIAL STATUE CELEBRATING RALPH SAMUELSON AND HIS INVENTION OF WATER SKIING 100 YEARS AGO!

CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO DONATE!

AND JOIN US FOR THE UNVEILING
JULY 2ND AT OHUTA PARK!