Gather up the family, pack your favorite picnic food and join in the fun of a picnic of the historic Samuel B. Strait House on Saturday, July 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Minnesota Valley State Park, just outside of Jordan.

Visit an 1857 house that is the only remaining building of the ghost town of St. Lawrence. Bring a picnic, explore the house and join in on historic games, a puppet show and walking tour. Take part in a full day of activities to celebrate Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial at the historic Strait House.

The Samuel B. Strait house is all that remains of the once-promising town of St. Lawrence. Founded in the mid-1850s, the town was a busy stagecoach and steamboat stop on the Minnesota River until 1866, when it was bypassed by the railroad. St. Lawrence was eventually abandoned in 1869.

The picnic and parking are available at the trail head of the Minnesota Valley State Park. Take Highway 169 to Jordan and at the traffic light turn north onto County Road 9, turn left onto Township Road 57.A horse-drawn trolley will shuttle people from the picnic area to the Strait house beginning at 10 a.m. (last shuttle leaves picnic area at 1:30 p.m.). The trolley is handicap accessible. There will be a puppet show at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Naturalist-led walks take place at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.All activities are free, but a Minnesota State parking permit required and costs $5. Beverages will be available at a small cost and is a fund raiser for Scott County Historical Society)For more information call: (952) 492-6400.