The Stone That Started It All

In 1898, a Swedish immigrant named Olof Ohman was clearing trees on his farm near Kensington, Minnesota — about 20 miles from Alexandria — when he found a 200-pound stone tangled in the roots of a poplar tree. Carved into the stone was an inscription in runes, describing a party of Norse explorers who had traveled to the area in 1362.

What It Says

The inscription describes a group of 30 travelers — Scandinavians who had journeyed inland from the coast and found 10 of their party killed. The language mixes Old Swedish and Old Norse in ways that have fueled debate for over a century. If authentic, it would mean Norse explorers reached central Minnesota more than 130 years before Columbus landed in the Caribbean.

The Debate

The Runestone has been argued about since the day it was dug up. Most academic linguists and historians consider it a 19th-century creation — likely carved by Ohman or someone in his community, possibly as a joke or cultural statement. Defenders point to geological evidence, the complexity of the runic text, and details that would have been difficult for a farmer to fabricate. The debate has never been fully resolved, and probably never will be.

Why It Matters to Alexandria

Authentic or not, the Runestone put Alexandria on the map. It’s the reason there’s a 28-foot Viking statue downtown. It’s the namesake of the Runestone Museum. It shaped the town’s identity and gave it a story that nobody else has. Whether you believe the stone is real or think it’s an elaborate hoax, it’s a genuinely interesting piece of history worth seeing in person.

See It

The Kensington Runestone is housed at the Runestone Museum in Alexandria. You can see the actual stone up close, read the inscription, and form your own opinion. The museum provides context on both sides of the debate.