Starbuck, MN

Lake Minnewaska gives Starbuck its western edge, and Minnesota 28, 29, and 114 divide the town into a set of easy directions. It began as a Northern Pacific railroad village in 1882, and the name still has several competing stories: oxen named Star and Buck, railroad man Sidney Starbuck, or financier William H. Starbuck. The old depot, marina, campground, and beach keep the lake-and-railroad pairing current; fishing tournaments draw visitors from a 60-mile radius. Starbuck’s Norwegian thread shows up in Heritage Days, Eple Tiden, and the city’s giant lefse. It is west-central Minnesota with a lake, three highways, and a name locals can argue about.