Community spotlight – Henning & Vining
Written by Jenna Kvidt & pictures by Micah Kvidt of Wander the Map
Vining and Henning are located roughly six miles apart in the southeast quadrant of Otter Tail County. Both towns are small, with Vining being home to less than 50 residents, and Henning being home to roughly 850 residents. Because of their size and close proximity, we decided to spend a day exploring both towns together! During our visit, we enjoyed the lakes, checked out plenty of unique sculptures, visited parks, learned about the area’s history, and played disc golf. Read on to learn more about what we did in Henning and Vining!
Adventures in Henning & Vining
Nyberg Sculpture Park
One of our favorite spots in Otter Tail County is the quirky sculptures at the Nyberg Sculpture Park. The park is located in an open plot of grass next to the gas station, but the sculptures were all created just a couple miles away by local Ken Nyberg. There’s just something about this spot that fascinates me, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.
It might be the fact that the sculptures are of random things like a giant watermelon, pliers, silverware, animals, and an alien, to name a few. Or maybe it’s because it’s located in an unassuming location in such a tiny town. But whatever it is, I’m here for it, and I always welcome the smile it puts on my face!
Learn About History at the Henning Landmark Center
The original house at the Henning Landmark Center was built in 1914. It was originally used as a clinic and housing for doctors. In 2009, the restored house was opened as the Henning Landmark Center and it is now dedicated to the arts and is used as a place for community activities. The center is home to a history museum, as well as workshops for activities such as glass blowing, blacksmithing, ceramics, and woodworking. This time around we admired the house from the outside and enjoyed the gardens and the WWI “Doughboy” sculpture on the lawn.
Play a Round of Golf
There are two types of golf to enjoy in Henning—you can swing a club at the Oakwood Supper Club and Golf Course or throw a disc at the Henning City Park Disc Golf Course.
We decided to pop over to City Park to play a round of disc golf. The park offers 9 holes and wide-open spaces, which is great when you have terrible aim like me! Regardless of my disc throwing abilities, we had a great time breathing the fresh air and soaking up the sunshine while enjoying the game.
Visit the Scupltures Scattered Around Both Towns
Nyberg Park is not the only location in the area with sculptures. Vining and Henning both have several locations with additional sculptures around town, most of which were created by Ken Nyberg. If you just go for a drive, you are bound to run into several of them! One of the sculptures in Vining that is hard to miss is the giant foot just off of Highway 210/Front Street. This was one of the first large metal sculptures that Nyberg created. One day, he decided that he wanted to make a sculpture that was very different from anything else he’d seen, and the rest is history!
The Henning Schools and the Vining Community Center all feature a sculpture created by Nyberg. Several of the six churches in Henning also have sculptures outside. One of our favorite church sculptures was the one with hands holding a globe.
Pay Your Respects at the Henning Military Park
The Henning Military Park is a beautiful park that honors all branches of the military. There is a path that runs through the park past a lighted flag display. You can also find paving stones that commemorate area residents in the military, as well as picnic tables and benches. The park is also both the starting and finishing point of the annual 5K run held over Memorial Day weekend. It’s a wonderful place to stop year-round, especially if you are driving along the Otter Tail Scenic Byway!
Enjoy the Lakes
East Battle Lake and Stuart Lakes are located a short drive from both Henning and Vining. You can find a boat launch for Stuart Lakes just over two miles northeast of Vining, and there is a public access to East Battle Lake roughly 6 miles west of Henning. Both towns make a great jumping-off point for exploring other area lakes, as well. Paddling, fishing, swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, pontooning, and boating are just some of the many ways you can spend a day out on the water, and water activities are always a fantastic choice when spending time in Otter Tail County.
Where to Eat
Between the two towns, Vining and Henning have several restaurant options to pick from. If you are in Vining you can stop at the Vining Grill for burgers, sandwiches, baskets, wraps, salads, broasted chicken dinners, and more. The Vining Palace has more of a dive bar feel, but they offer a variety of menu options like fish Fridays, wraps, wings, baskets, and burgers, as well as activities like meat raffles.
Some of Henning’s restaurant offerings include Oakwood Supper Club & Golf Course and Gateway Pub. The Oakwood Supper Club & Golf Course serves burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and baskets. And the Gateway Pub features items like handmade pizza, sandwiches, wraps, and finger foods.
Even though Henning and Vining are separate towns, they make a great pair to explore if you are in the area. The history, art, and nature in both towns definitely make for a fun day in Otter Tail County!
