2019 BREAKDOWN OF ANNUAL ATTENDANCE, GUEST BOOK SUBMISSIONS, AND EVALUTAION SURVEY RESULTS

440 N. Mill Street Currie, MN 56123 507-763-3708 [email protected] P a g e | 1

Attendance Stats Guided and Group Tours Visitors…………………………….820 Visitors who did not take the guided tour and looked at park on their own……………………………...1748 Visitors from school field trips …………………...…………...707 (13 different schools from 15 field trips overall) Visitors who used the picnic shelter for rental………………....137 Church service attendance ………………………………….....205 (Average of 11 people per service) Observed Casey Jones Trail users who parked at EOL but didn’t tour the facility...………………………………………………311 Total Park Visitors...……………………………………… 3928 8.09% Increase from 2018

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2019 Attendance by Month April 0 May 814 June 754 July 973 August 943 September 234 October 210

Attendance by Month Historically 2012 2013* 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 April 134 65 0 0 0 0 38 May 893 1252 879 880 1121 824 832 June 554 332 174** 369 337 374 769 July 825 496 510 322 437 381 383*** August 687 475 425 400 259 346 807 September 164 124 61 151 49 190 436 October 0 0 7 0 23 120 369 Totals 3257 2744 2039 2122 2226 2235 3634 * Only self-guided tours conducted during this year ** Park closed 10 days due to flooding *** Closed June 26-July 20 due to flooding Notes: In years past, attendance numbers were generated only by paid visitors and school group tours. 2018 was the first year where (to the best of our ability) every visitor of the facility was recorded; whether they took a guided tour or not.

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Number of Tours and Visitors By Guided Tours Times

May Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 0 0 11:30am 1 3 12:30pm 2 9 1:30pm 2 15 2:30pm 1 2 3:30pm 2 5

June Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 13 79 11:30am 6 26 12:30pm 3 10 1:30pm 4 16 2:30pm 6 24 3:30pm 5 19

July Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 9 36 11:30am 10 104 12:30pm 6 25 1:30pm 7 38 2:30pm 2 11 3:30pm 4 13

August Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 6 30 11:30am 8 36 12:30pm 8 31 P a g e | 4

1:30pm 7 22 2:30pm 11 66 3:30pm 11 45

September Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 0 0 11:30am 1 4 12:30pm 2 4 1:30pm 1 12 2:30pm 1 8 3:30pm 2 8

October Guided Tours By Time Tour Times Number of Tours Number of People Given at This Time Throughout the Month 10:30am 2 5 11:30am 1 4 12:30pm 0 0 1:30pm 1 5 2:30pm 1 3 3:30pm 0 0

Overall Guided Tours By Time in 2019 Tour Times Number of Tours Given Number of People at This Time Throughout the Season 10:30am 30 150 11:30am 28 177 12:30pm 21 79 1:30pm 18 108 2:30pm 21 114 3:30pm 23 90

142 Guided Tours in 2019 – Increase in 9.77% in tours from 2018 (133 tours) P a g e | 5

Number of Tours and Visitors By Day of Week Open

May Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Wednesday 4 14 Thursday 1 2 Saturday 1 3 Sunday 2 15

June Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Wednesday 4 16 Thursday 6 19 Friday 5 36 Saturday 8 38 Sunday 14 67

July Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Wednesday 8 32 Thursday 3 36 Friday 9 90 Saturday 9 40 Sunday 6 27

August Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Wednesday 11 41 Thursday 7 27 Friday 9 66 Saturday 13 51 Sunday 10 57 P a g e | 6

September Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Saturday 1 2 Sunday 4 30 Monday 2 5

October Guided Tours By Day Days Number of Tours Number of People Open Given at This Day Throughout the Month Friday 3 10 Saturday 2 7

Overall Guided Tours By Day Days Open Number of Tours Given Number of People at This Day Throughout the Season Wednesday 27 103 Thursday 17 84 Friday 26 202 Saturday 34 141 Sunday 36 196 Monday 2 5

Overall Guided Tours Month Days Open Number of Tours Given Number of People at This Month Throughout the Season May 8 34 June 37 176 July 35 225 August 50 242 September 7 37 October 5 17

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Park Attendance of those who didn’t take a guided tour Visitors who fall under these categories: - People who checked-in with staff in the visitors’ center before looking through the park - People who didn’t check in firsts but were still observed by staff - People who parked at EOL to use the Casey Jones Trail but didn’t tour the facility - Other miscellaneous park visitors (deliveries, maintenance, meetings, etc.) By Day Day Number of Visitors Wednesday 280 Thursday** 295 Friday 323 Saturday* 611 Sunday 436 Monday 83 Tuesday 18

By Month Month Number of Visitors May 122 June* 531 July** 638 August 554 September 123 October 78

* Includes an estimated 125 for Park’s Open House event on Saturday, June 1 ** Includes an estimated 117 on Independence Day. Thursday, July 4 when the park was open with regular admission waived for the day in lieu of free-will offering donations 2059 Non-Guided Tour Visitors in 2019 – Increase in 39.68% in visitors from 2018 (1474 visitors) P a g e | 8

Guest Book Submissions 30 different states (including ) and three international countries (Japan, Canada, Venezuela) represented on the guest book [Increase in 30.4% from 2018]

3 visitors per each state: Idaho, Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska and Virginia, Oklahoma, Wisconsin. 2 visitors per each state: Montana, Vermont, Florida, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania. 1 visitor per state: New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, North Caroline, Alaska. Comments from the Guest book:

• Very Nice Museum • 10/10 Gift Shop • Absolutely Amazing! • Neat Place • Great Place • Nice Place • Very Neat • Awesome! P a g e | 9

• Nice! • Looks Great! • Really Interesting • Wonderful • The First time I remember coming • Great Tour was wonderful all of the here I was 8. Now I'm 37 :) displays. Glad it's here. • Great! :) • :) So Fun! • So Fun! • Great tour guide! Excellent info! • :) • Had a great time, learned a lot! • It was fabulous! Awesome tour • Wonderful! Fun Place. Jakob was guide! great! • Great Tour! • Choo Choo! • Interesting - good job • Awesome! • Thanks had fun learned a lot • Awesome! • Very Nice • Very Neat - From Kansas! • Lovely • As usual, great • Thanks for the cookies • Very interesting! Thanks- • Love this place! • Great! • Outstanding Tour! And such an • Thanks:) Remember H.H.'s train in interesting park. LW when I was a kid. • Awesome! • great visit! • Had a great time! • Thank you, Nick • Had a nice time • Had Fun • Interesting! • Camping @ Shetek • Awesome! • Great!!! • Loved it • Thanks You! • Very Well done! • A lot of fun & educational too! • Five Stars • Great! • Delightful • Delightful • Wonderful museum - Guided tour is • Jakob great job- Answered all my terrific! questions • Enjoyed • Good tour • Very interesting • Great job Jakob! • Thanks for supporting Blue Star • Wonderful! Enjoyed the whole families! experience! • Great discovery! Worth the stop! • Love this place! • What a great, informative tour! • Nice Park - Walked from Shetek

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Evaluation Survey Data Example of the Survey [Front]

Example of the Survey [Back]

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19 different states (including Minnesota) represented on the Evaluations. [Increase in 18.75% from 2018]

[Results from 2018: No - 175 (72.6%), 1-2 Times - 42 (17.4%), 3-5 Times - 15 (6.2%), 6+ Times - 9 (3.7%)] P a g e | 12

Specific Examples Written in Responses:

• Google (13x) • Book on Minnesota drives • Found on Map (5x) • Camping at state park and told to go • Pinterest (3x) there • TripAdvisor (2x) • Google Maps • AARP Website • referred my manager of Air BnB • Top 10 SW Minnesota Print • Ad at Campground Advertising • Book - "Off the Beaten Path MN" • Explore MN Website • Flyer at State Park • SW MN Website • recommended by camper at Shetek • Only in MN Website State Park

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Other Responses/Comments:

• Manual turntable - even though we • loved everything; wish it wasn't couldn't ride it because of the H2O flooded • Turn table - enjoyed all of it. She • Learning history of train in engine was very informative & in no hurry. house. (Appreciate that.) • Very hard to choose! Probably • Feeling the "turntable" (railroad) and seeing the tools and rails for the hearing the "turntable" (Music) railroad, as well as a train itself from • Our tour guide was very interesting, Philadelphia it is hard to choose. • The train service barn and the tools. • The tour guide was very informative Thanks for the great preservation and friendly job! • The tour - the guide was VERY • I really enjoyed the house. It was so good, knowledgeable and fun (Lin). interesting to see how life was back • The tour was outstanding…Thanks then. to Lin!! • The different types of trains and we • The info our guide shared was great had the best tour guide. :) • All of it! Jakob was awesome • Brought back many memories. P a g e | 14

• I liked seeing the model train and • I enjoyed learning about how the seeing how it would have ran. men would send warnings or other • The amazing collection of historic messages to the other trains. items. Knowledgeable staff :) • The Church • All of the history and artifacts are • This such a fun place to visit with a super! What a gem! family. We spent a long time here • air conditioning discovering everything. • main museum • Community participation in establishing whole thing!

[Results from 2018: Excellent - 204 (84.3%), Good - 35 (14.5%), Fair/Poor 0, No Response - 3 (1.2%)] P a g e | 15

[Results from 2018: Excellent - 198 (81.8%), Good - 35 (14.5%), Fair - 4 (1.7%), Poor - 1 (0.4%), No Response - 4 (1.7%)]

[Results from 2018: Guided - 160 (66.1%), Self-Guided -34 (14%), Both/Either - 7 (2.9%), No Response - 41 (16.9%)] P a g e | 16

[Results from 2018: Ten – 155 (74.9%), Nine – 35 (16.9 %), Eight: - 7 (3.4%), Six – 4 (1.9%), Five – 2 (1%)]

Responses to the Question: What additional activities or amenities would make your visit to our museum more enjoyable?

• The turntable [early in the spring • I think it is great the way it is. when there was flooding] • I love everything. Don't want • A train that you could go in anything. • Nothing. Great park • It had more than I expected. • Great as is! • Nothing. It was enjoyable by itself. • Less rain! • Gender neutral bathrooms • Ride the little train. • Ride on a train • less bugs :) • a train ride • A train to ride on. • splash pad, more playground • Some activities and interactive • It was perfect. exhibit components for very small • Ride on the trains. kids. P a g e | 17

• Everything was great. • bigger park • Wish the general store was open. • free souvenirs • Toilets that aren't porta-poties. • events such as live music or farmers • Coal/steam working model to show market how steam engine works. • maybe a swingset play area for kids • bigger park • Be able to look in the safe • This was very adequate. • The toilets do not flush right :( • swings • A little train ride • original or replicated uniforms • Awesome as is • If the tiny turn table moved • Kid train • Being able to go on the Georgia Northern

[Results from 2018: Yes – 203 (83.9%), No – 1 (0.4%), No Response – 38 (15.7%)] P a g e | 18

[Results from 2018: Yes – 71 (29.3%), No – 106 (43.8%), No Response – 60 (24.8%)]

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Responses to the Question: What was your impression?

• Walnut Grove (10x) • (7x) • Lake Shetek Lodge • Yes, lovely little town • Sod House in Sanborn • Lake Shetek State Park (16x) • Slayton (x4) • (3x) • Gas station-friendly • Yes. Good! • Worthington • Yes. Lovely, welcoming, beautiful. • Pipestone (2x) • Pipestone National Monument • Lake Shetek campground (3x) • Trails Edge • Middle of nowhere • I've fallen in love with SW MN • Fulda • Love the area • Sleyton[Sic] - Shetek Camp • Shetek, Slaughter Sloug, Laura • Nice, Comfortable, Homey Ingalls Wilder • It was great. • Very clean and nice. • yes - The café in for breakfast (yum!) • Visited the state park, great facility. Trails Edge for ice cream • Amazing • Nice little town. P a g e | 20

• We went to Lake Shetek State Park, • Beautiful country side Pipestone and Jeffers Petroglyphs. I • Yes, Marshall. Nice town loved all of it! • Here to visit family • Schreiers • It was cool. • Breezy Point Barn • Very good. Yes, Camping at Shetek • There are a lot of stories to tell and discover

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Responses to the last evaluation question: Please provide any final things you liked, suggestions, or comments:

• The train car looked like a house • Appreciated being able to set up a • very cool time via e-mail. Jakob was very • Great Job. responsive and helpful • Thank you :) • I really like the train car where it • Thank you. Jakob the tour was looked like a house wonderful! • Great quality place, overall fun • Jakob was very nice and friendly! • Great place. • Great place! Kids had a blast! • Very enjoyable experience. • Indoor sitting area with • Good guide. refreshments. • Thanks for adapting our tour for our • Staff were friendly and welcoming. kids! • It was great. • Tour was very informative. • Could use a convenience store. • Thank you! • Great • Beautiful grounds • Thank you! We had fun!! • I liked the whole tour. • We had fun!! • I do not know because I am a kid. • I liked it all. • The tour was very nice. • Glad the buildings are air- • It was fun! conditioned. • The people here are so inviting and • Excellent. Thank you. helpful. This was such a wonderful • Wonderful tour guide - lots of stop on vacation. interesting info! • Good job Nick! • Great tour Guide - Lin • I enjoyed the tour a lot. • Very interesting • I really liked the old buildings. • Very good • I liked it. • Info told by our guide. • Thank you to your volunteers. • Great tour guide - Linn • Tour guide was well knowledged. • I really liked the old buildings. (Jakob) • I liked the tour a lot. • the tour was awesome • Jakob did a great tour. Very • Great tour, knowledgeable tour knowledgeable and friendly. guide! • Cool old town and nice people - lots • I loved it. to see! Thanks :) • Nice Place! • The School • Great Tour! Great Collection! P a g e | 22

• Thank you. It was so good to learn • Thanks for supporting military about our history. families. • I think it should have been longer • Would have liked an ice cream or pie • Jakob was an awesome tour guide shop to bike to (heard used to have) • Amazing little gem. I will definitely Well done museum! share with guests to Shetek. • Tour guide was excellent! • Great Guided Tour • I also liked the playground because • Miss the Ice Cream store on main I'm still a kid. street • We'll have to come again • I would be cool if the mini turntable • Wish ice cream corner was still here! moved • Bigger shop • Our tour guide did a fantastic job w/ • Nothing our kid. Thank you! Love the kid • Maybe get some umbrellas, rental or sized buildings & trains too! borrowable, for when it rains. • Great Guide - Informative • We just came for the day • Jakob is a knowledgeable, excellent • Plan kid programs throughout tour guide. summer "be a train engineer day," or "dress up day" etc

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Other Information: Facebook Page Likes on January 1, 2019:………………893 Page Likes on December 31, 2019:…………..993 11.2% increase 62% are Women; 18.9% are ages 35-44 37% are Men; 9.04% are ages 45-54 TripAdvisor

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