Lark Toys

During our annual trip to La Crosse, Wisconsin, we stopped off at one of our favorite places: Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minnesota (just south of Wabasha on highway 61 along the Mississippi River).

We've been going to Lark for about 10 years. It has a great miniature golf course, which is about as naturalistic as miniature golf gets. The layout is extremely well planned, so that you flow very easily from one hole to the next, even though there are no visible numbers at the tee of each hole. There are several water features running through the course, and large rock formations. (No interesting kitschy items to look at or play around, but the fact that the water has been colored cyan probably could count as such, I suppose.) It's a very playable course that is well maintained -- no ripped carpeting or holes that poke up out of the green. Pretty good plantings around it, too.

Lark is known for its museum of toys, great toy stores, and especially its hand-carved carousel. While the carousel is only 11 years old, the fantastic animals could easily have been crafted in an earlier era.

A particular favorite animal of mine is the ostrich, which is not one of the animals that goes up and down as the carousel moves. Instead, it pulls a cart for small children to sit in. Along the back of the cart are several ostrich eggs, which are hatching. I couldn't get a picture of it today, though, because the light was all wrong on that side.

Here a few others.


The pelican's mouth is spilling fish.


Not just any buffalo, but the unusual (and revered) white buffalo.


Lark is all about the details. I don't remember this sign from previous trips. Note the toilet paper!

I just found out the store and all its magical contents were sold in the last year, with the founders (and carvers of the animals) retiring to Illinois. It has been taken on by a new family of entrepreneurs and toy-lovers. Good luck to them in continuing the legacy of this Minnesota gem.