As Minnesota s tourism expanded beyond the hotels along the Mississippi and early railroad lines, small family resorts emerged. They catered to the simple pleasures of an outdoor enthusiast: a good fishing lake, a passable road, and a lodge with a cabin or two. As the demands of tourists shifted throughout the twentieth century, the state's resorts were dramatically altered. The Early Resorts of Minnesota:Tourism in the Land of 10,000 Lakes explains how resorts evolved, their prime locations, owners, amenities, and the rustic elegance that made Minnesota's resorts national icons.