2016 Tours - West 7th Community Center

Presented by: West 7th History Tours
Dave Bredemus, Historian and Tour Guide
Dear Sight-Seeing Adventurists
& History Buffs:
As we embark on the new tour season, we
are excited to present you with some fun,
informative, adventurous and educational
excursions!
Parking at West 7th Community Center:
Please park in the rows nearest to the
tennis courts as possible, leaving the rows
near the building for the constant day-today business of Center and Library guests.
Volunteering: Some of our tour participants
have inquired about opportunities to
volunteer at West 7th Community Center, or
in some way, help with the tour program.
We have an opportunity for people to
volunteer at the 2016 GermanFest (third
annual) on June 17-19, 2016. Please call
me (651-734-5578) if you are interested in
this volunteer effort.
Tour Cancelation Policy:
To receive a refund (less any nonrecoverable costs [tickets, hotels, meals
and air]), you must give notice:
 30 or more days for day trips
 45 or more days for overnight trips
Registration begins
at 9:00 AM on Saturday,
February 13, 2016.
Call 651-298-5493
Phone registration only.
Continues until tours are full.
Fees always include admissions, deluxe
motor coach, lodging, all guides and
historical narration. Food and beverages
are included as specified in the
descriptions.
Payment: Visa, Discover, or MasterCard.
If paying by check, make payable to:
Keystone Community Services
and mail to:
th
West 7 Community Center – Tours
265 Oneida Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Pick-up sites for most tours are:
Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
(over-night parking)
1000 Gramsie Road, Shoreview
West 7th Community Center
265 Oneida Street, Saint Paul
1 - Unique Treasures of Minneapolis
Thursday, April 21
Visit treasures of today and years gone by… This amazing tour of
Minneapolis will take you to places you never knew existed. While
exploring many lesser-known landmarks, restaurants and
forgotten art. Hear interesting stories and see hidden parks.
Learn about national and culturally
significant treasures in Minneapolis.
See museums, churches, and unique
homes. Tour small neighborhoods and
see historically significant parks. Enjoy the day
learning and visiting the most unique historic sites that
you never knew existed in our neighboring city, Minneapolis.
Fee:
$68
Pick-up times and sites:
9:00 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
9:30 a.m. West 7th Community Center
5:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes bakery stop, lunch and museum entrance.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
Guide:
Dave Bredemus
2 - Root River Valley Tour
Thursday, May 12
This is your chance to get a jump on Spring in
beautiful Southeast Minnesota! Travel with us to
one of the least known and most beautiful
regions of the state, dubbed the “New England
of Minnesota.” This area of rolling hills and
valleys has much hidden history to learn about.
We’ll visit the quaint towns along the Root River:
Rushford, Peterson, Lanesboro and Preston, as well as the site of the
lost town of Beaver. We will also visit Whitewater State Park with its beautiful limestone
bluffs and deep ravines. Our last stop will be a tour of the town of Rolling Stone, Minnesota
with its Luxembourg community and visit the Luxembourg museum.
Fee:
$78
Pick-up times and sites:
8:30 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
9:00 a.m. West 7th Community Center
6:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes bakery stop, lunch and museum entrance.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
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Guide:
Dave Bredemus
3 - New Look at an Old Neighborhood
Tuesday, May 17
Discover St. Paul's oldest living neighborhood - the West
7th Neighborhood. Inside this special neighborhood tour
are some of St. Paul's most historic landmarks. Tour
guide, Gary Brueggemann, has researched this
neighborhood for almost 50 years, and he will share his
many stories on the special evening bus tour.
Fee:
$30
Pick-up times and sites:
5:30 p.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
6:00 p.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes motor coach transportation.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
Guide:
Gary Brueggemann
4 - Mendota-land
Tuesday, June 7
Trace the origins of the Twin Cities by exploring the Twin Cities oldest locality the MendotaFort Snelling-Hidden Falls region. This tour takes a close-up look at Minnesota's oldest living
town and the historic river bluffs that surround it. Learn about the Dakota Indians, fur traders,
soldiers and backwoodsmen who once
inhabited the land that the Indian people
called Mendota – “the meeting of the
waters.” This tour will include visits to
the sites of lost settlements as well as
the sites of Minnesota's oldest buildings
the Sibley and Faribault houses and
Saint Peter's Church.
Fee:
$30
Pick-up times and sites:
5:30 p.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
6:00 p.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes motor coach transportation.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
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Guide:
Gary Brueggemann
5 - Local Mississippi Tour
Tuesday, June 21
This evening bus tour led by Gary Brueggemann on the longest day of the year (as far as
sunlight) will visit such places as Minnehaha Falls, Fort Snelling, Mendota, Lilydale, Mounds
Park and Crosby Lake. See historic homes, lost breweries, farms, sandstone caves, bluffs and
hidden scenes of natural beauty. Hear tales of adventure, mystery, romance, humor and history.
Fee:
$30
Pick-up times and sites:
5:30 p.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
6:00 p.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes motor coach bus.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
Guide:
Gary Brueggeman
6 - Heart of it All Mystery Tour
Saturday, July 9 through Saturday, July 16 (7 nights/8 days)
This year’s addition of our overnight mystery tour is unique in that every single historic site,
town, and village that we visit we haven't visited on previous tours. So see if you can decipher
the clues and figure out where we’re headed on our fourth annual mystery tour. Learn about a
young woman who thrilled audiences with her sharpshooting skills. Visit a home and museum
of a former President of the United States. Put yourself in the same location as the characters
from the greatest prison movie ever made. Away from the bustling big cities visit some of the
best small towns in America. A special stop is planned for popcorn lovers. Visit a town with
Norman Rockwell-like beauty and Mayberry-like friendliness. Visit a town that was connected
to a scandal in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit a town that Walt Disney picked to have his Disney
parade in because of its hometown feel. Travel on the most historic highway in America. Visit
the site of the most significant American Indian treaty in the United States. The most German
neighborhood in America will be visited. Travel on canals that helped build our country. See
mysterious Indian mounds. Drive-through an area of streams and rivers, tidy apple orchards
and sprawling forests among pioneer farms. Travel through a land populated by simple
(uncomplicated) people that have created a delicate quilt of rustic lanes and colorful
countryside farms, the largest of its type in the world. Travel to a region called Little
Switzerland where you'll find yourself bobbing to the beat of polka music from the town
storefronts all decorated with Alpine scenes. Visit with artists, farmers, freethinkers and
religious purists. Fly like a bird on this trip.
Fee:
Pick-up times and sites:
Double occupancy $1240
Single occupancy $1640
Guide:
7:00 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
Dave Bredemus
7:30 a.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes 6 dinners, 2 lunches, 7 breakfasts, and all admission fees. $300 deposit is due after registration.
Final payment is due June 1, 2016.
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7 - All Asian Progressive Dinner
Wednesday, August 3
Join us for a delightful day of dining and learning about Asian culture and food. We
scouted around and put together a multi-Asian progressive dinner: delectable finger
foods, appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts at the most delicious and distinctive
Asian restaurants. The tour will take you to the crossroads of the world presenting unique
spices, international flavors, and specialty foods shaped by each country’s geography,
plants, agricultural customs and eating preferences. Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese,
Karen, and Hmong - we will sample them all.
Fee:
$70
Pick-up times and sites:
2:00 p.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
2:30 p.m. West 7th Community Center
6:30 p.m. Return
Cost includes all food, tips and some beverages.
Guide:
Dave Bredemus
8 - Decorah Iowa
Thursday, August 4
Decorah, Iowa (population 8,127) is designated as “a little taste of Norway” not only because
1/2 of its residents are of Norwegian background, but also, because of its Norway-like physical
beauty. Decorah is rated by many travel publications as one of the best little towns in America.
Our tour will include a visit to the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, the largest ethnic
museum in the United States. The museum's collection numbers over 24,000 artifacts. We will
engage in a bus and walking tour of the historic sections of Decorah with its many historic
buildings. We will step inside and tour the Hotel Winneshiek, a beautiful 1904 historic hotel and
visit The Decorah Ice Cave State Preserve, a natural wonder. Our last stop will be at the Seed
Savers Heritage Farm and its 190-acre living museum of historic heirloom seeds and
endangered food crops. Seed savers place seeds in the hands of gardeners to regrow heirloom
varieties.
Fee:
$92
Pick-up times and sites:
7:00 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
7:30 a.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes bakery stop, dinner, and all admission fees.
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Guide:
Dave Bredemus
9 - Montreal-Quebec CityOttawa
Friday, August 12 – Sunday, August 21
** US passport needed **
Discover the French-inspired culture
of Québec's cosmopolitan cities on
our bus tour to Montreal, Quebec City,
and also, Canada's capital, Ottawa!
The province of Quebec, Canada has a
distinctively European style and
French as its prominent language, so
an English-speaking guide will be with
you every day you are in Canada. Our
group will experience a guided tour of
Montreal, the largest city in Quebec, visit the magnificent Notre Dame Basilica, and stop for
a visit to the famous Underground city. This tour also includes a visit to the top of the
Montreal Tower overlooking the Olympic Park with a scenic view of the city. Also
incorporated into this tour is a city tour of Quebec City with time to stroll its European-style
old town. Last, but not least, your group will be taken on a guided tour of Canada's national
capital city, Ottawa, with its stunning architecture and over 70 parks. We will also include a
tour of the famous Parliament Hill.
Day 1 - Friday, August 12
Today is a travel day which takes us through Wisconsin to the state of Michigan where
we will spend our first night.
Day 2- Saturday, August 13
After enjoying a breakfast, we will depart for Kalamazoo, Michigan and visit its Institute
of Arts and tour the city. Later in the day, we will enjoy an included dinner.
Day 3 - Sunday, August 14
Today we will cross over into Canada, making a couple stops at historic sites along the
way. Then we will check into our Montreal hotel for a five nights’ stay. Dinners and
breakfasts included.
Day 4 - Monday, August 15
Today highlights a full-city tour of Montreal with a local guide. We will visit the
magnificent Notre Dame Basilica noted for its beautiful interior – stained glass windows,
paintings, statues, carvings and more. Next we will go to Montreal Underground City, a
network of boutiques and restaurants. Dinner and breakfast included.
Day 5 - Tuesday, August 16
Today we spend the whole day touring the European-style city of Quebec City with a
local guide. We will visit the Place Royal in Quebec City and have free time to explore its
distinctive European atmosphere! In the late afternoon we will head to Montmorency
Falls (27 meters higher than Niagara Falls). Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 - Wednesday, August 17
Today we will tour Montreal by boat with our guided sightseeing cruise aboard the AML
Cavalier. This boat tour will be on the famous St. Lawrence River and will focus on
history, architecture and attractions along the river. Later in the day we will visit the
famous Montreal Tower! At 165 meters this is the tallest incline tower in the world. We
will head to the top and admire the greater Montreal region and the St. Lawrence River
Valley. Breakfast and dinner included.
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Day 7 - Thursday, August 18
Leaving Montreal, we head to Canada's capital, Ottawa, this morning. The guided tour of
Ottawa highlights the Parliament Hill Byward Market, a charming shopping district
established in the 1830s. Later we will visit the Canadian Museum of History where we
will explore the history of Canada from its earliest beginnings to the present. Breakfast
and dinner included.
Day 8 - Friday, August 19
Today we start heading home, but we will make stops along the way. Our stop today will
be in the 1000 Islands area and the town of Lansdowne, Ontario and visit it scenic
overlook and view the Thousand Islands. Breakfast and lunch included.
Day 9 - Saturday, August 20
Today our first stop will be the Alfred P. Sloan museum in Flint, Michigan where regional
history and automobile history are emphasized. Our last tour of the day will be an
architectural tour of Detroit, Michigan with its many landmarks. Breakfast and dinner
included.
Day 10 - Sunday, August 21
After breakfast we will travel through Chicago and make a final stop in Madison,
Wisconsin.
Fee:
Pick-up times and sites:
Double occupancy $1399
Single occupancy $1899
Guide:
7:00 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western Dave Bredemus
7:30 a.m. West 7th Community Center
9:00 p.m. Return
Cost includes 9 dinners, 9 breakfasts, 9 nights’ lodging, including 5 consecutive nights in the
Montreal area and all admissions. $300 deposit is due after registration balance due 6 weeks before departure.
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10 – Twin Cities World War II Tour
Wednesday, August 24
From Rosemont to Arden Hills, the Twin Cities was changed during the World War II years.
Hear the story of how the people of the Twin Cities prepared and fought on the home front
during this difficult time and learn about the role Fort Snelling played in the war effort with
300,000 men and women being inducted into the US military at Fort Snelling.
We will visit the gravesites of some of the WWII heroes at the Fort Snelling National
Cemetery. A tour highlight will be visiting the Commemorative Air Force Museum to learn
about aircraft used in World War II. We will stop at Camp Savage, where Japanese
American soldiers worked for the military intelligence service. We will also tour the sight of
the Gopher Ordinance Factory in Rosemont, Minnesota. We will learn about how average
citizens participated in the war effort and visit a World War II Victory Garden, still
functioning in Minneapolis after all these years.
Visits to the Veterans Hospital and Veterans Home follow, and then we will view several
memorials around the Twin Cities that honor WWII soldiers.
Join us on this tour and see how the Twin Cities contributed to the war effort with ordinary
sacrifice and the extraordinary courage displayed on the home front and overseas.
Fee:
$65
Pick-up times and sites:
Guide:
10:00 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western Dave Bredemus
10:30 a.m. West 7th Community Center
4:30 p.m. Return
Cost includes lunch, museum admission and donation to World War II Vets.
after registration. Final payment is due April 1.
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11 - Washington DC and Gettysburg
Wednesday, October 26, to Thursday, November 3 (9 days/8 nights)
Visit the Capital of United States in all its
glory! Steeped in history, controversy and
a culture all its own, Washington, DC
presents a plethora of early American
landmarks and memorials, as well as,
famous structures that play a significant
role in shaping the politics and government
of today. The trip will take place during the
spectacular fall season. Even for people
that have been to Washington before there
are many new things to see and old
landmarks and memorials to revisit.
Day 1 - Wednesday, October 26
On board our bus we will have an opportunity to view some Washington-related films and
discuss some of the Washington DC sites that we will be seeing there. Dinner included.
Day 2 - Thursday, October 27
Today we travel to the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, but on the way we will make a stop
or two at a historic site. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 3 - Friday, October 28
Traveling through the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside on our way to Washington DC,
we will stop at Flight 93 National Memorial. Arrival in Washington for a four-night stay.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 4 - Saturday, October 29
A full day with a local guide touring Washington, DC. Some of the sites will include the US
Capitol, the White House, National Archives, Embassy Row, Lafayette Square walking
tour, Ford Theater and Georgetown. During the evening we will also see the Washington
Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Martin Luther King Junior National Memorial plus many
more. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 5 - Sunday, October 30
Today the guided tour includes Arlington National Cemetery, including the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier and the Kennedy Graves, as well as, the Iwo Jima Memorial and historic
Washington churches. Part of the day will be spent visiting the Smithsonian Institute
where you will be able to pick the museum of your choice. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 6 - Monday, October 31
Our last day in Washington DC will include a visit to George Washington's Mount Vernon
Estate and Garden. We will also tour Alexandria, Virginia and its many historic sites with a
local guide. Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 7 - Tuesday, November 1
As we leave Washington we are headed to the most
historic Civil War battlefield - Gettysburg. A local
guide will take us on a Battlefield Tour with
emphasis on how the Minnesota First performed at
Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Museum is included
and free time in the town of Gettysburg
before we travel through the scenic countryside
for our overnight lodging in western Pennsylvania.
Breakfast and dinner included.
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Day 8 - Wednesday, November 2
As we travel through Ohio and into Indiana we will be approaching one of the largest
Amish communities in North America, Shipshewana, and we will stop and visit its large
flea market in town. A special Amish dinner will be provided for us at an Amish farm.
Breakfast and dinner included.
Day 9 - Thursday, November 3
After breakfast at the hotel we will be heading home and have many memories of our
nation’s capital and its historic sites. Five days later we will vote for President of the
United States and other state, local and national offices with knowledge and memories of
our great nation fresh in our minds.
Fee:
Double occupancy $1240
Single occupancy $1580
Pick-up times and sites:
Guide:
th
7:00 a.m. West 7 Community Center
Dave Bredemus
7:30 a.m. Shoreview Hampton Inn/Best Western
8:30 p.m. Return on November 3
Cost includes 8 breakfasts and 8 dinners, all admission fees.
12 - Discovering Northern Italy
October 9 - 19, 2016
Join Dave Bredemus on another European travel adventure for both the
first-time and seasoned traveler. The wonders of Italy’s northern
regions of Liguria, Lombardy and Veneto along with a glimpse into the
Italian and Swiss Alps are explored on this custom-designed travel
experience.
Discover exquisite cities, evocative landscapes and historic places in Northern Italy. From
the canals of Venice on the Adriatic Sea to the seaside towns of Portofino and Santa
Margherita Ligure on the Italian Rivera to the famous lakeside city of Como the itinerary
features travel by private, deluxe motor coach, train and boat. Among the highlights is a
journey through the Bernina Pass on one of Europe’s most scenic railways with striking views
of the Alps and ending with a stay in an idyllic mountain resort in Stelvio National Park at a
family run hotel.
Along with the scenic beauty of the seaside, lakes and mountains, the experience highlights
history, culture, art, architecture and, of course, the cuisine of Northern Italy. Overnights in
Santa Margherita Ligure, Como, Prato Allo Stelvio, Verona and Padua, with mostly two-night
stays. The itinerary also visits Milan, Bellagio, St. Moritz, Vicenza and Mantua.
This comprehensive travel program includes leadership and teaching by Dave Bredemus,
international airfare from Minneapolis/St. Paul on Delta Air Lines, nine nights of
accommodations in a combination of Four-Star and Three-Star hotels, breakfast daily and
five dinners, all touring with professional tour manager and many guides, entrance fees,
gratuities, taxes and basic travel insurance. Travel arrangements by Seminars International,
Inc. To receive a brochure with all details including cost and registration instructions,
contact Lori Moline at [email protected], 612-345-4917. Email requests preferred, when
possible. Registration for this tour is now open with space limited to 30.
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Journey to the Chocolate State of Tabasco, Mexico – 2017 Tour Possibility!
Dave Bredemus, Historian and Tour Guide, and German Rojas, Cultural Specialist of
Mexico, are considering plans for a trip to
discover the magic of true Mexico in
February of 2017, a journey that will
take us to the beautiful city of
Villahermosa in the state of Tobasco, the starting point to immerse ourselves in the history
of the ‘mother culture’ of Mexico, the Olmec civilization. If there is some preliminary
interest, we will continue to plan a full itinerary. If interested, indicate so during
registration. Feel free to contact Dave Bredemus at [email protected] or German
Rojas at [email protected].
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June 17-19
Friday (4-10pm), Saturday (10am-10pm)
and Sunday (10am-6pm)
at the Historic Schmidt Brewery in Saint Paul
Family activities, music stages, arts and crafts, authentic German foods, lager beer + more!
There will be tours and lectures on German immigration, German architecture, German
brewers and breweries, and famous Germans in Saint Paul.
Free admission and parking. For updates, see: http://www.germanfestmn.org.
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Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Twin Cities, MN
Permit #5150
Return Service Requested
Tours are under the management of Keystone Community Services, which acts as agent in
arranging for transportation, hotel accommodations, sight-seeing, and other services, as
described in this brochure. Therefore, we shall not be liable or responsible for any loss, injury,
damage, accident, delays or cancellations of or changes in itinerary, schedule or
accommodations caused directly or indirectly from acts of God, fire, strikes, acts of
governments or civil disturbances, riots, thefts, pilferage, any act or default of any company or
person engaged in transporting the passenger or rendering any other service or carrying out
the arrangements of any tour, or by the act of default of any hotel proprietor or servant. The
right is reserved to alter the itinerary or schedule at any time, with or without prior notice, if in
the opinion of the operator such an adjustment is necessary or desirable. Keystone
Community Services reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as member of
any tour should such person’s health, mental or physical condition or general deportment
impede the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare or enjoyment of other passengers and a
refund of recoverable unused land tour services is the limit of the agent’s liability should such
a person be required to terminate the tour. No refunds will be granted for any unused portions
of this tour unless arranged with the operator’s approval in writing in advance. Meals,
gratuities, entertainment and tax are not included in tours unless specifically stated. Fares
quoted herein are based on those rates in effect at the time of the printing of this brochure and
while no changes are anticipated, fares are subject to change without notice.
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