Stroll Around Town
We don’t have the monuments, statues, or skyscrapers some big cities do, but you know what? We are happy to share what we have!
Come see our historic Kee Theatre, in continuous operation since 1940! We have the rolling hills that are part of our town to provide a wonderful walk or ride around town. Expect a “Hi” from us as you tour our town.
Visit the city park at the top of Main Street. It has playground equipment for kids, horseshoe pits for adults, and a shelter with barbecue pits for picnics.
When you tour the countryside around Kiester you will see vistas that stretch out for miles. Just east of Kiester is the Osmundson Prairie State Natural Area that is protected by the State of Minnesota. It is one of the few remaining areas that contain original prairie grasses and flowers that once covered the Great Plains. It is located on the side of a Kiester hill, nicknamed “Old Baldy” by local residents.
Osmundson Prairie State Natural Area
Found southeast of Kiester on township road 121, the Osmundson Prairie site protects a rare remnant of the Mesozoic black soil community and the rare tuberous Indian plantain. Located on the rolling topography of a moraine, the prairie is dominated by Indian grass, big blue stem and grana grasses.
The best times to visit the prairie are during the spring blooming of Pasque flowers and prairie smoke, and in the late summer when blazing stars, sunflowers, and the rare rattlesnake master bloom.
Directions: From Kiester 3.5 miles E on Co Rd 2, then 1.25 miles S on 610th Ave.
Park on W road shoulder.
Osmundson Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
Kee Theatre
Come to the Kee Theatre and enjoy what theatres were meant to be. Built in 1940 and recently renovated, and now, fully digital, the theatre on Kiester’s Main Street stands just as it did when it first offered “Too Many Husbands” starring Jean Arthur and Fred MacMurrary as its first movie.
Today, Main Street enjoys a warm glow from the lovely restored theatre marquee each weekend night and, as in years past, area young people gather there for a night out. Adults, too, enjoy first rate movies in the auditorium as well as live performances, including performance artists Stephanie Erdman from Albert Lea, The Afterwhile, from Florida, Celebration Worship, and Kiester’s own Penny Family.
It’s all been possible because over 200 area people have donated to a non-profit corporation established to maintain the theatre. City and state officials have also looked on the project with favor, helping establish the theatre’s tax-exempt status. It’s been a superb example of community cooperation.
However it doesn’t end there. In 2012 the theatre group came to a hard decision, to get rid of the Simplex, carbon arc projectors, and go with a fully digital system. That decision came with a price tag. They needed to come up with $70, 000 for the equipment, or face the fact that, that the theatre would probably not be able to continue to remain operable. Once the word got out, donations started coming in from all over the country, fund raisers were held, and before the group knew it, they had received enough money for the new equipment. Now the movie experience at the Kee Theatre is even better than before, the sound is MUCH more accurate and precise and the image is sharper and well-defined.
Kiester is very proud of the Kee! The theatre’s auditorium seats 300 people. Fresh popcorn and other refreshments are available. Enjoy a movie at the Kee. Admission prices make it possible for entire families to attend movies together.
Movie times are 7:00 pm on Friday Saturday and Sunday night.
Kiester City Park
Located on North Main Street the park serves as an anchor for many community activities and provides hours of year round pleasure for all ages. In summer you can play sand volleyball and pitch horseshoes. Community volunteers are working to fund exciting new play equipment for children. There is also a picnic shelter with running water and bathroom facilities for family reunions and other functions. Call 507-294-3161 for reservations.
The community adds lights and decorations for a festive holiday atmosphere.
Kiester Water Tower
Built in 1976 the sky-blue water tower of Kiester hovers above the town on a 100 foot pedestal and holds 200,000 gallons of water.
Kiester Hills
The surface of Faribault County ranges from nearly level to increasingly rolling. At least four of the ice sheets, known as the Nebraskan and Kansan stages and the Iowan and Mankato sub stages of the Wisconsin stage, crossed Faribault county.
There are two belts of hills in the county of moderate height and slope. These are end, or terminal moraines: piles of glaciated material left at the edge of melting ice masses. One range of hills extends from the southeast corner of Kiester Township northwestward for several miles. The other lies mostly in Iowa, but includes a part of Elmore and Pilot Grove Townships in southwestern Faribault County.
The highest points, the hills in section three of Kiester Township, known locally as the Kiester Hills, are about 1,400 feet above sea level. The average elevation of the county is about 1,130 feet.
Travelers can see multiple towns & farms for miles around in all directions (also a favorite spot for many locals to see fireworks on the 4th of July)
Directions: 2 Miles east out of Kiester, 1 1/2 miles North
Farming of Yesteryear Old-Time Threshing Show
2 miles east and 2 miles south of Kiester, MN
1736 600th Ave., Kiester, MN 56051- Nonprofit Organization which holds various events throughout the year such as:
Spring Tea in May – have lunch in the 1879-1910 farm house
Swap Meet/ Horse & Mule Show in June (the horse & mule show is on Saturday & Sunday the swap meet is on both days and lunch is served on the grounds)
Farming of Yesteryear Old-Time Threshing Show– where an old farm comes to life in September with various events on both Saturday & Sunday. Good food, entertainment, music, tractors, horses, & more!
Christmas in the County in December- visit the old-time church for the program and have lunch afterwards.
website-http://farmingofyesteryear.com/
