News Archive

By BEN COHEN, Star Tribune

Henry (Heine) Somsen, a New Ulm attorney and conservationist, worked to increase park and other public lands in gratitude for the outdoors opportunities he had enjoyed.

Somsen, who was instrumental in the founding of Afton State Park and other public lands in Minnesota, died Tuesday in Rochester.

ST. PAUL – In what can only be described as an important day for the future of Minnesota's state parks, a joint House and Senate Environment Finance Committee will meet tomorrow to get a big picture look at a state park system that has been hit hard by cuts in recent years.