The Kensington Runestone Visitor Center was officially opened Wednesday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Douglas County Commissioners were on hand, along with JLG Architects and a number of other key people involved or interested in the project. Brad Bonk is the Douglas County Park Superintendent and says the million dollar center took some additional time, but should be a great addition to the area. Bonk adds that the Visitor Center is strategically in the center of the park. County Commissioner Charlie Meyer says having the center opened up is a good thing for understanding the area’s history. He says it took a lot of planning for this to happen and thanked not only Bonk, but his predecessor All Lieffort.
$802,400 was provided by Legacy Grant Funds to help the county pay for the center. The Kensington Rune Stone itself is made of Metagraywacke Rock, which is the same type of rock that was used to construct the building fireplace. The expansive south facing windows allow the building to use passive solar heating in the winter.
The center is in Kensington Runestone Park, about 14 miles west of Alexandria.
