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Excelsior
Overview
Excelsior is a city of 2300 people (2018) in the Twin Cities. Excelsior was founded in the 1850s as a destination for vacationers, primarily from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Excelsior sits on beautiful Lake M
Facts
Rank
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Coordinates
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Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia1,067 words
WBP editorial2
The name in the landscape
Excelsior appears across continents as a street, a suburb, even a modest hamlet, each borrowing the aspirational Latin sense of “ever upward.” When you stumble upon a sign bearing the name, look beyond the obvious and ask locals which legend or industry inspired it. In many former mining towns, Excelsior recalled a hoped‑for prosperity that never quite materialised, leaving behind quirky pubs and community halls that still echo the original optimism. The name’s recurrence offers a subtle thread for travellers mapping the ebb and flow of ambition in small‑scale settlements.
A practical tip for the curious traveller
Because Excelsior is not a singular destination but a recurring toponym, GPS searches often return a mixed list of locations. To avoid confusion, combine the name with the regional qualifier – for instance, ‘Excelsior, South Dakota’ or ‘Excelsior Avenue, Auckland.’ Once you’ve narrowed the field, seek out the local historical society; they frequently maintain archives explaining why the moniker was chosen, and you may uncover a modest museum or plaque that provides a richer sense of place than any guidebook would normally allocate.