Stillwater resident and volunteer Ruth Alliband cooks with wild ingredients. Explore the recipes Alliband served up for her Forager’s Dinner, which...
Community
Trolley Window
Peer through a window to Stillwater. For Stillwater resident Thomas Valine, taking walks around downtown Stillwater is a practice in creativity....
Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center Embraces the Future
The Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center seeks to connect the East Metro through creativity and educational programming. After two years and a...
For the Valley. For Good.
Thirty years ago, guided by a vision of generosity and community, a group of civic leaders formed the St. Croix Valley Foundation to connect the...
Your Community, Your Vote
Let’s close the year with some exciting news. Best of St. Croix Valley is moving—to February! We think it’s a perfect fit. After all, February is...
Senitizo Links Stillwater to the Central African Republic
Ted Hooley’s humanitarian nonprofit brings care and healing to rural communities. Ted Hooley, a Stillwater native and the founder of humanitarian...
Rosie Peters Shares Her Story of Ritual and Rebirth
Rosetta “Rosie” Peters is an extraordinary poet, storyteller and business owner, living in Marine on St. Croix. Since moving to the Valley in 2011,...
Love Your Melon Pops Up at the Mall of America
The limited-time installation features exclusive customer experiences. Through March 2026, Love Your Melon (LYM) is back at the Mall of America with...
A Legacy of Loving Kindness
Metta Belisle lived her name. In Sanskrit, metta means loving-kindness—a philosophy she carried into every part of her life, from rescuing animals...
Finding Balance on the Bluffs
Architect Greg Elsner and his family tune into nature at their distinctive home in Taylors Falls. Greg Elsner brings a uniquely Minnesotan...
How Hometown Hero Outdoors Saves Lives
The local nonprofit is helping first responders, law enforcement, veterans and more through adventures in nature. Stillwater resident Chris Tetrault...
Treehaus Studio Blends Art and Ecology
Only 72 days after opening, the Natural Heritage Art Centre in Osceola, Wisconsin, was destroyed by a fire in January 2023. The destruction of the...
Taste of the Valley Raises Funds for the Community
Hudson Daybreak Rotary shared a dynamic selection of artisan food and wine at the Taste of the Valley event in Lakefront Park in Hudson, Wisconsin....
Hilltop Pumpkin Party Brings Fall Fun to Hudson
Hudson’s Hilltop Pumpkin Party and Rotary Halloween Parade is an autumn mainstay. It’s been 72 years since the first annual Rotary Halloween...
Fall Hike
After enjoying a fall hike at Arcola Bluffs, Stillwater resident Maribeth Lundeen stopped at Arcola Mills to capture this image of a small stream...
Lens on St. Croix Valley 2025 Winners
Photographers bring the St. Croix Valley into focus. Over the past year, residents have been cataloging local life around St. Croix Valley. This...
Lake Elmo Hosts a Centennial Celebration
The city will commemorate its milestone anniversary throughout September. To celebrate the city’s 100th anniversary, Lake Elmo is hosting a...
Readers’ Choice Voting for Lens on St. Croix Valley 2025
From June 1–July 31, we invited you to submit your photos of the St. Croix Valley. Now, it's time to vote for the Readers' Choice! Scroll through...
Senior Spotlight Highlights Local Students
Area students are using their unique skills and interests to make a difference. In this changing world, a community finds strength in the...
Balloon on the River
Karen Schulz was on a boat ride on the St. Croix River last summer with her husband when they came across several hot air balloons. “Trying to take...
