From puffed rice to works of art

The Anderson Center started life as a research laboratory back in the 1920s. The scientists created “the ideal breakfast food,” Quaker Puffed Rice. It was called the eighth wonder of the world, with perhaps just a smidgen of hyperbole.

More about the history here.

The 350-acre estate was also home to the Anderson family and had a working farm. The owner, Dr. Alexander Anderson, was something of a Renaissance man, interesting in aeronautics, botany, farming and the natural world.

From those scientific beginnings, the Anderson Center has expanded into the arts. It is listed as one of the top artistic destinations for the upper Mississippi area by National Geographic. It is known for its retreats for artists, scholars and writers and the many public cultural programs.