Buffalo River State Park in Minnesota preserves a large, high-quality remnant of northern tallgrass prairie along the Buffalo River near Moorhead, together with the adjoining Bluestem Prairie Scientific and Natural Area. Its flat plain, sandy beach ridges, and steep riverbanks were formed as Glacial Lake Agassiz drained at the end of the last ice age. Because much of the land remained pasture and hayfield on J. H. Smyser’s late 19th-century ranch, more native prairie survived than elsewhere. Established in 1937 with local backing and Works Progress Administration labor, the park evolved from a recreation-focused site into an important refuge for rare plants, uncommon wildlife, and environmental education.