Watch CBS News

Cannon Falls Gears Up To Host President Obama

CANNON FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) -- The town of Cannon Falls is getting ready for a Presidential Visit from Barack Obama.

The small town of about 4,000 people is just south of the Twin Cities. The President will be there on Monday to host a town hall style meeting about the economy and jobs.

WCCO-TV had a crew in the town on Friday, and people there are excited about the buzz it's creating.

Obama will host the event at Hannah's Bend Park, normally a disc golf course. And it's not the first time the people of Cannon Falls will have hosted a U.S. president.

Economics are on the mind of 13-year-old Cole Zimmerman as he and his buddy sold sweet corn for a few extra bucks on Friday. That's a good thing, because when President Obama comes to Zimmerman's hometown on Monday, he will be all about economics.

"I think it's actually pretty cool because I've actually kind of wanted to meet him," Zimmerman said. "He seems kind of like a cool guy."

That pretty much sums up the feeling around Cannon Falls. Being a Republican or Democrat doesn't matter right now, it's been about 80 years since the town has experienced something like this.

"There hasn't been a president around here since President (Calvin) Coolidge was here back in, I don't know, 1928 or something," said Darlene Kalow with the Cannon River Winery in Cannon Falls.

Calvin Coolidge, the 3oth president of the United States, was there eight decades ago.

"I think it's really neat. Why Cannon Falls I don't know, but it's kind of cool to have Cannon Falls put on the map," said Amy Cassidy of Cannon Falls.

Rumor has it, a couple of Obama's people were looking for a town to stop in during his economic bus tour that will take him through Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. They stopped there for lunch, and on Wednesday the city got a call from the White House.

"This is real exciting. For a sitting president to come to a town of 4,200 people is really exciting," said Cannon Falls Mayor Robby Robinson.

People interested in attending the meeting must have a ticket, which you can get by showing up to Cannon Falls City Hall at 1 p.m. Sunday. There will be a limited number of free tickets that will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.