The Kensington Runestone is steeped in mystery and its intrigue prompted a production crew to visit the area last week to shoot a commercial.
Director Chris Bagnall and crew from Bullet Point Films, based in New York City, visited Kensington Rune Stone Park and downtown Alexandria Jan. 19-22 to shoot a commercial for Dodge Ram Trucks.
The commercial stars Scott Wolter, a forensic geologist and host of History Channel's H2 series, America Unearthed.
The commercial will air Feb. 18 during the season four premiere of History Channel series, Vikings. The show starts at 9 p.m.
"It's great to see a big corporate sponsor of History, Dodge Motor Company, making a commercial that ties in with one of [the channel's] most successful scripted shows, 'Vikings,' with the Kensington Runestone" Wolters said. "Even though it's not a Viking Age artifact, it was long believed to be one by many people and it is connected to a group that certainly included Norse people that were directly descended from Vikings, so it still works."
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Weather is always the biggest challenge during a shoot, Wolter said, but last week was a much-appreciated warm-up from the previous week's deep freeze.
The crew also spent time using a drone to shoot the Big Ole statue in downtown Alexandria.
"The people on the crew are smart, creative and most of all fun to work with," Wolter said.
He also credited Douglas County Parks Superintendent Brad Bonk for helping make the shoot go smoothly. Traffic was detoured during the shoots and Bonk helped schedule the shoot.
Bonk told the Echo Press he was happy to help out because advertising like that is hard to come by in the "parks world."
"We asked that if they use our park to shoot the commercial that they either say the park's name or put it on the screen. They opted to put the name and location of the park during the commercial on the screen," he said.
"I was very surprised by the amount of detail and time that goes into each shot, and I have a new respect for what we are seeing on TV and in the movie theater," Bonk added.
Wolter said he's pleased to see the Alexandria and Kensington area featured in a commercial like this.
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"It will help generate interest and bring people here to see the artifact, the discovery site at the farm, and enjoy seeing this beautiful community," he said.
Wolter, a forensic geologist and president of the Minnesota-based American Petrographic Services, developed archaeopetrography, a new scientific process used to date origins of stone artifacts. The first piece he studied using the new science was the Kensington Runestone. He reportedly believes it's an authentic, pre-Columbian land claim carved by the Knights Templar.
Wolter said he's waiting to hear any day now if his show, America Unearthed, will be renewed for a fourth season.
VIKINGS
• The History Channel's original series Vikings transports viewers to the brutal and mysterious world of a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore - and raid - the distant shores across the ocean.
• Vikings was created and written by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth, The Tudors).
• Season 4 premieres Thursday, Feb. 18 at 9 p.m. on the History Channel.
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