Josh Duhamel’s cabin in the woods has become his new home and doomsday safe house all in one.
The “Ransom Canyon” star dished on his new off-the-grid digs in Minnesota, describing the wooded abode as a “big playground” in an interview with Parade published Thursday.
“It really got me back in touch,” he said. “There’s something about it that fulfills the soul in a lot of ways.”
Duhamel told the outlet that the house, which he built himself over the course of 15 years, is his slice of heaven on earth far away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood — or any major town, for that matter.
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Josh Duhamel dished on his quiet off-the-grid home located in the Minnesota woods, calling it a “big playground.” Getty Images“It really got me back in touch,” he said. “There’s something about it that fulfills the soul in a lot of ways.” audramari/Instagram
“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” he shared.
“The closest store is 40 miles away. Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other — making memories, spending time with family and friends. You really get a chance to get back to the basics. You’re not consumed by all these other distractions.”
“When you’re out there, it’s really about having fun, making sure everybody’s warm, everybody’s got food and water,” he added.
The “Ransom Canyon” actor built his home by himself over the course of 15 years. Courtesy of NetflixPart of the reason he chose the location is because “it’s removed from everything,” he shared. Josh Duhamel/Instagram
The home has also served as a vehicle to bring the actor’s family closer.
Duhamel, 52, is father to two sons: Axl Jack, 11, whom he shares with ex-wife Fergie, and Shepherd, 15 months, whom he welcomed with his current wife, Audra Mari.
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“My son is going to have memories of this place forever. He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there. He’s out there in the boat with me, or he’s playing soccer on the beach, or he’s out there in the woods doing whatever I’m doing,” he told the outlet.
“And then I have a little baby who’s going to experience the same thing. Someday, I hope to pass this on to them [so] they’re able to share it with their kids. It’s really important to me that they have this. It’s not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It’s really about family. It’s about legacy.”
He also credits the wooded abode for bringing his family closer in several ways. Instagram/audramari“My son is going to have memories of this place forever,” said the actor. Josh Duhamel/Instagram
The “Shotgun Wedding” star, who grew up in North Dakota, shared that he’s grown closer to his own dad, who originally found the land the cabin is built on, through the experience.
“I’ve become a lot closer to my own parents because of this place, which has been interesting. My dad absolutely loves coming out there to hang out. And we’ve spent more time together in these last five, 10 years than we ever did growing up. I’m much closer to my dad,” he expressed.
“My mom now loves coming out there. It’s become a real, central hub for all of us.”
“I have this crazy fixation on what happens if s–t hits the fan in LA and I have to take my family out there and live off the land,” he shared at the time, adding that he was “growing crops” and learning to hunt and fish.
“I believe that we could live off the land out there. I’m not very good at it yet, but I’m getting there.”
The remote home also comes equipped with Starlink internet connection and has a custom water filtration system.
So Minnesota: Lego King of Minneapolis builds Minnesota landmarks one brick at a time
Many kids will find Lego sets under the Christmas tree this holiday season, but the popular toy isn’t just for children.
Jeff Esler fell in love with Legos as a child, and that love affair has never ended.
“I am the Lego king of Minneapolis,” Esler said. “So my friends call me.”
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A decade ago, Esler immortalized Nye’s Polonaise Room in Legos and posted it on Facebook.
“That one, it kind of went really viral,” Esler said. “I think I got 100,000 shares.”
Esler’s fame grew after he went on to use toy bricks to build mini masterpieces of Minnesota landmarks.
“I did Matt’s, and then I did Gluek’s,” Elser said. “I did the Frank Lloyd Wright gas station in Cloquet. Then, probably the Split Rock Lighthouse. The Grain Belt sign.”
Each project costs from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. They take a ton of bricks and days to build. Esler has sold some models and given others away.
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“I do the landmarks, because they click with people,” Esler said.
Esler plans to keep building some of Minnesota’s most recognizable places one brick at a time.
Federal prosecutorsannounce indictments against two Philadelphia men they say submitted up to $3.5 million in fake and inflated bills to Minnesota Medicaid programs, WCCO-TV reports. “Minnesota has become a magnet for fraud, so much so that we have developed a fraud tourism industry,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said.
State Rep. Kristin Robbins alleges – without sharing a name or other evidence – that the Minnesota Department of Human Services paid state money to a Feeding Our Future defendant while they were awaiting trial, the Minnesota Reformer reports. Robbins, who chairs a legislative fraud oversight committee and is running for governor, says she has collected hundreds of whistleblower tips, but she has not shared them with the department’s inspector general.
The state has suspended or delayed payments to several social service providers as part of an effort to catch and prevent fraud, and now one of those providers says the crackdown had deadly consequences, KARE 11 reports. A service provider says a vulnerable adult client was found dead in his St. Paul apartment after the state froze payments that had been covering his care.
Rolling Stone writer Stephen Rodrick, who spent time with Melissa Hortman while covering Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz during the 2024 presidential campaign, writes about the life of the late Minnesota House Speaker in a 7,000-word profile based on interviews with dozens of family, friends and colleagues.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Temperatures dropping, snow and strong winds are set to come through the state Thursday.
Here’s what to expect for Thursday’s winter weather.
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What to expect for Thursday’s snow, dropping temps
What to expect:
A winter weather advisory is in place for parts of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities Thursday.
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A warm front overnight Wednesday will bring rain, then a cold front Thursday is expected to bring snow.
Temperatures are expected to drop significantly, which could cause slippery roads for the morning and evening commute.
There is also a blizzard warning for the far northwest of Minnesota Thursday.
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A wind advisory is in place for the southwest portion of the state on Thursday, which could bring wind speeds of up to 50 mph.
An inch or two of snow is expected, but road conditions will deteriorate throughout the day Thursday. As the cold front moves through the state late Thursday morning, winds could be 40–50 mph.
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Due to strong winds, any snow that falls could reduce viability when driving Thursday. Temperatures are expected to fall into single digits by the evening.
Extended forecast
What’s next:
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Friday could see a few flurries with temperatures in the low 20s. Saturday will have occasional passing clouds and highs in the upper 20s, while Sunday is cooler, but comes with more sunshine.
Temperatures warm back into the 30s for the start of next week.
