Teresa Boardman says:

Think is is called “blazing start” http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wildflowers/blazingstar.html
The picture was taken in an area where native MN prairie plants are being grown. This post was a draft I was saving and it got away from me somehow, which is why it has no words or title. it does look exactly like a Liatris, I think I’ll just call it the purple thingy I found down by the river.