The Minneapolis-St. Paul line via University Avenue was always called "the Interurban". One prepares to cross Hennepin Avenue on 5th Street next to the Lumber Exchange building.
A D.M. & I.R. empty pellet train returning from Duluth to Proctor on the curve at Spirit Mountain, Minnesota. Pulled by diesel locomotives #191, 171 & 184.
A D.M. & I.R. train loaded with limestone departing Missabe Jct in Duluth headed for Proctor. Diesel locomotives 134, 144 & 143 pulling about 40 cars. I-35 is in the background.
Twin City streetcar #1136 was never modified from its original 1905 appearance, the only car in the fleet never rebuilt. It served as the supervisor office at the State Fair and spent the rest of the year sitting at Snelling Station.
Twin City streetcar #1136 was never modified from its original 1905 appearance, the only car in the fleet never rebuilt. It served as the supervisor office at the Minnesota State Fair and spent the rest of the year sitting at Snelling Station.
A Bryant LOOP car, meaning it terminated in downtown, leaves its layover point at 1st Avenue N., and turns onto 1st Street, leading to Hennepin Avenue.
D.M. & I.R. steam locomotive number 514 pulling a passenger excursion train at Iron Junction, MN. This is last steam powered train operated by the D.M. & I.R.
View in winter of the Canal Park area at the base of the bridge with the Blatnik or High Bridge in the distance. The Canal Park Marine Museum and Visitor Center is joined to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building. Both are visible just in front of the lift span in the middle of the photograph. There was a grand opening for the Museum on September 29, 1973. The brown, tall building at the right is the Paulucci building which is the common name for the Stone-Ordean-Wells building. It was built at 525 Lake Avenue south in 1915. The architect of the project was Frederick George German.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View in spring of the Aerial Bridge with the grain elevators and other harbor industrial and shipping facilities on Rice's Point. Cargill elevators B2 (far left) and B1 (built 1976) are the white structures at the top left. They are reached off of Garfield Avenue unless you approach by water. The Canal Park Marine Museum sits at the foot of the bridge's north tower. There was a ground breaking Sept 12, 1972 for the museum. It cost $283,000. The dedication was September 29, 1973. Mr. C. Patrick Labadie, native of Detroit, was hired as director in August, 1973. In 1973, it cost $40,000 annually to operate the museum. Entry had always been free to the public. The museum expansion dedication was July 5, 1979. The brown building at the right middle of the photograph is the Paulucci building, the common name for the Stone-Ordean-Wells building. It was built here, at 525 Lake Avenue South, in 1915. The architect of the project was Frederick George German.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of the Duluth harbor from just east and behind Hotel Duluth in downtown. You are looking across Superior Street down Lake Avenue. You move along Lake Avenue to approach and cross the bridge. Hotel Duluth is at the far right of the photograph. The lift span is down. Grandma's Restaurant (opened in 1976) is at the base of the north tower of the bridge and the Corps of Engineers Building is to the left of the restaurant. The blue building, a flag is to its left, and the facility stretching out from it is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vessel yard at 903 Minnesota Avenue. It is on the bayside of the Point after you cross the bridge. There is a Burger King, red, sign visible at the left in front of the Corps administrative building. You can clearly see the bridge was painted silver. In September 1970, the entire structure was scraped, primed and repainted in silver, rather than its former green color. It has been silver ever since.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of the Blatnik or High Bridge within the frame of the Aerial Bridge with the lift span raised. Canal Park in the foreground is without today's familiar tourist amenities of restaurants, shops and hotels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building is in the center of this photograph. It was built in 1906. The bridge is owned and operated by the City of Duluth on permit authorized by Congress. The Ship Canal and grounds are under the authority of the Lake Superior Area Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Aerial Lift Bridge was entered in the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1973. The black and white lighthouse-type structure is to the left of the bridge's south tower. The formal name is South Breakwater Inner Light Tower and it is owned by the federal government. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The tower is 67 feet tall and its light was first lit in 1901. The tower was not used for navigation for years, and was offered for sale by the government - with restrictions. The tower was bought in December 2008 by Steve Sola and Matt Kampf of Duluth. The winning bid was more than $31,000. Mr. Sola grew up on Park Point, Mr. Kamps in Hibbing, but he lived many years on Cape Cod before moving to Duluth. The tower must remain where it is. The brown, tall building at the right is the Paulucci building, the common name for the Stone-Ordean-Wells building. It was built at 525 Lake Avenue south in 1915. The architect of the project was Frederick George German.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View from the harbor looking toward the Lake with everything in silhouette. The South Breakwater Inner Light Tower is lit. Houses on Minnesota Point are visible at the far right on Minnesota Avenue. The two flags are above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building (built 1906). To the left is the Paulucci building at 525 South Lake Avenue.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View from a distance up the shore, probably from Leif Erikson park. Harbor facilities are in the distance at both the left and the right. Canal Park is at the right, and Minnesota Point is to the left. The very bright white structures are grain elevators. The Lake can be glassy calm, but it can alter very rapidly.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of the harbor looking at the back of the Paulucci building. The Paulucci building is the common name for the Stone-Ordean-Wells building. It was built at 525 Lake Avenue south in 1915. Stone-Ordean-Wells Company was a wholesale grocery firm. Their in-house, monthly magazine, begun in 1910, was titled Ginger. Nokomis, Hiawatha, and Blue Bird were brands sold by Stone-Ordean-Wells. The architect of the project was Frederick George German. Jeno Paulucci first occupied the building in 1961. Prior to that date there was a series of occupants. Two of the Great Lakes Towing Company tugboats are at the ready because the lift span is fully up which means a vessel must be approaching. The 1901 Canal Park lighthouse is visible between the bows of the tugs. The 107-year-old lighthouse was offered for sale in August 2008 by the federal government with limitations. The formal name for this light structure is South Breakwater Inner Light Tower. It is owned by the federal government and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 67 feet tall tower's light was first turned on in 1901. It was bought in December 2008 by Steve Sola and Matt Kampf of Duluth. Their winning bid was $31,000. Mr. Sola grew up on Park Point, Kamps in Hibbing, but lived many years on Cape Cod before moving to Duluth. The light tower cannot be moved.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The Bergetta Moe Bakery, 716 East Superior Street, built about 1875, has evolved over the years. Here it has green striped awnings and is the Superior Lake Gifts shop. Earlier, from about 1970 to 1989, this building held the contemporary design store called the October House. In the lower level was Martin Gould's, the owner's, architectural office. Joyce and Martin Gould also owned the brick and stone building next door. Gould made the lower level into a tiny apartment. The frame building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1976. In about 1989 Martin and Joyce Gould sold both buildings to Mark Marino. Mr. Marino added to the frame building. The Portland Malt Shoppe sells ice cream seasonally. The Malt Shoppe building was built In 1921 as a gas station for Northwestern Oil Company owned by Harry and Edith Rogers. The Rogers managed the gas station for many years. Martin and Joyce Gould, owners of the October House, had a retail dress shop featuring Finnish Marimekko garments in the building. They named their store Portland Village. Portland comes from the plat name of the neighborhood. The Goulds sold the building in 1989, and it became the Portland Malt Shoppe. These buildings are a few steps East of the Fitger's complex, a brewery turned "mall,"and a destination for residents and tourists especially in the summer. The Lakewalk is behind and below these buildings. At the middle right of the photograph are buildings at Canal Park. The Interstate or Blatnik or High Bridge is in the distance. One bridge, many descriptive names. It links Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin, thus, interstate.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of the St. Clair, 770-foot vessel, passing under the bridge's lift span into the harbor. To handle Great Lakes cargo, a special type of vessel has evolved, the North American "laker," the largest being 1,013 feet long, capable of carrying up to 70,000 tons of iron ore or 1,700,00 bushels of grain in one trip. On any given day during the sailing season, the vessels of the U.S. and Canadian fleets are in continuous motion carrying a wide range of cargos. Thanks to a career spent primarily in freshwater, the average life expectancy of a laker is 40-50 years, compared to about half that for saltwater vessels. Downtime during winter lay-up allows ample opportunity for maintenance, another key factor in a laker's long lifespan and enviable safety record.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of the rising sea smoke at sunrise. Sea smoke is a cloud over the sea, which could otherwise be called fog, and is usually formed when very cold air moves over warmer water. We see this phenomena all the time when watching Lake Superior. Photographers capture it with delight. The brown building at the right is the Paulucci building which is the common name for the Stone-Ordean-Wells building. It was built at 525 Lake Avenue south in 1915. The architect of the project was Frederick George German. The Blatnik or High Bridge is in the distance behind the aerial bridge. Duluth-Superior High Bridge or Blatnik High Bridge or Interstate Bridge. Efforts to secure a toll-free bridge between Duluth and Superior started as early as the 1930s. Other unsuccessful attempts were made in 1940 and 1948. In 1953, approval was given for a new toll bridge, pressure from both cities demanded a toll-free unit. When Congress adopted a new system of interstate and defense highways, the bridge became part of that system and was eligible for 90% federal financing - elevating the need for having it be a toll bridge. In 1956 construction plans were delayed by disagreement over clearance height. It had been set at 100 ft. but, after much debate, increased to 120. Construction started Nov. 28, 1958, on what was the largest single highway project ever undertaken jointly by Minnesota and Wisconsin. About 1.6 million hours were worked by construction employees and 100,000 by engineering and inspection personnel. Three workmen lost their lives in the three years of construction. The bridge was formally dedicated on Saturday, Dec. 2, 1961. Mayor Lawrence Hagen of Superior, E. Clifford Mork, Duluth Mayor. It was formally named to honor John A. Blatnik Sept. 24, 1971.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The Concord Avenue streetcar has reached the end of the line, the wye at Linden Street, the city limits separating South St. Paul from Inver Grove Heights.
The double-ended Fort Snelling shuttle streetcar that connected the historic fort with the Officers Row along Taylor Avenue is pictured next to Highway 5 near the Mendota Bridge.
A downhill Selby-Lake streetcar rolls through the concrete cut after exiting the lower portal of the Selby Tunnel, with the Cathedral of St. Paul in the background.
Streetcars from Minneapolis and St. Paul prepare to back into the Bridge Junction wye at Fort Snelling, where they will meet the Fort Snelling Shuttle.
The streetcar is eastbound on Como Avenue approaching Eustis Street. The track in the foreground is for the Inter-Campus line, running alongside Eustis.
Double-ended Fort Snelling shuttle streetcar #1230 meets the Minneapolis and St. Paul streetcars at Bridge Junction wye. Today this location is inside the reconstructed historic fort.
When built, all the Twin Cities streetcars had rear wire gates, where all passengers entered and exited. By 1949, few were left. This is a railfan trip at the west end of the Hopkins trestle at 8th Avenue.
A PCC streetcar lays over at the end of the 2nd Street NE line at 30th Avenue NE and Grand Street. The Northern States Power Riverside power plant is in the background.
Looking uphill at the east portal of the Selby Tunnel at an eastbound Selby - Lake car leaving the tunnel. The image also shows the cathedral in the background.
This summertime view is from about Fourth Street and Third Avenue West looking toward the Aerial Bridge and Minnesota Point over a segment of the Duluth downtown business district. Minnesota Slip is a private marina but will be the berth of the 600-foot SS William A. Irvin ore boat museum beginning in 1986. The tall center building (white) is the back of the Normandy Inn (1977) that will become the Holiday Inn and Holiday Center in the 1980s. To its left is the copper (green patina) dome of the Duluth Carnegie Library (1901) on Second Street. The tallest Duluth building, 16 stories, is the Alworth (1909) at the right at 306 West Superior Street with the Medical Arts to its right at 324-330. Tho photographer, Duluth-born Wayne Gatlin, enlisted in the aviation cadet program in 1942. Later he flew 55 combat missions for the 360th Fighter Group in England and downed an ME-262 jet fighter. In 1948, he joined the Texas Air National Guard but eventually transferred to Duluth, where he became operations officer for the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Gatlin flew jet fighters while stationed at Duluth during the Korean War. He was the high individual scorer at the 1954, 1955 and 1956 National Air Guard gunnery meets. Gatlin served as commander of the Air Technician Detachment at Duluth, wing commander, group commander and finally chief of staff for the Minnesota Air National Guard. He logged over 6,700 military flying hours during his career. Gatlin studied photography over the years and his marvelous portraits of Guard aircraft have appeared in many publications and journals.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Aerial view of a portion of Rice's Point and harbor facilities, in the foreground, including (right to left) two 90-ton gantry cranes of the Arthur M. Clure Public Marine Terminal, Peavey elevators, and Occident elevators. In the bay, on the far right, an excursion boat is leaving a wake behind it. A few sailboats dot the blue water. The anchored laker is unidentified. The tall, dark building to the left of the Aerial Lift Bridge is the DeWitt-Seitz building constructed in 1910. The plant, factory, warehouse and offices at 390 South Lake Avenue was one of Duluth's prosperous industries. The company organized in 1905 by Henry F. Seitz and C.E. DeWitt and manufactured all grades of mattresses and box springs, and the wholesale and jobbing of furniture and floor coverings. The DeWitt-Seitz best grade mattress and box spring, known as the Sanomade, carried the slogan "Remember the Name, the Rest is Easy," and was used and advertised all over the country. Its wholesale furniture and jobbing business covered Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Michigan, North Dakota and parts of South Dakota and Montana. Including salesmen, the company employed a total of 60 persons in this nine story building now called the De Witt-Seitz Market Place in Canal Park. In 1930, it employed "more than 40 persons" and had a payroll of $100,000. F.S. Kelly Furniture Company bought the furniture stock of the De Witt-Seitz Co in June of 1961. De Witt-Seitz continued manufacturing mattresses and reorganized the firm, but the mattress company was sold in 1962.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This autumn aerial view is one of many taken by Wayne Gatlin. Enger park is at the left and Enger Tower in the midst of it. The park acquired partly by gift from J. B. Enger, was acquired by the city of Duluth between 1891 and 1928. Enger Tower cost $30,000 to build, is built six stories high, 70 feet tall, and 583 feet above Lake Superior. You can see 31.4 miles on a clear day. It has a 10 foot conical shaped beacon at the top with 32 vertical tubes. One third of the $185,000 Enger estate, $61,000, was to be used for a civic memorial. Canal Park is to the left of the aerial bridge and Minnesota Point stretches to its right. Sailboats are in the harbor. The Duluth Public Library is under construction and will have its dedication in the summer of 1980. Duluth-born Mr. Gatlin enlisted in the aviation cadet program in 1942. Later he flew 55 combat missions for the 360th Fighter Group in England and downed an ME-262 jet fighter. In 1948, he joined the Texas Air National Guard but eventually transferred to Duluth, where he became operations officer for the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Gatlin flew jet fighters while stationed at Duluth during the Korean War. He was the high individual scorer at the 1954, 1955 and 1956 National Air Guard gunnery meets. Gatlin served as commander of the Air Technician Detachment at Duluth, wing commander, group commander and finally chief of staff for the Minnesota Air National Guard. He logged over 6,700 military flying hours during his career. Gatlin studied photography over the years and his marvelous portraits of Guard aircraft have appeared in many publications and journals.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This aerial view is one of many taken by Wayne Gatlin. The shape of Minnesota Point and the harbor are clear. Duluth-born Mr. Gatlin enlisted in the aviation cadet program in 1942. Later he flew 55 combat missions for the 360th Fighter Group in England and downed an ME-262 jet fighter. In 1948, he joined the Texas Air National Guard but eventually transferred to Duluth, where he became operations officer for the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Gatlin flew jet fighters while stationed at Duluth during the Korean War. He was the high individual scorer at the 1954, 1955 and 1956 National Air Guard gunnery meets. Gatlin served as commander of the Air Technician Detachment at Duluth, wing commander, group commander and finally chief of staff for the Minnesota Air National Guard. He logged over 6,700 military flying hours during his career. Gatlin studied photography over the years and his marvelous portraits of Guard aircraft have appeared in many publications and journals.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This aerial view is one of many taken by Wayne Gatlin. Canal Park (under the jet) is in its transformative stage moving from a light industrial site to a tourist destination. Grandma's Saloon and Grill has its striped canvas tent up with the ice cream railroad car in place. The double-decker red bus is at the intersection of Morse and South First Avenue East or Canal Park Drive. The first segment of the Lakewalk will be built in 1988. Duluth-born Mr. Gatlin enlisted in the aviation cadet program in 1942. Later he flew 55 combat missions for the 360th Fighter Group in England and downed an ME-262 jet fighter. In 1948 he joined the Texas Air National Guard but eventually transferred to Duluth, where he became operations officer for the 179th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Gatlin flew jet fighters while stationed at Duluth during the Korean War. He was the high individual scorer at the 1954, 1955 and 1956 National Air Guard gunnery meets. Gatlin served as commander of the Air Technician Detachment at Duluth, wing commander, group commander and finally chief of staff for the Minnesota Air National Guard. He logged over 6,700 military flying hours during his career. Gatlin studied photography over the years and his marvelous portraits of Guard aircraft have appeared in many publications and journals.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range ore docks are the two reddish brown linear structures in the foreground. Ore boats are pulled between the docks by tugboats. Railroad cars loaded with ore or taconite pellets move along the railroad tracks on the top or the length of the dock. A chute or steel pocket beneath the tracks is lowered to the open cargo hatch and a door at the bottom of the pocket opens, allowing the pellets to run into the ore boat that moored parallel to the dock. Four hours is typical for loading ore. Loading is the responsibility of the First Mate. It is important to load the ore in a proper sequence to avoid over stressing the boat unevenly. Each chute (or drop of pellets) is about 20 tons.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Aerial view of Rice's Point, Duluth harbor, waterfront, canal park and Minnesota Point. Duluth's first elevator, Elevator A, was built by the Union Improvement and Elevator Company in 1870 outside of the harbor proper near what is now the Fitger's complex. Elevator A was destroyed by fire November 27, 1886. Elevators B through E were constructed between 1880 and 1884. Most of these concrete elevators were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. W. W. "Will" Cargill's brother Sam opened an office in Duluth in 1892 and built the company's first elevator, Elevator K. Elevator K could hold 2.5 million bushels. In the 1970s, Cargill purchased the Occident and Peavey elevators from the F. H. Peavey Company, renaming them Cargill Elevators C and D. In 1900, Frank H. Peavey built Peavey-Duluth Terminal on Rice's Point. The 3.35 million-bushel complex consisted of fifty tanks, the first major concrete terminal elevator in the world. In the foreground is the Seaway Port Authority of Duluth's (SPAD) Arthur M. Clure Public Marine Terminal that initially sat on 80 acres of tax-forfeited land. It was in operation in the spring of 1959.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of Duluth from above Skyline Drive out to Lake Superior where laker and saltie vessels wait to come in to the harbor. There can be a pile up of vessels waiting for cargo that has not yet arrived for pick up. In this case, there was a grain millers' strike in progress. The strike, called by local 118 of the American Federation of Grain Millers lasted twelve weeks beginning July 6. You can see the orange bottoms of the vessels. They are riding high on the water without the weight of their cargos. Once filled, the vessel's weight forces the orange portion to be underwater and not visible. You can also see the cranes on the decks of the vessels. The cranes are used to transport commodities onto the vessel. Tourism is a major financial driver for Duluth. Visible are the Arena Auditorium just to the left of the Aerial bridge. The Arena is an oval shape. Opened in August 1966, the Arena Auditorium complex was altered late and finally renamed as the DECC, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. The Northwest Passage enclosed walkway parallels the Canal Park area. The walkway stretches from a bank building on Superior Street to the Arena and was completed in 1976. The Normandy Inn hotel and restaurant building stands out. The tall Steam Plant smoke stack is behind it. The Normandy, on Superior Street between Second and Third Avenues West, opened in December 1977 . It becomes the Holiday Inn in the early 1980s, a part of the Labovitz and Goldfine properties. The Normandy stands on what was called the Lyric Block named for the grand Lyric theater that occupied 75 feet of frontage on Superior Street for decades. Duluth's first Skywalk segment connected the Normandy with the First American National Bank across Superior Street. The block with the Lyric theater was razed beginning in June of 1976 for new development. The distinctively shaped, round, Radisson Hotel is further west on Superior Street. The Radisson opened in May 1970 with its restaurant on the top that slowly turns 360 degrees. The view from the restaurant is remarkable. Rooms were added in 1975. The NC sign is on top of the Alworth building. The Northern City National Bank's NC was there from 1957 to 1980 when the bank became First Bank Duluth. The Duluth Public Library is the gray oval shaped building to the left of the Radisson at 520 West Superior Street. The library opened in the summer of 1980. The turrets are visible of the 1892 Union Depot, now the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center, just behind the library, at 506 West Michigan Street. This Peabody and Stearns designed building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View over downtown Duluth from Skyline Drive or the Parkway. Skyline Parkway extends from Becks Road east to the Lester River, ending at Lake Superior. The road skirts the ridge line of Duluth, though portions extend into Proctor and Midway Township. About 25 miles of it can traveled by car. The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has funded 2,832 projects for state and nationally designated byway routes in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities. A laker is entering the harbor having just passed under the raised aerial lift bridge. The tall, light-colored buildings on Superior street are, left to right, the First National Bank (1958), the Alworth building (1909), and the Medical Arts building (1932). The cluster of brownish buildings at the tip of the ore boat are the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway Station depot Minnesota Point extends in a graceful curve beyond the bridge. You can see the sand beach on the lake side that is enjoyed by locals and visitors. There is a park with amenities at what is called The End, which includes baseball and polo fields and the Park Point Beach house.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Nearly a companion photo to 2161.6, this is an autumn day. View of Duluth from above Skyline Drive out to Lake Superior where laker and saltie vessels wait to come in to the harbor. There can be a pile up of vessels waiting for cargo that has not yet arrived for pick up. In this case, there was a grain millers' strike in progress. The strike, called by Local 118 of the American Federation of Grain Millers, lasted twelve weeks beginning on July 6. It began against two of the eight elevators in the Twin Ports, but by July 25 affected all elevators. It had nothing to do with the longshoremen. You can see the orange bottoms of some of the vessels. They are riding high on the water without the weight of their cargos. Once filled, the vessel's weight forces the orange portion to be underwater and not visible. You can also see the cranes on the decks of the vessels. The cranes are used to transport commodities onto the vessel. There is an ore boat and tug in the bay. The Arena Auditorium is just to the right of the Aerial bridge. The Arena is an oval shape. Opened in August 1966, the Arena Auditorium complex was altered later and finally renamed as the DECC, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. The Normandy Inn hotel and restaurant building stands out with its red name on a white wall. The Normandy, on Superior Street between Second and Third Avenues West, opened in December 1977 . It becomes the Holiday Inn in the early 1980s, a part of the Labovitz and Goldfine properties. The Normandy stands on what was called the Lyric Block named for the grand Lyric theater that occupied 75 feet of frontage on Superior Street for decades. Duluth's first Skywalk segment connected the Normandy with the First American National Bank across Superior Street. The block with the Lyric theater was razed beginning in June of 1976 for new development. The distinctively shaped, round, Radisson Hotel is obscured by trees. You can just see the top of it. It is further west on Superior Street. The Radisson opened in May 1970. The NC sign is on top of the Alworth building. The Northern City National Bank's NC was there from 1957 to 1980 when the bank became First Bank Duluth. The smokestack at the left is part of the Duluth Steam Cooperative that supplies heat to many downtown buildings.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Colorized or hand colored image of a vessel entering the harbor. Waterfront industrial structures are beyond the bow of the ship. The lighthouse structure at the left dates from 1901. The formal name is South Breakwater Inner Light Tower formerly owned and regulated by the federal government. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is 67 feet tall. The tower's light was first lit in 1901. It was bought in December 2008 by Steve Sola and Matt Kampf of Duluth. The winning bid was more than $31,000.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View from the Duluth harbor to the hillside and up the shore. The $283,000 Canal Park Marine Museum's (dark building under the bridge) ground breaking was September 12, 1972, followed by a dedication event September 29, 1973. In 1973, it cost the Army Corps of Engineers $40,000 annually to operate the museum which has always been free to the public. The Museum Expansion dedication was July 5, 1979. To the left of the Marine Museum is the striped awning of Grandma's Restaurant (opened in 1976) but the rest of Canal Park is still in transition. It will become a tourist destination as all of the industrial business are sold and closed and replaced by shops, restaurants, hotels, and the Lake Walk. On the shore line at the far left is Leif Erikson park.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
View of a lake vessel in the canal entering the Duluth harbor. There are a number of sites visible where rubble is evident as Duluth razes older structures to make way for new construction. Canal Park is evolving from a light industrial commercial district into what will be a model tourist destination in another decade. The Flame restaurant is the bright white rectangle at the left center. The Flame supper club opened in 1930. The Aerial Lift Bridge was first operated on March 19, 1930. The present bridge has a clearance of 138 feet when the lift section is completely up and when down it is 16.5 feet above the water. The length of the span is 386 feet and weighs 900 tons. The distance from the water to the lower edge of the truss is 172 feet 7 inches; to the top of the truss it is 227 feet. During the shipping season it makes about 25 lifts a day. The new bridge is owned and operated by the City of Duluth on permit authorized by Congress. The Ship Canal and grounds are under the authority of the Lake Superior Area Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The lift span is up as an ore boat of the Cleveland-Cliffs fleet approaches the canal. Pioneer Hall and the Northwest Passage skywalk link to downtown are complete. Gateway Towers and Lenox Place apartment high-rises and the new Duluth Public Library are visible. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, formerly called the Marine Museum, opened in 1973 and is seen near the north pier with Grandma's Saloon restaurant and its summertime tent visible marking the first two amenities of Canal Park that would develop into a tourist destination.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Construction shot of the bridge and the approach to the bridge from Minnesota Point or South Lake Avenue, Minnesota Avenue. This photograph has been physically altered; the background has been whited out and buildings drawn over.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Aerial view of the Ore Docks, Stockpile and Railroad Yard at Two Harbors, Minnesota. At Dock 2 is the "Mesabi Miner" and to the left is the "Edna G." There is snow on the ground in this scene.
The vessel is 62.5 meters long. Under engine power, she reaches a top speed of 10 knots, while she can make up to 14 knots under sail. She has a crew of 18 and can accommodate 88 passengers. The Christian Radich, a full rigged three masted steel hull ship, is known through the international release in 1958 of the movie Windjammer. The Christian Radich sailed to the United States in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration. She was in New York on July 4, 1976. The vessel was built for training sailors for the Norwegian merchant navy, and did so for many years.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The Selby-Lake streetcar connected downtown St. Paul with Uptown in Minneapolis via Lake Street. This car is sitting on Girard Avenue at Lake Street, the west end of the line.