Adventures of Lynn & Dan: Two Harbors

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Our big day started with a 30 mile drive to Two Harbors. The town is so named for Agate Bay and Burlington Bay Harbors. Our to-do list included several museums here. The first was located in the old railroad depot. To Lynn’s relief, it wasn’t filled with just RR stuff. Actually it was a collection of items apparently donated by town folks to tell the history of Two Harbors.

The railroad was a major factor in the town’s development as it connected the town to iron mines and logging. It also connected them to Duluth. The first iron ore shipment here came from the Soudan Mine. This place became a major railroad hub with a huge roundhouse for locomotive repair and maintenance. Now the ore comes from Hibbing, already in pelletized taconite, then loaded on ore freighters. US Steel runs the show in Two Harbors. The railroad company was known as the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad. At one point John Rockefeller owned the mines and railroad, although never visited them.

This is one of trains that operated during the period

The next stop was the 3M Museum. Of course, you are familiar with 3M products and you know 3M stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. We bet you didn’t know they started in Two Harbors and their first product was sandpaper. Yep, in 1902 they were incorporated here and headquartered here until they moved to St. Paul. Their original manufacturing plant was located on the eastern border of Tettegouche on Crystal Bay. The museum had timelines for all the products they have developed over the last 100+ years. It was stated that one in four people use a 3M product every day.

Before telling you about our last museum stop at the Two Harbors’ Lighthouse, we have to tell you about meeting and talking with Captain Lance Nelson of the M/V American Spirit. His ship was being loaded at one of five loading piers in Agate Bay and headed for Indiana Bay, east of Chicago. He was at the lighthouse when we arrived. He has been working on a Laker for 42 years and is looking to retire soon. His ship was ahead of the Fitzgerald by about an hour, nearing the Soo Locks, when the Fitz got into trouble and sank.

We had quite a visit with him, found out about his family and his hobbies. He told us he has been into some crazy weather situations in the Great Lakes. Lake Superior weather can differ dramatically from it’s western shore to it’s eastern shore. What a unique experience.

The Two Harbors Lighthouse was put into service in 1894. The lighthouse is 44 feet tall. It’s beam, originally from a 4th order Fresnel lens is 78 feet above Lake Superior. The lantern used a wick and kerosene to create the light. In 1969 the lantern and Fresnel lens was replaced with two 1000 watt aero beacons. It is still in service.

Our last stop today was to Gooseberry Falls State Park. Besides the falls there, the interesting feature was the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In the 1930s, the CCC laid out the park, built the campground and many of the structures. The park lies along side of route 61. One structure was a Gateway Plaza, “Castle in the Park”, which we think may have been a rest stop. The structure is not used today.
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