Travel with the Slivas: August 2015

We had a few days off from our "laborers project" so we enjoyed a trip to Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior. We spent most of our time at Two Harbors and Grand Portage.

Duluth, MN

View of Duluth and Lake Superior from Scenic Overlook

Two Harbors, MN

From the late 1880's through the early 1900's, Two Harbors was the busiest port and transportation hub north of Duluth. At that time iron ore, timber and fishing were their heyday. Today it is still a busy harbor community.

Ore boat ship in Agate Bay

Crusader II Fishing Boat

The Two Harbors Light Station is the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota.

Split Rock Lighthouse Historic Site

The light station was active from 1910 until 1969. It was built in response to a storm that occurred November 28th, 1905 which claimed 29 ships and several lives. Through the years it served at a vital aid to navigation to iron ore carriers carrying shipments across western Lake Superior from iron ranges in northern Minnesota to the lower Great Lakes. Accessible only by water 1925, the lighthouse has stood majestically over Lake Superior for over 100 years.

Grand Portage National Monument, MN

The monument is located on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, seven miles from the Canadian border. From 1784 to 1803 Chief Director Simon McTavish and his North West Company partners ran the most profitable fur trade operation on the Great Lakes. The company's inland headquarters was located at Grand Portage, the largest fur trade depot in the heart of the continent. The Voyageurs-French for "travelers" carried two 90-pound packs along with the 8 1/2 mile portage between Lake Superior and Fort Charlotte, the company's smaller storage depot on the Pigeon River.

Birchbark Canoe

Were it not for the lightweight, speedy birchbark canoe, an invention of the region's Indians, North America's fur-trading empire would not have existed on such a vast scale.