History, adventure, and hearty living are the robust preferences for residents of Duluth, MN. Fur traders, fishermen, distant voyagers, and trading stations are reminiscent of its beginnings. Positioned at the westernmost tip of sparkling blue Lake Superior, Duluth offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy nature. There are 23 beautiful parks, a scenic North Shore drive and bird watching at Hawk Ridge.

Historical shipwrecks in the waters include the remains of wharves, docks, and refuse sites associated with fur trading stations, fishing settlements, lumber and mining camps, and vessel salvage activities. They tell much about early inhabitants of Lake Superior.

The fur trade, around in the early 1800’s, saw much activity between the Cree, Dakota, Assiniboine, Ojibwe and the French, British, and Americans.

Accommodations

Numerous accommodations in and around the Duluth Lake Superior area include Best Western Edgewater East and the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites-Waterfront.

Bed and Breakfasts include the Cotton Mansion, Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek and the Olcott, all offering special amenities, history and a personal welcome.

Restaurants

For choices, variety abounds, and many restaurants have water view. A few options include: Thai Krathong, New Scenic Cafe and Lakeview Castle Dining Room. Bennetts on the Lake is a popular seafood and steakhouse with a spectacular view.

Famous for ribs, rotisserie chicken, steaks, fish, pasta and seasonal specialties, the Bluefin Grille on Lake Superior has been rated as a restaurant worth the drive. Fresh, made from scratch breads and desserts are favorites. Entrees include local fish to filets.

The Radisson restaurant on the 16th floor of the hotel provides a complete harbor-city view for diners.

Main Events

Crisp fresh air, watching seagulls soar while walking around the revived waterfront of Duluth is pleasurable. Nearby are a sculpture garden, jazz clubs, coffee shops, motels and restaurants. It is intriguing to stand on the pier and watch huge boats and ships, some from around the world, come and go daily. The maritime museum details the Great Lakes' history and the part they played in the shipping industry.


History and exhibits are the pride of Duluth. They have the only aquarium in the U.S. that focuses on freshwater exhibits. The three-story waterfront structure has ample interactive exhibits and re-creations to explore.





The Fitger's Brewery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The industrial smokestack and water tower carry the Fitger's name and star logo as regional landmarks. Duluth's first brewery was started by Sidney Luce in 1857.

Art Scene

Built between 1905-1908 to resemble a 17th-century country estate, Duluth's 39-room "American Castle" retains the majority of its original furnishings and art and, amazingly, closely resembles the way it looked when its owners, the Congdon family, first occupied it in 1908. Situated on a wooded lot, the mansion boasts spectacular views of Lake Superior.

The Waters of Superior is a gallery and gift store featuring regional artists and items influenced by Lake Superior. The Bluelake Gallery,

is housed in a 1873 building and features local and regional artists. Pottery, jewelry, metal sculptures, outdoor sculpture garden, and more, are there for viewing.


Local History

The cold fresh water of Minnesota’s lakes and rivers have preserved an important part of history due to the many shipwrecks. Each one is a unique and integral part of the fabric of America's maritime heritage. They provide an exciting opportunity to explore the past.


In the interest of preserving Minnesota's Lake Superior shipwrecks and other

underwater archaeological sites in Minnesota’s lakes and rivers, the State Historic Preservation Office of the Minnesota Historical Society has initiated a program of submerged cultural resource management.


Native Americans were the first to use Lake Superior's waters as a source of food and transportation. Their special crafts consisted of handcrafted birch bark canoes. The first Europeans paddled birch bark canoes and bateaux to support exploration and trade on Lake Superior beginning in the 1600s. In the 1700s, a rapidly growing fur trade led to the development of larger cargo-carrying vessels such as double-ended York boats and mackinaws.

By the end of the 18th century, a number of merchant ships, mostly small lake schooners, were sailing on Lake Superior. They engaged in trade and transportation between Sault Sainte Marie and trading stations at the western end of the lake.

Late in the 19th century, as settlements became cities, Lake Superior navigation grew and larger vessels were developed to transport massive cargos. The products included lumber, iron and ore. When the railroads connected Duluth and Superior to the join rest of the Midwest, wheat and corn became important bulk cargos as well.