The Hugh C. Leighton Co., Manufacturers, Portland, ME.
Date Created:
1910?
Description:
During storms water from waves collect in the piers which are designed with drainage gaps so the water runs back into the canal. Here, there is melted snow and a small pack of snow at the base of the pier's walkway that blocks the drainage.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
D-5 The caption of this post card says One of the nation's top attractions is Duluth's famous aerial bridge which must be raised for each approaching steamer into the harbor, and stretches the mainland of Duluth to the Minnesota Point which juts out into Lake Superior for nine miles. This card was mailed in August of 1958, but these streetlights on the piers were replaced about 1955. Minnesota Point, or Park Point, is a long, narrow peninsula that extends out from the Canal Park area of Duluth separating Lake Superior from Superior Bay. Minnesota Point is approximately 7 miles in length, and when included with Wisconsin Point, which extends 3 miles out from Superior, Wisconsin, is reported to be the largest freshwater sandbar in the world at a total of 10 miles. Due to the short and easy portage across Minnesota Point, the Ojibwe name for the City of Duluth is Onigamiinsing ("at the little portage"). Since the digging of an artificial canal in 1870-1871 Minnesota Point is technically an island, connected to the rest of the city of Duluth since 1905 by the Aerial Bridge, since 1930 by the Aerial Lift Bridge. At the end of Minnesota Point is a small airport, Sky Harbor.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The post card caption says These giant ore and grain carriers measure as long as 729 feet and have a pay load of up to 26,000 tons. They make the round trip from Duluth to Lake Erie ports and back in 4 to 5 days. There are over 300 ore and grain carriers operated by some 25 companies.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Tanker Asia transported grain from Canada to the Great Lakes. It was sold in February 1960 to D. B. Deniz Nakliyati T.A.S., Istanbul, renamed and reflagged Gaizan, Turkey and delivered to the buyers in Galveston, Texan in 1960. There is no trace of this vessel after 1977.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The caption on this post card says JOHN A BLATNIK BRIDGE A Foreign Ship enters the Duluth-Superior Harbor Westerly Terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Port Authority Terminal is shown in the background. This is the Interstate Bridge. The original Interstate toll bridge was built in 1897, property of the Duluth-Superior Bridge Company, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railroad. It was replaced by the this High Bridge or the Blatnik Bridge as it was renamed in 1971.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The full caption on this post card says Giant Ore Carrier going through the canal and under the famous Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minn. Ore and grain carriers measure as long as 729 feet carrying up to 26,000 tons. Duluth is the westerly terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This post card caption says D-103 NITE VIEW OF AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE Duluth, Minnesota Vessels from the world's ports arrive at the Duluth-Superior Harbor after transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway. A few more details could include that the St. Lawrence Seaway, after a 40 year struggle, was officially opened June 26, 1959, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth II. On July 11, 1959 several thousand people gathered in Canal Park, and more lined the lake shore as far north as the Lester River, to celebrate the first ocean-going vessels to arrive in Duluth following completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This post card caption says Dutch Ship Colytto - 475 feet-long and 62-feet wide with a tonnage capacity of 9075 tons arrives at Duluth coming through the canal and under the famous Aerial Lift Bridge. Duluth is the westerly terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is an ocean general cargo vessel. Its derricks and booms enable it to load various package cargoes. The St. Lawrence Seaway is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal. The seaway is named after the Saint Lawrence River, which it follows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean. Proposals for the seaway started in 1909, but were met with resistance from railway and port lobbyists in the United States.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This post card caption says Arena-Auditorium Duluth, Minnesota Fifth Avenue West and Waterfront. This beautiful new $6,100,000 multi-purpose facility will have an Auditorium to accommodate 2,500 people, and Arena with seating capacity up to 8,000 persons, an Exhibit Hall, 9 Meeting Rooms, and complete Banquet Facilities. The Arena-Auditorium will make Duluth the Convention Entertainment and Sports Center of The Upper Midwest. The building will be completed in 1966. This illustration is an architect's rendering of the proposed arena auditorium design. Ground was broken December 19, 1963.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The newly built High Bridge connecting Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin is highlighted in this postcard. Built in 1961, the High Bridge was renamed for Congressman John A. Blatnik in 1971. Blatnik (1911-1991) was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1940, he was a representative to the U.S. Congress for Minnesota's Eight District from 1947-1974.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
A view of Fergus Falls looking west from Cascade Street. The Otter Tail River flows through the center of the photograph, crossed by two bridges. Business buildings stand on both sides of the river.
This post card caption says D-88 Showing the new $6,5000,000.00 Duluth Arena-Auditorium on Harbor Drive. The Arena Auditorium opened to great fanfare in August 1966. It was renamed the DECC or Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center August 31, 1987. It was expanded and opened with celebrations on June 18, 1990. The Harbor Side Convention Center and Parking Ramp additions were opened January 31, 2001.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Small post card of the aerial lift bridge with the span up and an outbound lake vessel in the canal. On Monday, July 1, 1929, the suspended car made its last trip across the canal. The bridge's modification to operate with a lift span began on April 8, 1929, with a low bid of $448,000 by the Kansas City Bridge Company. The Aerial Lift Bridge was first operated on March 19, 1930. During the shipping season it makes about 25 lifts a day.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The caption for this post card says The famous Aerial Lift Bridge, at the entrance to the Duluth -Superior harbor, is the largest of its kind in the world. The 900-ton span, lifted by electrical energy stored in batteries, rises 120 feet in 50 seconds each time a boat approaches the harbor.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
139-D The caption of this post card says The unique Aerial Lift Bridge and Ship Canal Entrance to Duluth-Superior Harbor is an outstanding attraction of this popular summer vacation city. Total bridge load lifted is 900 tons. Only 55 seconds are required to lift the span 135 feet. The Harbor is second only to that of New York City in shipping tonnage and through it passes about 60 per cent of America's iron ore production, from the great iron ore ranges just north of Duluth. Another fact, not included in the caption is that John H. Darling (1847-1942), U.S. Engineer for Duluth-Superior Harbor, oversaw replacement of the original wooden canal piers with concrete piers in 1897. The piers have been maintained and repaired with a major remodeling/rehabilitation in 1985-1986.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Whaleback is an unusual ship design with steel hulls (body of the vessel) and rounded decks (boat, hurricane, main -which is the lowest full-length deck in a ship's hull, and spar are all decks at different levels) which was introduced by the inventor Captain Alexander McDougall of Duluth in 1888. It was a very stable vessel. American Steel Barge Company, a New York corporation engaged in shipbuilding and transportation on the Great Lakes as well as on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, purchased all of the patents for McDougalls whaleback vessels for $25,000. The only remaining whaleback is the Meteor, which is now a museum at Barker's Island in Superior, Wisconsin.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Ore boat leaving Duluth. Detroit Publishing Co. was a prolific post card publisher, especially in the U.S. Their cards were published from 1898 to 1933. Using a color process called Phostint, their cards were considered to be very artistic. The hobby of collecting post cards is called deltiology. The first post card was issued by the Austrian government, America's first postcards came out in 1873. Picture postcards were introduced later. The golden age of postcards was supposed to date from 1907 through the first World War.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
In 1893, James J. Hill's Northern Steamship Company built 385-foot ocean style passenger steamers. In 1911, the peak year, 80,000 passengers traveled to Lake Superior. After 1920, the number of passenger cruise ships diminished with the advent of "motor-cars." Very few cruise ships were still in service after World War II. The Canadian steel steamer Huronic was constructed in Collingwood, Ontario, in 1902. She ran on the Northern Navigation Division of the Canadian Steamship Company, on cruise trips from Detroit to Duluth. In 1940, the Huronic was dismantled and made into a package freighter.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The caption of this post card says The Aerial Bridge, Span 393 feet 9 inches, 135 feet high from water line. Cost $100,000. Entrance to Duluth-Superior Harbor. The white building at the left is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building constructed in 1906.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
The post card caption says The Aerial Bridge, Span 393 feet 9 inches, 135 feet high from water line. Cost $100,000. This post card illustration is of a view from the Duluth harbor with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Building at the left and the South Breakwater Inner Light Tower at the right. Houses on Minnesota Point are at the far right. Engineer C.A.P. Turner, of the Gillette-Herzog Manufacturing Company of Minneapolis, designed the Ferry Bridge with Suspended Car Transfer in February 1901, meeting federal specifications. Bids were opened March 25, 1901, but only one was received. The Duluth Canal Bridge Company was awarded the contract but abandoned the work. In February, 1904, the Modern Steel Structural Company of Waukesha, Wisconsin was issued a contract. Work began July 20, 1904. The aerial bridge transporter or gondola or transfer car roadway was 17 feet by 50 feet with sidewalks seven feet by 50 feet; the cabins were 30 feet long.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections