The William Crooks was the first locomotive to operate in Minnesota. Constructed in 1861, it provided service a year later for the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, a company that eventually became part of the Great Northern Railway. James J. Hill had the locomotive pull his personal train. It now resides in a static display at the LakeSuperiorRailroadMuseum in Duluth. Minnesota. Engineer Herschell Hudgens, Jr. and three unidentified people shown.
The William Crooks was the first locomotive to operate in Minnesota. Constructed in 1861, it arrived on a river barge in Saint Paul. It provided service in 1862 for the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, a company that eventually became part of the Great Northern Railway. The engine is pulling a Saint Paul and Pacific baggage car and passenger car. It ran on the eleven miles of track between Saint Paul and Saint Anthony (now Minneapolis). Eventually, James J. Hill used the locomotive to pull his personal train. It now resides in a static display at the LakeSuperiorRailroadMuseum in Duluth, Minnesota.
The William Crooks was the first locomotive to operate in Minnesota. Constructed in 1861, it first provided service a year later for the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, a company that eventually became part of the Great Northern Railway. James J. Hill had the locomotive pull his personal train. William Crooks was displayed at the 1939 New York World's Fair and in 1948 at the Chicago Railroad Fair. It was displayed for some time at the Saint Paul Union Depot before being put in a static display at the LakeSuperiorRailroadMuseum, in Duluth, Minnesota.
Image of the tugboat, Ella G. Stone, anchored off of the rocky shoreline in Burlington Bay. The Ella G. Stone was the first Duluth and Iron Range Company Tug used to supply workers and materials to build railroads and ore docks in Two Harbors (1883-1896).
Published by the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railroad in a series of images taken by George A. Nelson. This image shows the passenger and coal docks. Misidentified as the first boat load of rails as the Ossifrage was not built until 1886 and the coal docks were not built until 1888. Therefore this photo dates to around 1889.
This is a view into Leif Erikson Park from London Road over the railroad tracks that separate the street from the park. Lakeshore Park was renamed Leif Erikson Park 1929.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
This photograph shows the Duluth harbor, ca. 1870, with paddlewheel steamers and sailing vessels, Elevator A, and the LakeSuperior and Mississippi Railway depot.
This photograph by Caswell & Davy shows a steamship and a sailing ship docked at Duluth. Image is captioned, "Scenery on the Northern Pacific Railroad."
Group of men pose for a photograph with shovels. They stand on the clay bottom of the bay, water held back by a berm. The first wooden ore docks were built at Agate Bay in 1884. The docks were upgraded to steel beginning in 1907.
Image showing a network of railroad tracks and barges used to construct the second docks in Agate Bay. Footings have already been set, completed wooden ore dock can be seen in the background. Ore dock six was the first steel iron ore dock on the great lakes. Built by the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railroad.
Image of workers posing for a photograph on the loading docks at Agate Bay. Steam powered on dock with ore cars. Note the numbered loading docks and electric lights. The Two Harbors Lighthouse is in the background.
The Northern Pacific railroad built this depot building in 1870. It has had various occupants. The address of this restaurant is 13308 One-hundred Thirty Third Avenue West.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Image of the tugboat, Edna G., at dock in Two Harbors. A whaleback vessel is docked alongside the tugboat. Ice appears around the tugboat, snow covers railroad tracks alongside dock. Note the eagle on top of the pilot house. When the Edna G. returned to Two Harbors from WWI service, the eagle had been removed.
Elevator and LakeSuperior & Mississippi Depot, Stillwater, MN. Elevator was erected in 1870 and has a capacity of 38,000 bushels. LakeSuperior & Mississippi Division of the Northern Pacific Railroad was completed to Stillwater in 1871.
Scene of the derailment of D.M. & I.R. steam locomotive 237 at Biwabik with cleanup underway. Wrecking crane and work train are in the photo as well as wrecked cars.
The D.M. & I.R. Proctor Passenger Depot looking at it from the southwest with crossing gates and tower and shop building and water tower in the background.
View from First Street in downtown Duluth. The 1910 Soo Line depot is at the far right at Sixth Avenue West and Superior Street. The newspaper announced in 1971, plans for a 13-story apartment building for the middle-income elderly on the site of the Soo Line Depot which was razed in August of 1972. The 1892 Union Depot at 506 West Michigan Street becomes the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center. A January 11, 1973, newspaper article announced the St. Louis County Board received $201,250 for historical preservation and restoration of Duluth's Union Depot. The Depot was purchased from Burlington Northern for $137,500. The county serves as landlord, which averts tax problems. On March 19, 1973, Don Shank turned the first shovel of dirt for LakeSuperiorMuseum of Transportation and Industry known by locals as the Train Museum.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
West Lake Street passed over the tracks of the Milwaukee Road and the Minneapolis & St. Louis railroads. The original wooden bridge was replaced with a steel and concrete structure. The streetcar line was severed, so a shuttle car, visible in the distance, served St. Louis Park.
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' LakeSuperior 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
Photograph of D. & I. R. showing an unknown steam locomotive turned over after a collision at MP 22 just west of Larsmont. Dated August 4, 1900 with officials and workers attending.
The offices of Duluth Superior Transit Company were located on Superior Street at 27th Avenue West, next to the former streetcar house, converted to bus operations after 1939.
A westbound streetcar on Superior Street at 8th Avenue West enters the curve approaching Point of Rocks. In the distance at right are the Soo Line and Union depots.
The parallel concrete piers jut out into the lake forming the canal leading to the harbor. Since its remodeling into a lift bridge in 1930, every vessel passes under the Aerial Lift Bridge's raised span. In this view the span is down, and traffic and people cross it as a roadbed. The South Pier is at the left, the North Pier is at the right. Minnesota Point's light sand beach draws residents and tourists in all seasons but especially throughout the summer months. The harbor is still the location of warehouses and coal docks. You can see the light road that is Skyline Parkway parallel to the horizon running the length of Duluth. The Civic Center is at the center of this shot. The St. Louis County Courthouse is in the middle with the Federal Building to the left of the courthouse, City Hall to the right, and the St. Louis County Jail to the left and set back from the courthouse. The Civic Center was designed by Daniel Burnham and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections