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.
Streetcar interior advertisement for the LakeSuperior Limited. "Speeding daily betwen the Twin Ports [Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin] and St. Paul - Minneapolis. Northern Pacific."
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.
This 1921 street map of the Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, area includes streetcar lines, railroads, parks, schools, farms, cemeteries, docks, grain elevators, the Duluth-Superior Ferry Line, the Duluth Boat Club, and other details. There is a separate index for both Duluth and Superior.
This is a map of the Boundary Waters region, and shows great detail on lake and river names. Area north of the international boundary is called "Hunter's Island." The roads and railroads are marked, as well as trails, ranger stations and telephone lines. Additions to the Superior National Forest Proclamation Boundary are shown using a reddish cross hatching.
United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey; State of Minnesota
Date Created:
1963
Description:
Fourtown Lake quadrangle topographic map (N4800-W9145/7.5) featuring handwritten notations by Ray Segar in red ink regarding logging railroad lines in the Fourtown Lake area of the Superior National Forest north of Ely.
