George Newton lived in Duluth for over ten years. And in those years, his photographs captured the vibrancy of Duluth in the late 19th century. During the 1880s and 1890s, the city was a hub of activity. It is the largest, busiest, and western most port on the Great Lakes, and it is directly accessible to the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Lakes Waterway and the St. Lawrence Seaways. Shipments from Duluth in these decades included grain, lumber, limestone, and iron ore. The ore from Minnesota’s Iron Range was brought to Duluth via railroad and then sent on to the steel ports in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Beyond the shipping industry, Duluth also had two grain elevators, a cement plant, a nail mill, and a wire mill.

Newton frequently photographed industrial Duluth, but turned his camera to civic institutions as well. He took pictures of the city’s elaborate Duluth Boat Club from the water. He photographed the fire department, the city’s historic Central High School, and the U.S. Fish Hatchery on the Lester River. George Newton also climbed to the bluffs that overlook the city and captured various views of the downtown and waterfront, providing an overall view of Duluth and its activities.

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