Doing Duluth

After settling into our RV spot in Superior, Wisconsin, we headed off to the city right across the border, Duluth.  Don had done research on the Internet, and we knew that one landmark  we absolutely wanted to see was the famed Aerial Lift Bridge.  The original bridge was an arch and was built in 1905. It had a suspended platform below it that transported people and vehicles across the 300 foot wide canal.  In 1929 it got a face lift, so to speak, and new supporting trusses were built inside the original ones.  In addition, the 410 ton overhead truss was raised 42 ft. so it would retain the 135 ft. vertical clearance.

The blue pedestrian bridge is named the Minnesota Slip Bridge and is used for foot traffic.  We crossed over it as we walked around the lake area.  The steep hills of Duluth reminded us of San Francisco.

In the morning, I had stopped to get a different view of the Aerial Lift Bridge, and we both talked about the chances of us getting to see it in the "up" position while a ship or boat came through.

After having lunch in Superior, we drove back into Duluth.  We wanted to find the Maritime Museum in the same area but our GPS was having issues.  It had no idea of where we were and had us going in circles.  We tried looking at the Duluth map that we had, but it didn't list any of the museums.  We wound up, back at the same spot, hours later.  But getting lost was a blessing in disguise.  The bridge was UP!  I got out of the truck and jogged down the sidewalk, camera in hand!  What was going through?

It was the Arthur M. Anderson freighter!  This was the sister ship to the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.  Both these huge freighters were crossing Lake Superior in November, 1975 when a severe storm hit and sank the Fitzgerald.  The Arthur M. Anderson was the last ship in contact with the Fitzgerald.

At the time I was snapping pictures, I only knew I was taking pictures of a huge ship.  About half an hour later, as we walked around the museum (just to the left of this picture), a man asked Don if we knew the history of the freighter that had just passed by.  He gave us a brief explanation and told us that he and his wife had driven to Duluth just to see it!

We  parked, and then as we started to walk by the canal and museum, the lift bridge went up a second time.  What was the bridge being lift up for this time?  Only a small sailboat, but this gave us the chance to see the bridge doing what it was designed to do.

Looking out towards Lake Superior from the Maritime Museum, you can see both of the lighthouses at the end of the pier.

Below is the Duluth South Breakwater Lighthouse.  Construction of this lighthouse was started in the summer of 1872.  Visitors are not allowed, unfortunately, so the closest I could get was across the canal.

 On the other side is the Duluth North Pierhead Light, built in 1910.  Although the south light was able to guide ships to the harbor since 1874, the canal itself was only 300 feet wide.  Not very wide when you consider the how these huge ships must maneuver into the canal through darkness of night and fog.   Any vessel misjudging the width of the channel stood a good chance of winding up on the rocky shore.

What an awesome day!   The forecast said cloudy and cool, and it was sunny all day long.  And the fact that we got to see the lift bridge in action and get some pictures of the SS Arthur M. Anderson were added bonuses!