Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a city (city status) that is the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The US The Census Bureau recorded a population of 86,697 as of the 2020 census.

The fourth largest city in Minnesota, together with the city of Superior (Wisconsin) to the south, forms the metropolitan region called Twin Ports, which has a common port. This is connected to the Atlantic via the St. Lawrence Seaway and is of particular economic importance. The main cargo is raw materials from the Midwest of the United States, especially iron ore, grain, coal, oil and timber.

 

Sightseeing features

Fitger's Brewery, a brewery company built by Percy Shelley Anneke, a son of the German immigrants Fritz Anneke and Mathilde Franziska Anneke from 1884, today a monument (National Historic Place) and hotel
the Aerial Lift Bridge

 

Haunted legends and abandoned places

Duluth, perched on the shores of Lake Superior, has a rich history tied to shipping, mining, and early 20th-century industry, which has given rise to numerous haunted legends. Many of these stem from tragic deaths, unsolved mysteries, and abandoned structures where the past lingers. Below, I'll delve into some of the most prominent haunted sites, drawing from local lore, historical accounts, and reported paranormal experiences. These stories blend fact with folklore, often amplified by the city's foggy, isolated atmosphere.

Glensheen Mansion
Glensheen Mansion, a sprawling 39-room Jacobean Revival estate built in 1908 for mining magnate Chester Congdon and his family, stands as one of Duluth's most infamous haunted landmarks. The mansion, now a museum operated by the University of Minnesota Duluth, was the site of a brutal double murder on June 27, 1977. Elisabeth Congdon, the elderly heiress, and her nurse, Velma Pietila, were killed in a botched robbery allegedly orchestrated by Elisabeth's adopted daughter Marjorie and her husband Roger Caldwell. Marjorie was acquitted, but Roger was convicted (though later released after a plea deal). Tour guides are strictly forbidden from discussing the murders during standard tours, adding to the site's eerie mystique. Visitors report cold spots, unexplained footsteps echoing through the halls, and apparitions of women in period clothing—believed to be Elisabeth and Velma. Some claim to hear faint whispers or feel a sense of being watched in the bedrooms where the crimes occurred. The mansion hosts 21+ flashlight tours around Halloween, where the dim lighting heightens the tension, and occasional trick-or-treating events for a lighter spooky vibe. Paranormal investigators have captured electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) suggesting unrest from the victims.

Enger Tower
Enger Tower, a five-story stone observation tower constructed in the 1930s atop Enger Hill in Enger Park, offers panoramic views of Duluth and Lake Superior—but it's also steeped in tragedy. In 1948, an unidentified man leaped from the tower's summit to his death, his body never claimed or identified, fueling speculation about his identity and unrest. Local legends describe a ghostly figure circling the tower's windows late at night, sometimes appearing as a shadowy silhouette against the lit structure (which is occasionally illuminated like a pumpkin for Halloween). Visitors climbing the stairs report hearing disembodied footsteps behind them or seeing a man on the fifth level who vanishes upon approach. The park itself, with its hiking trails and gardens, contrasts the tower's dark aura, but nighttime explorers often feel an overwhelming sense of isolation and dread. Paranormal groups attribute the activity to the suicidal spirit, possibly seeking recognition or peace.

William A. Irvin Ship
The William A. Irvin, a retired 610-foot ore freighter launched in 1938 and now a floating museum docked in Canal Park, is Duluth's premier haunted attraction. During its operational years, it hauled iron ore across the Great Lakes, but tragedy struck when sailor William Wuori died aboard under mysterious circumstances—some say from a fall, others from illness or foul play. The ship hosts annual haunted tours in October, transforming into a scare-filled walkthrough with actors, but genuine paranormal activity persists year-round. Reports include shadowy figures in the engine room, unexplained footsteps on empty decks, objects being thrown or moved, and EVPs capturing voices when no one is present. A playful child spirit named Maggie, estimated to be around 7 years old, is frequently mentioned; she allegedly tugs at clothing or giggles in the cargo holds. Paranormal investigations, including those by TV shows, have documented temperature drops and apparitions of sailors in outdated uniforms. The ship's creaking metal and foggy harbor setting amplify the unease, making it a hotspot for ghost hunters.

Duluth Depot (St. Louis County Depot)
This historic train depot, built in 1892 and once servicing seven major rail lines, now houses museums, theaters, and event spaces. With nearly 130 years of bustling activity, it's no surprise ghosts linger. Sightings include hazy silhouettes and floating orbs that vanish into walls. A common apparition is a little girl in a white dress, captured in the background of a wedding photo where no children were present—believed to be a passenger or child who died during the depot's heyday. Staff report doors slamming, lights flickering, and cold drafts in the old waiting areas. The building's role in transporting immigrants and workers adds layers to the legends, with some spirits thought to be lost travelers seeking their way home.

Duluth Public Library
The main branch of the Duluth Public Library, opened in 1902 with Carnegie funding, has a quieter but persistent haunted reputation. Staff and patrons describe books mysteriously falling from shelves, papers scattered across floors shortly after cleaning, and apparitions of a man and woman wandering the stacks—possibly former librarians or readers from the early 1900s. EVPs have captured whispers like "shh" or page-turning sounds in empty sections. The basement archives, with their dim lighting and old volumes, are hotspots for activity, evoking a sense of being observed by unseen eyes.

Other Haunted Spots
Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center/Train Museum: Employees report noises from empty trains and apparitions of sailors or workers, tied to Duluth's shipping history.
Greenwood Cemetery: This unmarked field behind a nursing home holds the remains of over 4,700 impoverished individuals from the 1800s-early 1900s. While not overtly haunted, visitors feel overwhelming sadness and report shadowy figures among the unmarked graves.

Nearby legends include the Haunted Split Rock Lighthouse (about 50 miles north), where a keeper's ghost warns of storms, and Taconite Harbor, a ghost town with abandoned homes echoing mining booms and busts.

Abandoned Places in and Around Duluth
Duluth's industrial past has left a trail of forsaken sites, many overlapping with haunted legends due to decay and isolation. Urban explorers (urbexers) flock here, but note: Trespassing is illegal, and many sites are monitored or dangerous due to structural instability, vandalism, or wildlife. Always prioritize safety and legality.

Nopeming Sanatorium
This sprawling complex, opened in 1912 as Minnesota's second tuberculosis hospital, treated thousands amid the early 20th-century TB epidemic, which killed 194 per 100,000 Americans annually. It expanded to 30 buildings by the 1920s, housing up to 400 patients with treatments like fresh air and isolation—but no cure, leading to around 1,500 deaths over its history. After TB declined, it became a nursing home for the elderly and those with dementia until closing in 2002 due to financial losses and code violations. Now abandoned and owned by Orison Inc., it's prone to vandalism and decay. Legends include the ghost of a 9-year-old girl giggling or riding a tricycle in the halls, cold spots in the old wards, and apparitions of patients. Featured on Ghost Adventures in 2015, it offered tours until 2019. Warnings: Equipped with cameras, motion detectors, a live-in caretaker with dogs, and quick police response; tires have been slashed on explorers' vehicles.

Giant Abandoned Cement Mansion (Trailsyde Mansion)
Located up the North Shore near Grand Marais (searchable on Google Maps), this unfinished concrete behemoth was built in the 1970s but abandoned mid-construction. It features vast, empty rooms and a fortress-like exterior, sold in 2019 but still unoccupied. No major haunted legends, but its isolation sparks urban myths of hidden treasures or squatter spirits. Currently being demolished; security cameras and sheriff alerts make it risky.

Underground Tunnels and Graffiti Graveyard
Duluth's network of storm drains and old utility tunnels runs beneath the city, often entering via creek outlets near Lake Superior (e.g., Leif Erickson Park). These dark, echoing passages hold graffiti art and remnants of forgotten infrastructure. The "Graffiti Graveyard" under the freeway is a tagged concrete expanse, sometimes occupied by unhoused individuals—be respectful. Legends of whispers or shadows add creep factor, but dangers include flooding, bad odors (avoid smelly ones to prevent illness), and steep inclines (use boots or ice cleats in winter).

Other Abandoned Sites Nearby
Old Minnesota Point Lighthouse and Buoy House: At Park Point's end, these 19th-century structures on public land offer a scenic hike but evoke abandonment with their weathered ruins. No strong haunted ties, but foggy nights amplify solitude.
John A. Johnson Elementary School (Two Harbors): An empty school in a nearby town; doors sometimes unlocked at night, but locals watch it closely.
Finland Airbase Town: North of Duluth, a semi-ghost town with 40 abandoned houses near a defunct airbase—only a few remain, some possibly occupied.
Clough Island and Clover Valley High School: Lesser-known spots; the latter was demolished in 2016, leaving ruins with urbex appeal but no entry advised.

 

History

Prehistory and Indigenous Peoples
The area now known as Duluth, Minnesota, has been inhabited for thousands of years, shaped by glacial activity from the last Ice Age that formed its dramatic bluffs, the Saint Louis River, and the shores of Lake Superior. Archaeological evidence points to human presence dating back millennia, with indigenous groups like the Ojibwe (also known as Chippewa) and Dakota establishing communities focused on hunting, fishing, seasonal migrations, and extensive trade networks. The Ojibwe referred to the region as Onigamiinsing ("at the little portage"), highlighting the portage across the St. Louis River that forms Duluth's natural harbor. Oral histories describe Spirit Island near Spirit Valley as the "Sixth Stopping Place," a sacred site where northern and southern Ojibwe branches converged during westward migrations driven by conflicts with the Iroquois and European pressures. The Ojibwe name for Lake Superior, Gichi-ode' Akiing, underscores their deep cultural ties to the land. Both Ojibwe and Dakota peoples interacted with early Europeans through the fur trade, exchanging pelts for goods.

European Exploration and Fur Trade (17th–19th Centuries)
European contact began in the late 17th century with French explorers. Étienne Brûlé likely discovered Lake Superior before 1620, followed by Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers, who visited the Minnesota region around 1659 and explored the Duluth area and Fond du Lac in 1660, establishing French fur posts. In 1679, Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut—a French soldier, trader, and the city's namesake—led an expedition from Quebec, exploring the St. Louis River and trading with local tribes despite French prohibitions against venturing west. He wintered near Sault Ste. Marie and was known for establishing posts, maintaining order, and opposing the whisky trade with Indigenous peoples.
By 1792, the North West Company had posts at Fond du Lac, managed by Jean Baptiste Cadotte, serving river systems like the Mississippi and Chippewa. After U.S. independence, John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company took over in 1808, monopolizing trade by 1830, though overhunting and fashion changes led to decline in the 1840s. Missionaries like Rev. Edmund F. Ely arrived in 1833, establishing schools at Sandy Lake and Fond du Lac by 1834, working until 1839. Henry Schoolcraft's 1832 visit influenced Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha.
Key treaties reshaped the land: the 1826 and 1847 Treaties of Fond du Lac, and the 1854 Treaty of La Pointe and Treaty with the Ojibwe, ceding Ojibwe territories and establishing the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation upstream near Cloquet. These opened the area to European-American settlement.

Settlement and Incorporation (1850s–1870s)
Permanent European-American settlement surged in the 1850s amid rumors of copper deposits, sparking a land rush after surveys and the 1854 treaty. St. Louis County was formed in 1855–1856 from Itasca County, named after the St. Louis River, covering vast territory with a small initial population of 406 in 1860. The first election in 1855, held in a log shanty on Minnesota Point, elected delegate Henry M. Rice and marked the Republican Party's birth in Minnesota.
Duluth was platted in 1855–1856 by figures like George E. and William Nettleton, J.B. Culver, and Robert E. Jefferson on Minnesota Point, named after Du Lhut by Rev. Joseph G. Wilson. Incorporated as a town in 1857 and as a city in 1870 (charter in 1887), it absorbed nearby towns like Portland, Oneota, and Fond du Lac. Early infrastructure included sawmills (1855–1857), post offices (Oneota in 1856, Duluth in 1857), and mail routes carried by packers or boats. The Panic of 1857 caused an exodus, leading to a barter economy, but recovery came via timber, with a brewery established using local water (later Fitger Brewing Company).
The Sault Ste. Marie canal's 1855 opening and railroads like the Lake Superior and Mississippi (chartered 1861, completed 1870) transformed Duluth into a key port. Population exploded from 14 families in 1869 to 3,500 by 1870, making it the fastest-growing U.S. city. Jay Cooke's railroad extension opened iron ore mining, but the Panic of 1873 nearly wiped out the city. Recovery by the late 1870s through lumber, mining, and rails led to 100,000 residents by century's end. Key figures included Joshua B. Culver (first postmaster and mayor), Luke Marvin (railroad promoter), and Thomas Preston Foster, who coined "Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas." Churches and schools emerged, with districts formed in 1858 and enrollment growing slowly. During the Civil War, about 16 county volunteers served.

Industrial Expansion and Early 20th Century (1880s–1940s)
Duluth became a shipping powerhouse, the busiest U.S. port by tonnage in the early 20th century, handling billions of tons of iron ore, grain, lumber, and more via the Port of Duluth-Superior. The Duluth, Winnipeg and Pacific Railroad (1883) and Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway boosted trade from the Mesabi Range. U.S. Steel's Duluth Works opened in 1907 (production 1915), with Morgan Park as a model town. Manufacturing diversified, including the Diamond Calk Horseshoe Company and Marshall Wells Hardware. By 1905, Duluth had the most millionaires per capita.
Immigration waves brought Europeans: Scandinavians (now a plurality), Finns (largest U.S. community outside Finland, with socialist institutions like Work People's College, 1907–1941), Poles, Italians, Slavs, Germans, and Russians, forming ethnic neighborhoods like Little Italy. Population nearly doubled from 1900 to 1920, reaching 100,000, with 30% foreign-born working in factories, shipyards, and railroads.
Cultural milestones included the Aerial Lift Bridge (1905, first U.S. transporter bridge), the first indoor shopping mall (Lake View Store, 1916), pie à la mode (1885), and pizza rolls (1967). Aviation history featured the "Lark of Duluth," the first U.S. airline service (1913–1914). Literature ties include F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925) with Duluth scenes.
Tragic events marked the era: the 1878 Great Fire destroyed downtown but spurred rebuilding; the 1918 Cloquet Fire, Minnesota's deadliest disaster, killed hundreds and left thousands homeless; and the 1918 lynching of Finnish immigrant Olli Kinkkonen for refusing WWI service. The 1920 Duluth lynchings, amid national racial tensions post-"Red Summer" of 1919, saw a mob kill three Black circus workers—Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie—falsely accused of rape. Duluth's small Black community (495 in 1920) faced discrimination, including segregation and lower pay at U.S. Steel. This was Minnesota's only lynching of Black victims, leading to a 2003 memorial. World Wars boosted shipbuilding and production; population peaked at 107,884 in 1960.

Economic Decline and Challenges (1950s–1980s)
High-grade iron ore depletion in the 1950s reduced shipments, though taconite pellets continued. The Saint Lawrence Seaway's 1959 opening enhanced the port, but the 1970s–1980s steel crisis closed Duluth Works in 1981, devastating West Duluth with 15% unemployment. Railroad passenger service ended (e.g., North Star train, 1978–1985), and environmental issues like sewage overflows into Lake Superior (e.g., 6.9 million gallons in 2001) emerged. Winter freezes halted shipping from January to March.

Modern Revitalization (1990s–Present)
Duluth shifted to tourism, education, and services, renovating downtown with brick streets, skywalks, and retail in old warehouses, developing Canal Park. Interstate 35's extension used tunnels to preserve the waterfront, creating a new beach and Lakewalk. Tourism generates $400 million annually through arts, recreation, and events like Grandma's Marathon, John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, and Bentleyville Tour of Lights. The University of Minnesota Duluth (est. 1895) drives research, including the Large Lakes Observatory. Cirrus Aircraft (since 1994) employs 1,600, innovating with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (1998) and a 2023 innovation center.
The port now handles wind turbines and containers, setting records in 2020. Neighborhoods like Lincoln Park boomed since 2014 with businesses and housing. EPA-led waterfront reclamation and the Duluth Waterfront Collective focus on sustainability. Challenges include 2012 floods ($80 million damage) and ongoing infrastructure like the proposed Northern Lights Express rail. Population stabilized at 86,697 (2020), estimated 87,680 (2023), with key employers like Essentia Health (9,298 jobs) and St. Luke's (3,685). Mayor Roger Reinert (DFL) serves since 2024. Cultural sites include the Great Lakes Aquarium, Park Point (world's longest freshwater baymouth bar), and sister cities like Thunder Bay, Canada. Sports highlights: Duluth Eskimos football (1926–1927) and UMD Bulldogs hockey championships.

 

Geography

Duluth is a port city located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, serving as the county seat of St. Louis County. Positioned on the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, it sits at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes, making it the largest U.S. city directly on the lake. The city forms a metropolitan area known as the Twin Ports with neighboring Superior, Wisconsin, across the harbor and the St. Louis River estuary. Geographically, Duluth is situated at coordinates approximately 46°47'N 92°06'W, and it acts as a gateway between the Midwest and the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Lakes Waterway and St. Lawrence Seaway, about 2,300 miles (3,700 km) away. The total area of the city is 80.168 square miles (207.634 km²), with 71.658 square miles (185.593 km²) of land and 8.510 square miles (22.041 km²) of water, accounting for about 10.6% water coverage. Duluth marks the northern terminus of Interstate 35, which stretches south to Laredo, Texas, and is connected by other major routes like U.S. Highway 53 and U.S. Highway 2.

 

Topography and Elevation

Duluth's topography is characterized by a dramatic, steep hillside that rises sharply from the shores of Lake Superior to elevated inland plateaus, often drawing comparisons to San Francisco due to its hilly terrain and waterfront layout. The city's elevation varies significantly: the general city elevation is around 705 feet (215 m) above sea level, but it ranges from about 602 feet (183 m) at lake level to over 1,400 feet (427 m) at higher points like Duluth International Airport, which sits at 1,427 feet (435 m). This elevation change of up to 820 feet (250 m) within a short distance creates a layered urban landscape where neighborhoods cling to the shoreline and climb the bluffs, resulting in numerous steep streets and scenic overlooks. Skyline Parkway, a 28-mile (45 km) scenic byway, traverses much of the city's length along the hilltop, offering panoramic views of Lake Superior, the Aerial Lift Bridge, Canal Park, and the harbor industries. Areas like Thompson Hill in the southwest provide vantage points over the city, while routes such as Seven Bridges Road wind down from the bluffs to the lake, crossing multiple streams and showcasing the rugged descent. The terrain transitions from inland plains to the lake's edge, with bluffs and hills dominating the western and southern parts, influencing urban development and creating microclimates.

 

Bodies of Water

Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake by surface area, profoundly shapes Duluth's geography, bordering the city to the east and south. The lake has an average depth of 489 feet (149 m) and a maximum of 1,332 feet (406 m), with a mean surface elevation of about 600 feet (183 m) above sea level. Duluth's harbor, connected via the Duluth Ship Canal, links to the St. Louis River, which flows into the lake and forms part of the international border with Canada indirectly through the Great Lakes system. Minnesota Point (also called Park Point), a 7-mile (11 km) long sandbar extending from the city, creates the world's longest freshwater baymouth bar at 10 miles (16 km) when including Wisconsin Point across the bay. This sand spit separates Lake Superior from Superior Bay and hosts unique ecosystems like the Minnesota Point Pine Forest, a rare pine barrens area. The city features 43 streams and creeks, including the Lester River and the St. Louis River, which originates from glacial melt and contributes to the port's 49 miles (79 km) of waterfront. These water bodies support activities like shipping, fishing, and recreation, but also pose challenges such as sewage overflows during heavy rains.

 

Geological Features

Duluth's geology is rooted in ancient tectonic and glacial processes. The area lies within the Midcontinent Rift System, formed about 1.1 billion years ago when the North American continent began to split, allowing magma to intrude and create the Duluth Complex—a massive, 16 km (10 mi) thick sill of gabbro and other igneous rocks. This complex includes Proterozoic volcanic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks, with bedrock often near or at the surface. Glacial activity over the past 2 million years eroded softer sandstone in the rift valley while leaving harder igneous rocks on the flanks, forming the Lake Superior basin. Post-glacial features include ancient shorelines from Glacial Lake Duluth, which stood 500 feet (152 m) higher than current lake levels, with Skyline Parkway tracing one such shoreline. The region also features exposed Precambrian rocks along the North Shore, shaped by glaciers, and outcrops scattered throughout the city, revealing billion-year-old formations. Depth to bedrock varies, with Quaternary glacial sediments overlying it, as mapped by the Minnesota Geological Survey. Brownstone quarried from local sandstone was historically used in buildings, and the sandy bottoms of areas like Park Point result from weathered rock.

 

Climate

Duluth has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), moderated somewhat by Lake Superior's influence, leading to cooler summers and slightly warmer winters near the shore. Winters are long, severe, and snowy, with average annual snowfall of 90.2 inches (229 cm) and temperatures at or below freezing for about 100 days annually—second only to International Falls in the contiguous U.S. Lows drop to 0°F (-18°C) or below on 38 nights per year, and the record low is -41°F (-41°C) from January 1885. Lake-effect snow is common during winter storms, and the lake often freezes from January to March, impacting shipping. Summers are warm but brief, with July highs averaging 78°F (26°C) and rare heatwaves; the record high is 106°F (41°C) from July 1936. The growing season is short, with first freezes around September 30 and last around May 14. Topographic variations cause local weather differences, such as snow at higher elevations while rain falls lakeside, and the phrase "cooler by the lake" describes summer easterly winds. Extreme events include the 2012 flood from 9 inches (23 cm) of rain in 30 hours, causing sinkholes and $80 million in damage, as well as occasional tornadoes like the EF0 in 2012.

 

Surrounding Regions and Environmental Aspects

Duluth is nestled in the Arrowhead Region, south of the Iron Range mining district and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with forested, rugged terrain extending northward along the North Shore to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Nearby protected areas include Superior National Forest, Voyageurs National Park, and Jay Cooke State Park along the St. Louis River, offering hiking, canoeing, and wildlife viewing. Environmentally, the St. Louis River corridor has legacy industrial pollutants, now under EPA restoration, while Lake Superior supports biodiversity, including bird migrations at Hawk Ridge and even surfing on its waves. The region's indigenous history, particularly Ojibwe presence, adds cultural layers to the natural landscape. Challenges include erosion from glacial sediments, hard soils contributing to flooding, and climate impacts like increased storm intensity.

 

Demographic data

As of the 2010 census, Duluth was home to 86,265 people in 35,705 households. The population density was 489.6 people per square kilometer. Statistically, 2.23 people lived in each of the 35,705 households.

The racial makeup of the population was 90.4 percent White, 2.3 percent African American, 2.5 percent Native American, 1.5 percent Asian, and 0.3 percent from other races; 3.0 percent descended from two or more ethnic groups. Regardless of ethnicity, 1.5 percent of the population was of Hispanic or Latino descent.

18.5 percent of the population was under 18 years old, 67.7 percent were between 18 and 64 and 13.8 percent were 65 years or older. 51.0 percent of the population was female.

The median annual household income was $41,116. Per capita income was $24,174. 21.4 percent of the residents lived below the poverty line.

 

Politics

Emily Larson has been the mayor since January 4, 2016. She succeeded Don Ness (DFL), who was elected the 37th mayor of Duluth in November 2007 and succeeded in 2008 from predecessor Herb W. Bergson, who did not run for re-election.

Duluth is located in Minnesota's eighth congressional district and was represented in the House of Representatives by Jim Oberstar (DFL). Oberstar had been a member of the House of Representatives since 1975 and was confirmed in office in 2006 with around 64 percent of the vote; he died in 2014. Since 2019, the 8th congressional district has been represented by Duluth native Pete Stauber.

 

Education

Duluth is home to several higher education institutions. This also includes the University of Minnesota Duluth, with 10,500 students the second largest university in the University of Minnesota system.