Day 15: Exploring Two Harbors

 

Our rainy weather continued today – but lighter than yesterday – so instead of bicycling to explore Two Harbors, we drove.  Our first stop was  the tugboat Edna G. which was the last coal-fired, steam-powered tugboat in operation on the Great Lakes.  The Edna G. is a very old lady having been built in 1896 and retired in 1982.  It has a large 2-stage reciprocating steam engine similar to one we saw in a static display at the Maritime Museum in Duluth. 

The Depot Museum houses exhibits of Lake County’s pioneer days including logging, mining, railroad, commercial fishing and war memorabilia.  There was also a train video of the Duluth, Mesabi, & Iron Range RR hauling iron ore and two very old locomotives parked outside.  We planned to visit the 3M Museum but it was closed.  It is located in the original 1902 office building.

The guide on the Edna G. told us a a freighter was due into the dock in Two Harbors tonight, but after lunch,  George was looking out the coach window at the lake and said, “There’s the freighter!  Let’s go!”  So we took off to the breakwater at the lighthouse to watch the 1004 ft. Indiana Harbor come into the dock to take on a load of iron ore.  Coincidentally, we saw this same freighter leaving port in Duluth.  While we were there, we toured Two Harbors Lighthouse which was built in 1892.

So much of the history in this area  revolves around iron ore and transporting the ore by train and  freighter, but it’s also an area of much natural beauty.  While I was photographing the ship today, the plentiful wildflowers along the lakeshore and ducks in the water caught my eye as well.  So I’ll end today’s blog entry with yellow wildflowers that we’ve seen everywhere since we’ve been in Minnesota.