Day 67 - Duluth, Minnesota

Day 67
Friday, August 25, 2017
Duluth, Minnesota

When we planned the return trip home, we had decided to break up the drive by staying at a couple places more than one night, Duluth being one of those places.

In the morning we toured the Glensheen estate on the shores of Lake Superior. The house was built in 1908 as the family home of Chester Congdon, a successful businessman at a cost of over $850,000 ($23 million in today’s dollar). The estate consists of the 39-room mansion, carriage house, gardener’s cottage, boat house, stable and formal gardens, all on seven plus acres. The family donated the house to the University of Minnesota, in the late 1960s with the stipulation that the property be maintained as a historical site. Ninety

five percent of the furnishings are original to the house, dating to the 1908 period. Instead of just looking at things, you were looking at the way this wealthy family lived. Although the family had brought in newer furnishings throughout the years, they stored all the older furniture in the attic, so most all was available to refurnish the house to the period.

It was interesting to learn later that elderly Elizabeth Congdon, (Chester Congdon’s youngest daughter) and her nurse were murdered in the house by the second husband of Elizabeth’s adoptive daughter. I came across this tidbit while checking some facts about the house on the internet. Apparently, the tour guides are prohibited from talking about the event.

After touring Glensheen, we drove to Canal Park for lunch. Jay selected Grandmas Saloon and Grill because it had outside dining at a great location. We got the perfect table on the second-story side deck of the building. What was great about the table was that it had an amazing view of Duluth’s famous aerial lift bridge. We were lucky to see the bridge being raised and lowered while we were there. Instead of operating as a draw bridge works, the entire section of the bridge that is over the water is hoisted vertically, like an elevator, so that taller ships can pass through. When we arrived at our table, the bridge was up. After the boat passed under the bridge, the slightly curved road was lowered for cars to use. We were lucky to see the lift in motion while we were there.

I selected Grandmas Wild Chicken Salad for lunch. It was delicious. It had wild rice, celery, plumped golden raisins and craisins, shredded carrots and small cubes of chicken tossed with a sweet dressing, similar to poppy seed dressing, served over lettuce. I want to see if I can make it at home. Yum.