Minnesota (Again) in September

This post will chronicle my recent road trip to Minnesota. I arrived from Bloomington, IN.  My sister, Nancy, traveled from Washington state, Cousin Susan from Iowa and her daughter, Casey, from Austin, Texas. We converged on Aunt June at the Hambly "cabin" on Sand Lake. There was lots of fun getting to know one another and seeing the sights out of Susan's big Suburban. It was a rolling family adventure!

But first, on my way I made a stop at the International Crane Foundation near Baraboo, Wisconsin. The ICF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and conservation of the 15 species of cranes. Founded in 1973, the Foundation moved to its current 225-acre headquarters in 1984.

The Foundation works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds and flyways on which they depend. Below are some I was able to photograph.

Above and below: Black Crowned Crane

Whooping Crane

  

Blue Crane

Above and below: Wattled Crane

And on to Minnesota.

Tuesday September 13th: 

Our first stop was Jay Cooke State Park through which the St. Louis River flows on its way to Duluth. The park was established in 1915 on land donated by the St. Louis River Power Company. 

This "Swinging" Bridge has been destroyed by floods and rebuilt numerous times. Most recently it was damaged during the flood of 2012 and rebuilt in 2013. 

Water eroded river beds, steep valleys and rock formations of slate, graywacke  and red clay are seen throughout the park.

Front to back: Aunt June, Susan and Nancy

Casey and Susan rock scrambled for a good view (and a selfie).

 Cannot resist another great picture of Aunt June! And Nancy.

Next stop was Forest Hill Cemetery in Duluth to check on the Hambly ancestors, especially Grandpa and Grandma Hambly. 

And before lunch we stopped by the boyhood homes of two very special men who come from different generations but hail from Minnesota and lived in Duluth.

First is Ross Oliver Hambly, our Father, Uncle and Brother in Law.

The house of my Father's youth is hardly recognizable today from the pictures we have but his address was 1862 Wallace Ave, Duluth.

Second is the one and only Bob Dylan! Thanks to Casey for taking us there. 

The duplex is at 519 N 3rd Ave East. He lived on the right side of the residence.

There is a plaque on the house (left) and one in the sidewalk. It says:

In Bob We Trust.

Wednesday, September 14th
We began our day on the Scenic North Shore Highway along Lake Superior, traveling to Splitrock Lighthouse State Park.

Splitrock Lighthouse Station was put into service on July 31, 1910. It was built in response to a punishing 1905 storm that sank or damaged 29 ships on western Lake Superior. The lighthouse station served freighters hauling iron ore mined in northern Minnesota and shipped out from Two Harbors and Duluth.

Until 1924 the station was accessible only by boat so the lighthouse keepers and their families lived on site but left during the winter months, the off season for shipping. 

 Left to right: Mary, our friend the Lighthouse Keeper, Nancy and Susan

Three lighthouse keepers lived on site at any given time, taking 4 hour shifts during the night to keep the beacon lit. More than 35 keepers and their families called Split Rock their home during the 59 years the station was in service.

The lighthouse lens assembly weighs nearly 6 and a half tons. It was built in Paris and assembled in the lighthouse lantern room. The lens made one revolution every 20 seconds when operating, Light for the beacon was provided by a kerosene vapor lamp until 1940 when the beacon was converted and powered by a 1000W light bulb. The beacon could be seen from a distance of 22 miles. 

The height of the lighthouse itself is 54 feet. But the beacon height above Lake Superior is 168 feet. 

(Photo Credit goes to either Nancy or Casey)

In 1969 the lighthouse was decommissioned. In 2011 it was listed as a National Historic Landmark. The Minnesota Historical Society maintains the site much as it appeared during the 1920's.

Our next stop was a ramble over the 17 acre estate of the Glensheen Mansion, also located on the shore of Lake Superior. The mansion is a Guilded Age showpiece built by Chester and Clara Congdon between 1905 and 1908.

This is the front entry to the Mansion. It has much less architectural impact. Probably due to it facing away from the spectacular views of Lake Superior. 

The mansion is an English Tudor design by Clarence H. Johnson. Inside there are four floors, 39 rooms, 15 bathrooms, 15 fireplaces.

The English Tudor style includes a feature known as "a three-tier formal garden". The top terrace provides for an elevated view of Lake Superior. Stairs lead to a second terrace and then to the lowest level where there is a flower garden including a hand carved marble fountain. 

 And a boathouse and pier. The roof of the boathouse was designed for entertaining and was the site of many social events hosted by the Congdons. The pier was home to their 53 foot yacht, Hesperia. This boathouse is significant because it is the last remaining structural boathouse on Lake Superior. 

Enjoying a perfect blue sky afternoon on Lake Superior: Left to right: Susan's friend Donna, Susan, Nancy and Casey.

Thursday, September 15th

On Thursday Nancy and I took a road trip with Aunt June to Mille Lacs Lake, the second largest inland lake in Minnesota. 

Mille Lacs Lake at Father Hennepin State Park. This park is named after Father Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan priest who was the first recorded Eurpoean explorer to visit the region now known as Minnesota.

We continued on a road that took us right along the lake shore, driving between some raindrops.

And our final fun shot...

Minnesota Muskie and Nancy. 

If you look up Muskie on Wikipedia they say Muskie is the largest member of the Pike family of fish. And the Ojibwa Indians call the Muskie "Ugly Pike". That's about right!

On Friday I began the drive back to Indiana. This September trip to Minnesota was as unique in its own way as last year, meeting some family for the first time and seeing Aunt June again. Plus seeing my sister for the second time this summer! Thanks to everyone for the good company and enjoyable adventuring to new places. It was wonderful that we were all able to make it and spend some time together.

Be safe, be well, be kind and be happy!