The Duluth and Iron Range Depot is a two-story brick building that has been standing in Two Harbors since 1907. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places it was the headquarters and corporate office for the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad. The Minnesota Iron Company developed the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad in 1883. They laid out the town of Two Harbors in 1885 and built depots to conducts its business. When the railroad line to Duluth was complete, it served as a transfer point for passengers, lumber, and mining supplies. It played a major role in both passenger and freight service while still meeting the needs of the area’s lumber and iron mining operations until 1961.
Today the building houses a museum, the new Judge William Scott Library, and the Lake County Historical Society. The museum features exhibits that reflect the development of Lake County’s big three industries: iron mining and the railroad, timber, and commercial fishing. It maps out how it was first used to transport workers and supplies to lumber camps north of Lake Vermilion.
On display are two steam locomotives of distinctive history to Two Harbors. The “3 Spot” was built by Baldwin in Philadelphia for a Mexican railroad that never took delivery. And a Mallet locomotive built by Swiss engineer, Anatole Mallet. The museum faces the harbor where more than 10 million tons of iron ore are still shipped annually.
Getting There:
Located 7 blocks south of Highway 61 in Two Harbors. To get there from Highway 61 in Two Harbors, turn to the south (toward Lake Superior) on Waterfront Drive. Turn left on South Avenue and you will see the two-story brick building.