In the 1950s, a bustling little town sprung up along the shore of Lake Superior. The tiny two-block town was built by the Erie Mining Company. Its purpose was to house the employees of the nearby taconite plant and their families. The town was called Taconite Harbor and from 1957 until 1990 it was a picturesque mid-century American small town. Then, in 1990 the town was abandoned by the Erie Mining Company and dismantling began. Taconite Harbor became one of the North Shore's most well-known ghost towns. An Affordable Town for Young Families Taconite Harbor had two main streets in town: Brandon [...]

There are a few stories of hauntings on Isle Royale.  The remote island on Lake Superior has been the home of numerous untimely deaths– mostly surrounding the copper mine that once existed on the island. However, one of the earliest deaths that have often been associated with a haunting, happened to a man named Charlie Mott in 1845. The Legend of Charlie and Angelique Mott When you start discussing possible hauntings on Isle Royale, conversations quickly turn to the legend of Charlie and Angelique Mott. Charlie was a voyageur and prospector. He was hired to survey Isle Royale for copper deposits in hopes [...]

Rumors have always swirled that Split Rock Lighthouse was haunted by past lighthouse keepers and their families. Many ghost stories surround Split Rock Lighthouse and the surrounding State Park. Have you ever had a ghostly encounter while visiting? As it turns out, I have! The Happy Spirits of Split Rock Lighthouse While no one met an untimely end to their life on the grounds of Split Rock Lighthouse, one life was lost in the sinking of the Madeira. This is what sparked the construction of the Lighthouse on Split Rock Point. While the lighthouse had a dark beginning, it was [...]

Sitting along the shores of Lake Superior is a beautiful classic-style mansion known as the Glensheen Mansion. This well-known home is available for visitors to tour. Although the architecture and interior design is beautiful, many come to the mansion for a different reason. There are rumors that Glensheen Mansion is haunted. A Brief History Glensheen Mansion is a beautiful home in Duluth, former home to the Congdon family.  The Congdon’s were a wealthy family who donated a lot of time and money to various programs and charities in the Duluth area. The Congdons were respected and beloved in the community [...]

A Small, Thriving Community Drive through the town of Grand Marais and right as you are leaving, just as the speed limit picks back up to 60, you’re there.  At what remains of Chippewa City. Chippewa City was a thriving little village founded in the 1880s. By the 1890s it was home to about 100 families and growing. There are a few well-known residents of Chippewa City that North Shore visitors will likely recognize the names of. John Beargrease, made famous for his mail delivery route and subsequent sled dog race that bears his name, lived here with his family [...]

Mineral Center, Cook County Minnesota Before the logging rush of the 1940s, the area experienced the Mineral Rush at the turn of the century. In the 1880s and 1890s settlers were attracted to the areas along Lake Superior’s shoreline. The communities now known as French River and Knife River were developed during this time. Then, the passage of the Nelson Act in 1889 opened up areas of the Grand Portage Indian Reservation to white settlers. The Mineral Rush moved north. One of the most well-known settlements that were born during the mineral rush along the North Shore was Mineral Center. [...]

Sawbill Landing, Lake County Minnesota It turns out, Forest Center was not the only community to spring up deep in the Northwoods during the 1940s lumber boom. There were more than half a dozen logging camps that dotted the northland during this time.  Sawbill Landing is another one that was founded in the late 1940s, thrived for two decades, then vanished. The Birth of Sawbill Landing In the case of Sawbill Landing, however, the community was not built by a lumber company. Rather, it was built by families who chose to create their own, independent town.  They chose the landing [...]

Forest Center, Lake County Minnesota In 1949 the Tomahawk Timber Company created the town of Forest Center along the southern shore of Lake Isabella in Lake County. The town was built to house employees and their families working the nearby logging operation and lumber mill. At its peak, the community was home to 250 residents and over 50 homes.  The company also built a school, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a recreation hall, a general store, two churches, and a post office. An Isolated Community Located about 40 miles from Ely, the community was isolated from the rest of the [...]