Although it is a thousand miles from the ocean, Duluth, Minnesota is a deep-water port for ocean-going ships that come in through the St. Lawrence Seaway. The metropolitan area that includes the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin is the largest Great Lakes port for shipping grain from the Midwest farm belt, coal from the western coalfields, and taconite (low-grade iron ore concentrated into pellets) from the Mesabi Iron Range to ports elsewhere on the Great Lakes and throughout the world.
Laetitia and her group began the day at the Great Lakes Aquarium, which features mostly regional fish and wildlife, but occasionally has special exhibits from elsewhere. Afterward they went to Glensheen, a Jacobean revival mansion built on the shore of Lake Superior in 1908 by Chester Congdon, a wealthy lawyer and investor. The interior of the mansion is decorated in late Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and Art Nouveau styles. Members of the Congdon family lived in the house until 1977, when Elizabeth, the youngest daughter was found murdered. The husband of Elizabeth’s adopted daughter was convicted of the crime. The property was donated to the University of Minnesota Duluth, and in 1979 it opened for tours.
The group visited Canal Park and watched a ship enter the harbor under the lift bridge. Some gossip heard during Laetitia’s pre-dinner happy hour sojourn provided the limerick of the day.
An old lady who lived in Duluth
Was denounced as corrupter of youth
For she never did squelch
Her penchant to belch
In a manner both loud and uncouth.