Call it a monument to excess, call it a wonderland of architectural marvels. Whatever you call it, Duluth is the place to vacation if you’re into learning how the other half lived during the turn of the century.
The rich ore deposits that surround the city, its prime location on Lake Superior, and its close ties to railroad interests meant that Duluth became the home away from home for industrialists from the eastern United States.
Among them was Chester A. Congdon, a lawyer and entrepreneur who made a fortune working in mining interests. First stop on your old home tour would have to be his house, Glensheen, The Historic Congdon Estate. Construction on this Jacobean Revival mansion began in 1905, and the family moved in three years later. By the time it was finished, Congdon had invested more than $800,000 in it, although today the estimated value of the house and grounds is over $30,000,000. The estate was gifted to the University of Minnesota Duluth in the 1960s, although the last of the Congdon’s lived in the house until 1977. This house has everything, from lovely grounds on the shores of the great lake, to opulent furnishings preserved in their original glory. There is even a grisly murder tale to raise the hair on the back of your neck. The final resident, Elisabeth Congdon, was murdered on the third floor in 1977, along with her nurse. The case was finally closed when the husband of Elisabeth’s adopted daughter confessed to the murders, but rumors still swirl around it to this day. Visitors can rent the grounds and part of the basement for parties and weddings, and in fact a wedding was taking place while we were there.
One of the best ways to see inside some of the other magnificent homes in town is to be a guest in them. We chose to spend the weekend in the Cotton Mansion, the one-time summer home of Joseph Cotton, attorney for John D. Rockefeller and J.P. Morgan. Also built in the early 1900s, this home is now a bed and breakfast. It, along with many of the 40 or more mansions in the same Duluth neighborhood, was also deeded to the college for tax reasons. At one time there were more millionaires living in the East End Mansion District of Duluth per capita than any other place in the United States. The university originally used the Cotton Mansion for receptions and as a residence hall for students. It was falling apart when it was purchased several years ago by a couple from the Twin Cities, who lovingly restored it and converted it into a bed and breakfast. This is your chance to truly feel like the lord of the manor. The rooms are modern, but are decorated in a way that’s period appropriate. There are fireplaces in every room, and guests have the run of the house.
Across the street is another bed and breakfast, The Olcott House, which is equally impressive. The former home of William Olcott, the president of the Oliver Mining Company — now U.S. Steel — construction on this house began in 1904. We didn’t stay there, but we plan to check it out next time we’re in town.
And if you’re looking for something else to do while you’re living it up, take the Harbor Walk, where you can enjoy shopping, artwork and lovely gardens. Visit the Great Lakes Aquarium at 353 Harbor Drive, watch the famous Aerial Lift Bridge in operation and check out the lighthouses both in Duluth and in Two Harbors, about 20 minutes down the road.
Find Glensheen at 3300 London Road in Duluth. The Cotton Mansion is at 2309 East First Street, and across the street is the Olcott House, at 2316 East First Street.
