Two Harbors, Minnesota

A rocky shoreline and steep cliffs characterize the north shore of Lake Superior. Agate and Burlington Bays, which gave the city of Two Harbors its name, were a rare refuge for sailors.

The remote area was transformed from wilderness into a bustling port when it became the terminus of the Duluth and Iron Range Railway (D&IR) in 1884. Built to haul ore from northern Minnesota mines to the Lake Superior harbor for shipment to Eastern mills, the railroad needed massive ore docks, expansive rail yards, all-purpose maintenance shops and a host of ancillary facilities to function. Lumber, produced from local forests, and virtually all supplies to build and support the town and railroad had to be brought by boat.

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