Building a Maritime Center

 

Lake Superior's residents have long taken pride in preserving the evidence of those who came before them. From a simple hand-knitted stocking on a battered fireplace mantle to a well-worn float from a fishing net, we treasure the memorabilia of those whose work and raw courage settled Lake Superior.

It is only in recent years that we’ve sought to formalize these memories. Counties around the lake formed their own historical societies, some renting or leasing a room or even an old building.

As you continue your explorations of our lake, seek out the treasures on display in these diverse facilities. Usually, a small, somewhat battered roadside sign will announce their presence but, good explorers that you are, look for them in every town of consequence!

Duluth’s Aerial Bridge has earned the honor of being one of the most visited sites in Minnesota. The United States Army Corps of Engineer's building stands, literally, in the afternoon shadow of this much visited attraction, so imagine the excitement on that day in 1973 when Ralph Knowlton, long a key member of the Duluth Corps’ staff, and his team learned that they had accomplished their life's dream and were cleared to build the Canal Park Marine Museum and Visitors Center on the eastern side of the existing building.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center houses the giant 350 horsepower compound steam engine from the Great Lakes tug Essayons.

All photos LAKE SUPERIOR MARITIME VISITOR CENTER

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Finally, there would be a means of displaying the history of the harbor and its famous bridge. And, for the first time, valuable evidence of the efforts of our pioneer forebears would be available for everyone to view and contemplate.

The design of the building simulated the bridge of lake freighters on the eastern side, while the westerly connection with the existing engineer’s building provided room for an old two-story marine engine to be displayed in all its restored glory.

 

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Ralph Knowlton spent countless hours advocating that the Army Corps visitor center be built in Canal Park.

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Before we leave Ralph Knowlton, consider what he was trying to achieve. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had an incredible challenge. They must provide safe conduct for vessels of all kinds and sizes, manned by the skilled as well as the inexperienced. Their locks must function to raise and lower ships. Their dams must impound water in all weather conditions and the channels they maintain must be as deep as the charts indicate. In simplest words, this is a huge responsibility.

In the process, the Corps of Engineers had in many ways become “a faceless government entity,” because the expanding areas of responsibility were seldom matched with the personnel needed. Whether fresh from West Point or recently back from conflict, America’s best were charged with keeping the system operating to a simple standard - perfection!

Ralph Knowlton spent a lifetime watching the curiosity evident on the face of thousands of visitors to Canal Park. It was his dream to provide a means of displaying - in a simple walk-through manner - just what this whole area represented. When he got the news in 1973 that his dream was to be a reality, Ralph was visibly overwhelmed - his myriad friends were elated!

As construction began, the Corps of Engineers invited the creation of an advisory group. That group has since evolved into the 500-member Marine Museum Association that exists today. Wide citizen volunteer support ensures the quality, which grows with each year.

 

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A replica of the Edmund Fitzgerald wreck site is a major display that is credited as the most accurate exhibit of the wreck site.

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The results were incredible. Renamed the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in 1996, this fine facility continues to maintain its honor as the most visited non-charging attraction in Minnesota.

That the many goals set for the center are being met is evident in the wide interests of the visitors. The displays describing the history of the Corps of Engineers earn intense study and reflection, leading many to new understanding and respect for the Corps.

To countless other curious visitors, the legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald changes from a familiar song to a tortured wreck, clearly displayed in Pat Labadie’s extensive model, which has been described by divers and others who have visited the actual wreck as being one of the most accurate of the scene ever created.

And speaking of Pat Labadie, he joined the visitor center in 1973, coming from Detroit, Michigan, at Ralph Knowlton’s invitation. A licensed captain, Pat brought both skill and experience to this great undertaking, never settling for less than the very best he could either create or supervise. Supported by an ongoing volunteer board, Pat and his able assistants - museum technician and able historian Thom Holden, information supervisor Beth Duncan and  programs director Kevin Gange - ensure that the Maritime Visitor Center is in capable hands.

You can visit a variety of ships’ cabins and, in just a few minutes, see just how seamen lived over the past century. You and your guests can stand on the bridge of a freighter, with the wheel and telegraph to the engine room at your command!

Televised monitors announce and explain marine traffic passing just a few yards outside the building. Actual name boards removed from older freighters mix well with a photographic collection unmatched on the Great Lakes. And the Boatwatchers Hotline (218-722-6489) provides up-to-the-minute information concerning the arrivals and departures of ships. Take a few minutes or an afternoon to roam the many exhibits.

But the time to visit - is NOW!

Feedback: jrm@lakesuperior.com