Duluth

Anyone familiar with the great port on the Great Lake that is Superior will not be surprised that TripAdvisor  recommendations for what to do when you are in Duluth lean heavily toward things having to do with the beautiful surroundings:  The Apostle Islands, Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, various state parks and trails.  Folks familiar with general history won’t be surprised that the recommendations include a railroad museum, a logging camp, and an iron ore museum,or that one of the local parks is named for Leif Erikson.  Folks really keen on history might know that when President Calvin Coolidge commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first Norwegian immigrants, he was in Minnesota, and mentioned Leif as the discoverer of North America.  (Sorry, Columbians.  You still get your day in October.)  Folks RIDICULOUSLY into their history and/or History Channel buffs may remember the great Kensington Rune Stones, found by a farmer on the other side of the state, claimed to be left behind by Erikson’s expedition.  Over the years, this has often ben rebuffed as a hoax.  However, current investigations give them a “genuine” rating, so that statue of Erikson in Duluth may just rest on a spot Erikson actually stepped upon.  Maybe.
ANYWAY, enough long tales.  We were there.  In the middle of August.

Because, you know, we get around.

photo courtesy INNduluth.com