In October of 2023 Ramona and I chose to take a short trip to Duluth MN, just 150 miles from our home. We stayed at a nice hotel just past Duluths historic lift bride at its harbor off Park Point.

Although the harbor is 2,342 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, on the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth is the biggest inland harbor in the world. Rising to 138 feet in 55 seconds, the Aerial Lift Bridge, built in 1905, is the biggest and quickest lift bridge in the world.

This city is not new to me. My parents both grew up there and I frequently stayed with relatives that had never left that area. During the 1880s Duluth saw mostly Scandinavian (Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish) immigrating there.My great, great Grandmother became well known in Duluth for her work in having the first Swedish Lutheran Church built there. In 1869–70, Duluth was the fastest-growing city in the country and was expected to surpass Chicago in only a few years.

We spent much of our time walking the streets near the bridge where a brewery and a number of pubs are. It’s where “Grandma’s” restaurant is, the place that sponsors the well known - Grandmas Marathon.

One of our days took us along Lake Superior, slightly north to the little town of Two Harbors where we walked its shores and then had an outstanding walleye dinner at Judy’s Dinner.

Only a short 3 day trip but Duluth and Two Harbors were nice to visit again and get us just jump away for a while.