The Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad was a logging line operated by the Pigeon River Lumber Company from 1902 to 1909. It connected to the Canadian Northern Railway Duluth Extension/North Lake Subdivision (ex-Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway) at Milepost 79. It travelled six miles from the Ontario side of Gunflint Lake into Minnesota passing Crab and Whisker Lakes to near Topper Lake.
This video covers the site of the US Customs buildings at the narrows between Little Gunflint Lake and Gunflint Lake. The Customs agent was Richard Dowman. The land was owned by the Merritt Family of Marquette, MI and is often referred to as “Merritt’s Camp.”
The Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad was a logging line operated by the Pigeon River Lumber Company from 1902 to 1909. It connected to the Canadian Northern Railway Duluth Extension/North Lake Subdivision (ex-Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway) at Milepost 79. It travelled six miles from the Ontario side of Gunflint Lake into Minnesota passing Crab and Whisker Lakes to near Topper Lake.
This video covers the crossing of the Canada-US border from Ontario to Minnesota at the narrows between Little Gunflint Lake and Gunflint Lake. Remains include spikes, rail connectors, rails, telegraph wire and rock cuts.
The Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad was a logging line operated by the Pigeon River Lumber Company from 1902 to 1909. It connected to the Canadian Northern Railway Duluth Extension/North Lake Subdivision (ex-Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway) at Milepost 79. It travelled six miles from the Ontario side of Gunflint Lake into Minnesota passing Crab and Whisker Lakes to near Topper Lake.
This video covers the Ontario portion of the line, from the junction with the Duluth Extension to Gunflint Lake, featuring numerous spikes, boundary markers and possible remains of the Canadian customs house.
The story of the Paulson Mine, located in the western part of Cook County, Minnesota, has captivated people for many years. Touted as one of the great mining projects of the era, its failure in the early 1890s had a devastating impact on local economies spanning both sides of the border. For years afterwards, many attempts were made to restart the mine, all of which ended with the same result.
I hope you’ve been enjoying the live presentations on YouTube. If you have, or haven’t taken them in, the next one is ready to go!
Please join me tonight (Tuesday, May 5) at 7pm EST for Leeblain: The Ghost Town of Gunflint. It is an intriguing story of optimism and failure that revolves around the PAD&W Railway and the Paulson Mine in the pre-1900 Boundary Waters. There are many twists and “what ifs” in this obscure piece of area history.
Please click on the link below for more information.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the G&LS covers the section of line south of the International Boundary (MP 0.5). Here, as the railroad skirts the edge of Gunflint Lake, the grade sits on corduroyed logs and passes through a long rock cut.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the G&LS covers the area around the former US Customs House, located metres from the International Boundary. Featured as well is the site of the agent’s house, perched on a hill immediately south of the Customs House.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the PAD&W takes us to the end of the line, the Paulson Mine, MN (MP 91). After passing through yet another switchback, the line turns east and terminates at the site of this prospective iron mine. Unfortunately the company that owned the mine went bankrupt in 1893 and it closed without shipping any ore. Attempts were made to re-open it until the 1920s, but none were successful.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the PAD&W takes us to the section of line west of Gunflint Narrows (MP 85.5). After crossing the international boundary on a high trestle, the railway continued along the shore of Gunflint Lake in Minnesota. The grade was blasted out of sheer cliffs in many places, creating some very high, lengthy rock cuts. As one could imagine, the cost of construction in the area was immense.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the PAD&W takes us to Gunflint Narrows, the Canadian terminus of the line (MP 85.5). From here the railway continued west across the narrow channel between Gunflint and Magnetic Lakes and into the State of Minnesota. A station and hotel were located in the area, along with a small population of settlers and Indigenous people. The First Nations considered the waters of the Narrows, the Cow-o-bob-o-cock (where the rock ledges come together), a place where evil spirits resided.
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 