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 area where the railroad crosses a small creek beside Gunflint Lake with corduroyed logs and bridge cribs that are still visible as well as a short section to the southwest. *Please note that removing artifacts from federal lands is prohibited by law.
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 300 metre section from south of the international crossing to a creek crossing, and includes corduroyed logs and rock cuts on Gunflint Lake.
This is the story of one of the most unusual rail lines in North America.
In 1902, the Pigeon River Lumber Company, a Wisconsin company based in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, acquired some timber limits in Minnesota near the International Boundary. The company had been logging along the boundary further to the east near Lake Superior since its incorporation in 1900.
To facilitate the logging, a small railroad was built in Minnesota, eventually reaching 6 miles in length. It connected to the Canadian Northern Railway Duluth Extension (formerly the Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway), a line completed in 1893 with the intention of reaching Duluth, Minnesota and accessing iron deposits in the area, both of which failed. For seven years, until 1909, hundreds of thousands of logs were hauled the 80+ miles to the company’s sawmill in Port Arthur and thus created one of the most unique rail operations in North American history. A logging railroad, with no US terminus and only accessible through Canada, hauling logs cut in Minnesota across the border to be processed in an Ontario sawmill.
Sadly, there are no known photos of the railroad or logging operations. The International Boundary Commission map below shows the first two miles of the railroad down the east side of Gunflint Lake while the photo, taken by photographer George Shiras III, shows the American customs facilities approximately 10 years after the logging ceased.
This map shows the the route of the G & LS from the branch with the Duluth Extension to Crab Lake.US Customs House, circa 1919-1920 (G. Shiras III).
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 177.3-181.9) at Amethyst Harbour, ON. Features the grade west of Sibley/Amethyst Station between Crystal Road and Mackenzie Beach Road with cuttings, culverts, rock cuts and old logging spurs.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 119.1-122.4) north of Nipigon, ON. Features the grade south of the Nipigon River Bridge with milepost markers and the remains of a lengthy logging spur in use during the 1950s.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 79.3-83) near Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek, ON. Features the grade as it travels southwest through an old flood plain with culverts, milepost markers, rails and old logging spurs.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn (Dorion) Subdivision (MP 79.3-83) near Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek, ON. Features the grade as it travels southwest through an old flood plain with telegraph poles and old logging spurs.
One hundred and twenty years ago tomorrow, the Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad (G&LS) was incorporated in the State of Minnesota. Owned by the Pigeon River Lumber Company, a Wisconsin business headquartered in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario, the logging line was built to harvest timber along the southwest shore of Gunflint Lake and adjacent areas in the northeast part of the state.
The G&LS was in operation between 1902 and 1909 and branched off the Canadian Northern Railway Duluth Extension (originally the Port Arthur, Duluth & Western) at Milepost 79. It was likely the most unusual railroad in all of North America as it was an American line, but had no terminus in the US and its only access was via Canada. All the timber harvested in Minnesota was shipped to the company’s mill in Port Arthur for processing.
Today there are vestiges of the line still visible, but they are rapidly disappearing. The photos, taken between 1997 and 2016, along with the map (which shows the area in 1911), covers the initial few miles of the line as passes from Ontario across the international boundary into Minnesota. Corduroyed logs, some rails and even a line shaft from a Shay locomotive litter the route. The most amazing remnant of the line was a massive corduroyed log trestle on the south shore of the lake beside the Crab River, which helped it climb the massive ridges in the area. Unfortunately the trestle was burned in a 2007 fire and the following winter the Forest Service was forced to dynamite it to extinguish the smoldering embers inside.
PAD&W-G&LS junction, May 2016.G&LS International Crossing, May 2016.G&LS Grade, May 2015.Corduroyed logs, October 2015.Shay 683 rear line shaft, Gunflint Lake, July 2000.Rails, Gunflint Lake, October 2014.Corduroy Trestle, August 1997.Corduroy Trestle, August 1997.Corduroy Trestle, August 1997.This map shows the the route of the G & LS from the branch with the Duluth Extension to Crab Lake.G&LS rock cut, October 2015.
Looking for something to do during the COVID-19 situation? Why not join me for a talk on a fascinating piece of area history?
Tonight, April 7th, I’ll be presenting Gunflint & Lake Superior: Ontario’s Private American Railroad live on YouTube. This is a very unique and obscure story that spans the two countries that share the Boundary Waters. The presentation contains some great information, as well as numerous period and modern photos. Click on the link below for more details.
Please join me if you can and feel feel to share this link with anyone who may be interested. The live stream starts at 7pm Eastern time.
This week’s episode of our YouTube tour of the G&LS covers the section of line south of the International Boundary (MP 0.62). Here the railroad crosses a small creek on a crib bridge. Remains of the corduroyed grade, the bridge piles and cribs and even a hand brake are visible.
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