Thursday, June 21, 2012

Lake Superior Railroad Museum

I thought I'd end the week by sharing some photos from a recent visit we took to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, Minnesota. We stumbled across the museum four years ago and it was a complete delight! I couldn't wait to get back. The Museum is housed in the historic Union Train Depot, which is a French Chateauesque building built in 1892. In 1910, seven railroads dispatched over 50 trains a day from there.

The depot served as a small Ellis Island to the immigrants who would arrive and wait for their connection. During times of war the soldiers would march down Superior Street and board the trains there. The last train left in 1969 and four years later the building was restored and turned into a museum.

Along with the historic trains, the museum houses Depot Square, which is a 3/4 scale recreation of Duluth's downtown in 1910. You can peek in the windows and see what a store or office looked like in that era. There is a doctor's office, a drug store, a millinery, a general store and many more. There is also a working soda fountain, where you can buy a treat.

One of our favorite exhibits is a model train and town that is easily 20x30 feet and enclosed in glass. I was impressed with the attention to details in the little city. We chased that train around and around. 
My youngest son LOVES trains. We live close to the train tracks and whenever he hears one he shouts: "Mama, choo-choo! Mama, choo-choo!" When we get stopped by the train he says it again, but then he starts yelling: "Mama, choo-choo, bye, bye? Choo-choo, bye, bye?" And he cries and cries because it's leaving. My girls giggle when he does this, and I have to confess, it makes me smile, too. Naturally we thought he'd love the train museum more than any of us, so when we walked into the gigantic structure and saw over a dozen trains dating from the 1860's, we all watched his reaction closely.
Both boys were a little unsure
And he was off

The first one we came to had replicated train noises and the wheels chugged. His eyes became huge and I could feel his heart pumping beneath my hand. He started crying: "Choo-choo, bye, bye?!?!" I'm afraid he thought it was going to start moving and we'd all be run over. He didn't want to get out of his stroller for the remainder of the visit. I was able to persuade him to go on a caboose, but it didn't last long and he wanted off. He prefered to enjoy the trains from a distance.
  
Snow plow
The rest of us loved exploring the dining car, snow plow train and an assortment of others. It was fun imagining what it would have been like to travel by train a hundred and fifty years ago and I was filled with ideas for a book!

Hopefully someday we'll be able to go back when our youngest understands the trains aren't leaving the station.

What about you? Do you have any trips or visits planned this summer? What are some of your favorite museums or historic sites?

15 comments:

  1. Sounds fun! I'll bet the history nerd in you loved it. ;)

    There's a cool train park in Phoenix that has train cars. My nephews had a birthday party in one of them. Kind of cool.

    And you know the trip I have planned this summer!! :P

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    1. The history nerd in me LOVED it! My husband always teases me about how much I get into history. :)

      It would be so neat to have a birthday in a train car - I don't know if I could get my youngest in one, though!

      Yes - I do know what trip you have planned! Take lots of pictures to share, please!

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  2. Wow! What a delightful place! I love trains, so we have lots in common. :) Between the history, the turn of the century cool-ness of the chateau, and the trains, what an amazing place your family discovered! I'll take my first train ride in September when I venture over to Alaska. Can't wait! Thanks for sharing your great adventure.

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    1. Ohh! A train ride in Alaska! You'll have to share pictures of that adventure. Trains are an amazing invention and still so vital to our economy today. Thanks for stopping by, Donna!

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  3. One of my favorite TV shows is Mysteries at the Museum on the travel network!!
    I think we're probably planning to go to Boston this summer and maybe do some days trips to historic Cape May.

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    1. That sounds like a TV show I'd love! I'll have to DVR it. :) I love Boston. We live in Minnesota, so it's not an easy trip to make, but we were able to go there six years ago and I was in Heaven and I'd love to go back soon. Have a fun weekend!

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  4. I'm leaving for Arizona and New Mexico in ...does the math...4 weeks from yesterday!!! BOO!! YAHHH!!!!
    That's right, the desert in July. AND I might even meet a certain author friend who lives in Phoenix. Hmmm. I wonder if she likes Canadian chocolate? I wonder if she likes Canadian chocolate that melted in my suitcase? I wonder if she likes maple syrup?

    The extended family will gather in Ontario at The Ontario Camp of the Deaf for the annual vaycay. I will just be back from my research trip, so I'll be buzzed enough to get along with everyone.
    ;)

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    1. I've never had Canadian chocolate! Love maple syrup, though. Yum. ;)

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  5. Oh really? How interesting, Lindsay. Are you a dark or milk chocolate kinda gal? Did you know maple syrup comes in metal containers, perfect for travel?

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    1. I prefer dark, but you don't have to bring me any! That's so sweet. :) And no, I wasn't aware of that. I've only ever seen it in plastic bottles here!

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    2. Honestly, I'm not sure it wouldn't melt all over town. And yes, syrup comes in smaller metal containers that make it easier to ship. Fire up your pancake griddle!

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  6. Ooh, that looks like a lot of fun!

    I don't have many big trips planned this summer--I traveled to both South Carolina and North Carolina for a couple weeks in the spring, so I've used up my travel quote for a bit. However, next week I am taking a long weekend and heading down to Wichita to see my sis, bro-in-law and adorable nephew. :)

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    1. I love long weekends with family, especially when they involve adorable little nephews! Give Ollie a high five from me!!

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  7. I LOVE the St. Louis Co. Historical museum. My dad is a bigtime train and boat fan, so every time he visits me from FLA, We go to Duluth. :)

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    1. I'm so thrilled to meet another Minnesotan who loves history, writing and homeschooling!! I was homeschooled for six years and we hope to homeschool out brood in a couple of years when our two year old twins aren't so...two. I worked at a historic site (house and museum) for ten years and I love visiting other historic sites. And writing - this blog speaks for itself!

      I saw your comment on my Mayo Visit post - and my hubby and I were actually there again just two days ago for a follow up visit for our son! We were told we don't need to go back for another visit for two years. Yay! It's about a three and a half hour drive from our home in central Minnesota to Mayo.

      I'm so excited to connect with you, Erica! Thanks for stopping by and following my blog. :)

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