Duluth and Northeastern Bridge - Orphaned Bridges on Waymarking.com

This bridge once brought trains of the Duluth and Northeastern Railroad south across the St. Louis River into Cloquet, Mn. Currently pedestrians, ATVs and Snowmobiles use it. Originally the DN&E ran 58 miles north to Hornby, MN. Before the last abandonment the DN&E ran the 11 miles to Saginaw, Mn, where it had connections with the DM&IR and CN. The DN&E abandoned this tracks sometime in the years before 2000. The remnant of this once great logging railroad serves the industries in town as the Cloquet Transfer Railroad. During its lifetime, the DN&E delivered logs to Cloquet mills. The date of construction is uncertain. However this bridge seems similar to the bridge the CTRR still uses at the eastern end of Dunlap Island. I suspect the D&NE built them about the same time. The bridge crosses from the north bank of the St. Louis River to Dunlap Island. The Ojibwa called it "'Kitchigumizibi' or Lake Superior River." Folks originally called the area surrounding Knife Falls or Shaw Town, Nelson Town or Johnson Town. The sharp slate rock outcroppings created waterfalls that stopped canoe traffic. Voyageurs shouldered canoes and cargo and walked the 7-mile Grand Portage of the St. Louis which led from Knife Falls to St. Louis Bay and Lake Superior. ("a difficult trail with steep hills to climb and wet swamps…to wade through"-John Fritzen). After the fur trade these same waterfalls prevented transporting logs the entire length of the river into the sawmills in Duluth. So Knife Falls became a lumber town with its first lumber mill built in 1878. For reasons still debated by historians, Knife Falls became Cloquet when the town incorporated in 1884. The word 'Cloquet' belongs to the same phonologic family as bouquet (a bunch of flowers), croquet (a lawn game) and roquet (a croquet tactic). The south end of the bridge rests on Dunlap Island. Dunlap Island was a lumberjack's "oasis" at its high point (1905 to 1915). Then 'The Island' hosted seventeen saloons. Respectable families kept their children away from 'The Island'. Only two saloons remain. Despite its sordid past (or maybe because of this past) the furies spared Dunlap Island from the flames of the great 1918 forest fire which completely destroyed Cloquet. However, sheds of the D&NE on the western end of the Island burned. It's said the saloon in the old Northeastern Hotel boasts of the longest bar in the region. I've not thoroughly researched this bold assertion, so let me know what you think. A photocopy of the saloon's original liquor license hangs in the foyer. The hand-written document orders liquor be served 'not on the Sabbath or Election Day,' and that spirits are not to be served 'to any temperates or habitual drunkard.' The City of Cloquet did a wonderful job upgrading the north side of the river opposite Dunlap Island. You will enjoy this hike. I have photographed this bridge in many moods.

Original Use: Railroad Date Built: Uncertain Construction: Steel Condition: Good See this website for more information: [Web Link] Date Abandoned: between 1998 and 2000 Bridge Status - Orphaned or Adopted.: Adopted

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/29/2010 wildernessmama visited it