Fishing & Rail Industry
Commercial fishing flourished at the Head of the Lakes during the early decades of the 20th century. The industry was dominated by Norwegian immigrants, though a number of Swedes and Finns were also involved. The annual catch varied over the years. The all-time high came in 1915, when nearly 10,000 tons were recorded at Duluth alone. The catch dwindled after the 1920s, so that many fishermen were forced to find other sources of income. By 1930, the yield dropped below 4,000 tons; it has since fallen below 1,000 tons. Whitefish dwindled in numbers in the 1890s, and were supplanted by lake trout in the commercial fishery. Predatory lamprey eels and over-harvesting nearly wiped out the trout in the 1950s. Finally, sports fishermen successfully lobbied for legislation that was unfavorable to the commercial fishing industry. A 1975 government report indicated that there were 137 full-time commercial fishermen in the Great Lakes and 2,800,000 sports fishermen.
During the 1870s, a trail was slashed through the woods along the North Shore. A wagon trail was established by 1880. The Duluth & Iron Range Railway was constructed between Duluth and Two Harbors in 1889, although a real road was not completed all the way up the shore from Duluth to Grand Portage and Port Arthur until the mid-1920s. The road dramatically changed the lifestyles of North Shore residents. It brought to an end their dependence on the collection steamers and enabled them to transport their fish by truck. It also brought tourists in ever-increasing numbers. Some of the fishermen began building resorts and renting cabins to supplement their income. The infusion of permanent settlers along the Minnesota North Shore ended around 1900. Since that time new arivals have been primarily summer residents whose permanent addresses are in the Twin Ports (Duluth-Superior) or the Twin Cities. |
