Day 5 – we drive down from the Iron Range to Duluth, where we will stay for the remainder of our adventure. Our main attraction for the day is to visit the Glensheen Mansion (aka the Congdon Mansion). This is an amazing estate and gives you a clear example of the way the top 5% lived back in the day.
The mansion itself is a grand example of architecture. The house was constructed in such a way that it will stand the test of time pretty well. The house has 39 rooms and has over 27,000 square feet of living space. It was finished in 1908 and was far out from the city at that point in time, now of course there are many neighbors. It cost over $800,000 to build, in todays dollars that would be over $30,000,000. The interior walls are about a foot thick as they are made of concrete, which pretty much sound proofed the entire house. A lot of modern technology was incorporated into the house; there was a central vacuum system, a gravity operated water reservoir system and the house was ‘wired’ with an internal communications system, consisting of a complex system of magnetic switches, which would alert a servant via a bell ring of who needed assistance and what room they were in. Much thought went into the decoration of the house as well. The main entrances were walled with intricately, hand carved wood, one main entrance came in from the road and the other came in from the lake side. Mrs. Congdon did not want to have a ‘back door’, these two doors share the same entrance foyer. Mrs. Congdon also insisted other items in the house be made to be more appealing, such as the radiator heating system was disguised to make it more atheistically pleasing. Each individual bedroom had its own bathroom, except for the bedroom for their adopted son as he was not part of the direct immediate family, but he was also given one of the biggest rooms. The Congdons came from humble beginnings, and they showed a great deal of respect for their workers. The servants and cooks had their own wing of the mansion, not extravagant, but built in a comfortable manner that allowed them to have some privacy.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this tour (for me) was the visit to the attic, which is only included on the expanded tour. The attic houses a tremendous collection of National Geographic magazines, every one of them since they were first printed. Photographers dream of images being published in National Geographic…including me.
This is an amazing experience and I highly recommend it for anyone. Website. Tickets to the mansion – $13, tickets to the expanded tour – $24, worth of the National Geographic collection – priceless.
As a visitor, you are not allowed to take pictures inside the mansion, but from outside is allowed.
©320photography Nikon D300 ISO 200 f/13 18mm 1/80th sec
The grounds of the mansion are very well maintained and some of the most beautiful lilies I have seen are growing there.
©320photography Nikon D300 ISO200 f/5.6 1/640th sec
The weather started to look really amazing from the mansion. This is looking towards downtown Duluth and the aerial lift bridge.
©320photography Nikon D300 ISO200 f/16 18mm 1/160th sec
