Twins Ports Festival of History – Duluth, 1856-1950: From a ‘Pile of Rocks’ to a ‘Dachshund of a City’ with Tony Dierckins

As part of the Twin Ports Festival of History event, Glensheen will be hosting a talk with Duluth author Tony Dierckins on Wednesday, April 6 at 6 pm.  The Twin Ports Festival of History aims to provide those with an interest in history an opportunity to listen and discuss various history topics with authors and historians of local, regional, national and international renown.

When first established as a town in 1856, Duluth covered just a small portion of today’s downtown and Canal Park. Thanks to a series of booms and busts and annexations, it eventually stretched nearly 28 miles along the northern shores of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River. Discover how the lake and river influenced Duluth’s development, what the nascent City of Duluth looked like in 1871, and what led to the east/west sociopolitical split that divides the city to this day.

Dierckins has written or co-written over two dozen books, including regional histories Lost Duluth and Crossing the Canal, both finalists for the Minnesota Book Award, as well as Glensheen: The Official Guide to Duluth’s Historic Congdon Estate and Duluth’s Historic Parks, both winners of the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award. Dierckins is a past recipient of the Duluth Depot Foundation’s Historic Preservation and Interpretation Award and the publisher of Zenith City Press. His newest book, Duluth’s Grand Old Architecture, will be released summer 2022.

To learn about other events happening with the Twin Ports Festival of History, check out their Facebook page!