Thursday, February 3, 2022

Duluth, MN: 1908 Hansen-Mueller/Riverland Ag #2/General Mills A/Consolidated Grain Elevator on Rice's Point

(3D Satellite)

This is one of the grain elevators that is still standing on Rice's Point.

At the interesting turn of the century, the slip that serves this elevator used to have four wooden elevators along the north side. They were built by the Lake Superior Elevator Co. in the 1800s. The south side of the slip had three wooden elevators built by the Union Improvement & Elevator Co. [photo caption] In 1900, Lake Superior and Union merged to become Consolidated Elevator Co. [substreet-concrete]

A 1.2 million bushel Elevator "D" was built in 1884 where the tile covered General Mills A now stands. [photo caption] The current elevator was built by Consolidated in 1908 when the original "D" burned. [photo caption]
3D Satellite

The entire facility.
3D Satellite

Michael Konczak posted
John A. France loading grain at General Mills ‘’A’’ in Duluth, June 1989. Photo by Michael Konczak

Mike Harlan shared

This photo pushes the hands of time even further back.
Brendon Bailod posted
Here's a really cool and very seldom seen image of the steamer Winslow taken at Duluth's Elevator A dock in 1870 while she was owned by the Evans Line. I'm guessing the view was made around the 4th of July owing to the large number of American flags and pennants flying. I acquired this vintage reproduction taken from the original glass plate negative, which is held by the University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library.
The Winslow is notable for the giant eagle atop her cupola style pilothouse as well as her frequency of being photographed. She was involved heavily in trans-Lake commerce from Buffalo to Duluth and Chicago, carrying many passengers between her construction in 1863 and her loss by fire at Duluth in October of 1891.
She is one of my favorite passenger and package freight steamers of the golden age of steam travel on the Lakes due to her classic appearance with high arches. I own several other archival views of her, but this is by far the most detailed.
For more on the Winslow including photos of her loss, see: https://greatlakeships.org/2895058/data?n=2
Brandon Adams: Nice! Is that a log raft in the foreground on the right?
Brendon Baillod: Brandon Adams Yep...a small log boom.
M David Smith: Now I know this is getting picky but - the raft contains timber, logs that have been squared. If the timber is the correct size it can then be cut into lumber. But as seen these relatively short lengths will probably be used in building construction or ship building.
Brendon Baillod shared
One half of a stereoscopic image
Gaylord, Paul B., 1848-1936,Thompson, Edward A.. 1873?. "View in Duluth, Minnesota." University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Accessed May 26, 2022. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:1398

One half of a stereoscopic image
Gaylord, Paul B., 1848-1936,Thompson, Edward A.. 1872?. "View in Duluth Lake Superior Minnesota Scenery." University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Accessed May 26, 2022. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:1408
 
Gaylord, Paul B.. 1869 - 1890. "View in Duluth Harbor, Outer Harbor and Elevator A, Duluth, Minnesota." Duluth Public Library, Accessed May 26, 2022. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/p16022coll6:2032

One half of a stereoscopic image
Gaylord, Paul B., 1848-1936,Thompson, Edward A.. 1872?. "View of Lake Superior scenery, Duluth, Minnesota." University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Accessed May 26, 2022. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:1407

One half of a stereoscopic image
Gaylord, Paul B., 1848-1936,Thompson, Edward A.. 1869. "Constructing Elevator A, Duluth, Minnesota." University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Accessed May 26, 2022. https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:2826

Greg Mross commented on a post

David Schauer posted
A view from the summer of 1977 as the Lake Nipigon loads at Cargill berth 1 while a pair of Kinsman boats are at General Mills Elevator A. 7/13/1977 Basgen Photography
Steve Miller: Is that General Mills elevator still active?
David Schauer: Steve Miller No, dormant for the past few years. Was handling beet pulp but that shifted to Gavilon. Last boat loaded on 12/10/2013.
Al Miller: Love the Kinsman boats and those Northern Pacific boxcars.
David Schauer: Indeed, back when some grain still moved in boxcars.
[Some comments identify the boats: It's the Frank R. Denton at General Mills with the Merle M. McCurdy to the right. The other vessel in the picture is the Canadian vessel called the Lake Nipigon.]

safe_image for Hansen-Mueller Company purchases Duluth’s Elevator A
Some great news today for rail and sail activity in Duluth as Elevator A will be returned to active service. Hansen-Mueller also operates Elevator M in Superior
3.5m bushels that has been inactive since 2015. It has a slip depth of 28', which is more than the Seaway depth.

Kent Gengo commented on the safe_image post
I got the Sarah Spencer unloading there years ago.

David Schauer commented on the safe_image post
The press release says the facility has been inactive since 2015 but I believe this was the last vessel to load at Elevator A under General Mills operation (beet pulp). 12/10/2013

Mike Curnow commented on the safe_image post
Taken from internet

safe_image for Hansen-Mueller Company purchases Duluth’s Elevator A
[It appears to be a copy&paste of the same news announcement. But it is a different file photo.]

David Schauer posted
It's Alive!
This morning BNSF Job 116 spotted 50 CP covered hoppers at Elevator A in Duluth, the first revenue traffic this facility has seen in nearly 10 years. Hansen-Mueller bought the facility and has breathed new life into the elevator. Now we wait for the first boat, provided one is planned. 9/20/2022
Jeff Milligan: https://kdal610.com/2022/06/14/elevator-a-in-duluth-will-return-to-service/
David Schauer shared

David Schauer posted
Although the former General Mills Elevator A (now owned by Hansen-Mueller) didn't have any boat traffic last year after reopening, it was nice to see rail cars there. Today, a number of grain trucks were lined up waiting to unload at the elevator, just like the "old" days. Duluth - 2/18/2023
Ragnar Bergendahl: No, as an old day hauler, I can tell you there would have been 100 trucks waiting in line all night for it to open. country elevators see more action.
David Schauer: Ragnar Bergendahl Oh yes, I recall it well. Back in those years trucks were everywhere before railroads won the vast majority of traffic. I wasn't referring to quantity, simply to see trucks at all was a memory flashback. I usually only see limited truck traffic at Viterra (Peavey) in Superior.

Four of the several photos from a BNSF press release. The elevator has a 3.5m bushel capacity.
"The reactivation of the elevator significantly increases grain tonnage through the port of Duluth-Superior and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway. Cargo moving on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System supports $46 billion in economic activity and nearly 330,000 jobs. If it was its own country, the region’s economic output would rank as the world’s third largest, according to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. In a typical year, three quarters of all Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System traffic travels North American trade routes. The remainder travels to and from overseas ports....To start, approximately 500 carloads of grain are anticipated to be moved annually to this location."
a
Duluth’s original “elevator row” off Rice’s Point around 1887. Image: Duluth Public Library.

b

c
The Atlantic Hope berthed at General Mills Elevator, Duluth, Minnesota, 1969. Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections.

d
Duluth’s Elevator A welcomed its first grain delivery last fall [2022] after the facility was purchased.

David Schauer posted
First Ship in 10 Years...
Wagenborg vessel Maxima backing toward Elevator A this morning to load beet pulp pellets. Tug Kentucky assisting. This is the first boat to load at this elevator in nearly 10 years and the first under new owner Hansen-Mueller. The last to load here was also a Wagenborg vessel, the Elbeborg on December 10, 2013 (see image in comment section). Welcome back to life Elevator A! Duluth, MN - June 5, 2023.
John G. Prifrel: Is there any documented Rail Action to that Elavator?

David replied to John's question
 Yes, a number of moves.

Kent Rengo commented on David's post
Image of mine from 15 plus years ago when the Sarah Spencer took on a load from there.

David Schauer commented on his post
The last to load at Elevator A in 2013 before its rebirth in 2022-23.

David Schauer posted
I know Duluth has a reputation for being cold, but the individual looking into the hold of the Maxima is dressed like it is forty below zero. Old school parka and then some! Beet pulp pellets is the cargo being loaded. Duluth, MN - June 5, 2023

David Schauer posted
Josh Hansen, president of the Omaha-based Hansen-Mueller Company, briefs media on the reopening of Elevator A and the first ship to be loaded there -the Maxima with beet pulp pellets for Europe. Congratulations to Josh and his employees for a successful reopening and first waterborne shipment! Duluth, MN - June 6, 2023

safe_image for Duluth's Elevator A sees first ship in nearly a decade
 
DuluthNewsTribune, Jed Carlson / Superior Telegram
"The 185-foot-tall structure has a 3.5 million-bushel storage capacity....The site includes a 1,900-foot dock with a slip depth of 28 feet — a foot deeper than the Seaway-depth minimum — and on-dock rail service from BNSF Railway....Last shipping season, the port moved the least amount of grain by ship since 1890 amid fewer ocean-going vessels coming in, higher transportation costs, a poor crop, the war in Ukraine and a strong dollar. Grain moved through the Twin Ports by rail instead."
Hansen-Mueller also owns two elevators in Superior and "has a port in Houston."
 
David Schauer updated
Our Sunday banner change reflects the big news of Elevator A in Duluth loading its first vessel in nearly 10 years. Maxima loaded beet pulp pellets for the Netherlands

David Schauer posted
This is a rail and sail combo I never expected to get after Elevator A along Duluth's waterfront was shuttered after the 2013 shipping season. Hansen-Mueller reopened it last year and today they welcomed the first vessel to load there (Maxima loading beet pulp pellets). In the foreground are Riverland AG's ex-Cargill SW1 and their GE centercab. They also use a red former MKT SW1200. Duluth, MN - June 5, 2023.
Doug Garn: Nice photo. I miss seeing all the salties as I used to live in the Soo. Had to look up "Beet pulp pellets." The fiber in beet pulp is highly digestible making it a good non-starch energy source for cattle and horses.
David Schauer: Doug Garn Yes, these shipments typically go to the UK as animal feed.
Lee Bratlie: Gary A. Smith yes, what remains of the sugar beet after most of the sugar is extracted. Beet pulp is pressed, then dried to a moisture content of 8%-10%, then pelletized.
Riley Osborne: I believe I saw the same ship in burns harbor Indiana about a week or so ago

Chris Mazzella posted
Finnborg loading beet pulp pellets for Ireland at the Hansen-Mueller Elevator A in Duluth, MN.

Comments on Chris' post

Max Keener posted
Dennis DeBruler shared
Another load of beet pulp is headed from Duluth to Europe.
Dennis DeBruler: MAXIMA is a new EasyMax Freighter Class by Royal Wagenborg,
The grain elevator used to be General Mills A, and it has recently been reopened,

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