Downtown Duluth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Duluth Commercial Historic District
|
|
The 100 block of East Superior Street
|
|
 Location in Duluth
Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Superior and 1st Streets between 4th Avenue West and 4th Avenue East, Duluth, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Area | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Built | 1872–1929 |
| Architect | William Hunt, Oliver G. Traphagen, John Wangenstein, George Wirth, et al. |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical, Renaissance Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque, Romanesque Revival, Tudor Revival |
| MPS | Duluth's Central Business District MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000455 |
| Added to NRHP | May 31, 2006 |
The Downtown area of Duluth, Minnesota, is the busy heart of the city. It stretches between Mesaba Avenue and 4th Avenue East. You can find it along Michigan, Superior, First, Second, and Third Streets.
Like many city centers, downtown Duluth is home to many important places. These include cultural spots, government offices, and business centers. You can visit the city's main library and its biggest museum here. The courthouse and city hall are also located downtown. There are many local restaurants and places to enjoy live music.
Most of the shops and eateries are owned by local people. Larger chain stores are usually found outside this area. A big part of eastern downtown is focused around two hospitals: Essentia Health–St. Mary's Medical Center and Miller-Dwan Medical Center.
It's easy to get to downtown Duluth from Interstate Highway 35. Most of downtown is also close enough to walk to the fun Canal Park area.
Contents
What is the Duluth Commercial Historic District?
A special part of downtown Duluth is called the Duluth Commercial Historic District. This district includes five blocks along Superior Street and seven blocks along 1st Street West. It has 87 important buildings that were built between 1872 and 1929.
This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. It's recognized for its beautiful old buildings and its role in Duluth's business history. It shows how Duluth grew and what popular building styles were like around the year 1900.
Historic Buildings in Downtown Duluth
Downtown Duluth has many historical buildings. A lot of them were built when the city was growing fast in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some famous examples include the Historic Old Central High School, which now holds school offices.
You can also find the NorShor Theatre and the Duluth Depot. The Depot is now a museum where you can learn about the past. While there are some newer buildings, older ones are more common. The Fond-du-Luth Casino is also located downtown.
Unique Streets of Duluth
.jpg)
The streets in downtown Duluth have a special feature: they go steeply uphill! This is common in many of Duluth's neighborhoods. The city is built on a hillside, with an 800-foot (240 m) difference in height from the lake to the top of the hill.
In the 1980s, during a time when Duluth was facing economic challenges, some streets were changed from blacktop to brick. This was part of a project to make the city look nicer. They also added "old-fashioned" streetlamps to give the area a classic feel.
The Skywalk System
.jpg)
Duluth has very cold winters, with temperatures sometimes dropping below −20 °F (−29 °C). Because of this, a network of skywalks was built. These are enclosed walkways that connect most of the big buildings downtown.
The skywalk system helps people move around indoors, staying warm and out of the snow. There's even an enclosed walkway that goes over the freeway. This path leads to the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) in the Canal Park area.
