Canal Park and Duluth during the economic hardship of the early 1980s

During the early 1980s, not only Duluth but the entire country was facing an economic crisis that put a dent in our economy and American businesses. During this time, Duluth was solidly democratic and union organized. This crisis not only led many people to leave Duluth but also changed the landscape of the city entirely.

Canal Park, although the area wasn’t known by that name yet during this time, was directly impacted and experienced a major change.

Before the lakewalk and the tourist destination that it is known for today, the area was home to several more businesses and industries. These businesses included Grandma’s restaurant, a Holiday Inn, several warehouses, a car dealership and a scrap yard. The area featured no real lakeshore access for residents and visitors.

Duluth’s shoreline had become such a big problem that the city was featured in a Parade article talking about towns that were mistreating their water fronts. An article written back in 2010 highlights the transformation of Canal Park into what we know it as today.

One Kansas City writer described the view of Lake Superior shoreline if you were to look at it from downtown Duluth before the 1980s. “Railroad tracks. A graveyard of flattened automobiles. Decaying warehouses and factories” (Duluth Budgeteer 2010).

The economic crisis of this time period led many companies and businesses to shut down or move out of Duluth. There was a point in time where so many residents were leaving Duluth, they put up a billboard that read “will the last one leaving Duluth please turn out the light”. This billboard was located on Interstate 35 as you were leaving the city, but wasn’t up for very long.

Now that we are on the topic of Interstate 35, not many are aware of the history of it or how it came to be as it is in the present day. During the 1970s, the Interstate ended at Mesaba Avenue and didn’t extend through the city. The expansion of 35 didn’t come without controversy and those who were against the change.

Construction was underway to expand this Interstate during the early 1980s, and took nearly 20 years to complete. Some residents were concerned that the freeway would obstruct views of Lake Superior and cut off access to the shoreline.

There was even a group called Citizens for Integrating Highways and the Environment that argued that putting the freeway between the city and the lake was not a wise idea. However, the freeway ended up being constructed with the concerns of citizens and those against the project in mind.

It’s impossible to talk about the history of Canal Park without mentioning Duluth’s famous Aerial Lift Bridge. During the 1980s, the bridge made 59,986 lifts and took the life of a man in 1982. The nineteen-year-old had tried to hang from the bridge as it raised.

The bridge underwent some changes in the late 1970s into the 1980s. First, the city decided to paint the bridge. It transformed from a green color to silvery aluminum which the city had wanted to change for many years.

The bridge then went under construction to update the mechanics of the bridge to keep up with the times.

Throughout the 1980s, Canal Park was transformed into the beautiful destination that we know it as today. Many might wonder how the city was able to afford this construction project during these hard times.

That’s where the famous Grandma’s Marathon comes into play. The idea came from a UMD student in the late 1970s, who went to the restaurant about lending its name and some start-up cash. The 26.2 mile long run took place along the north shore, and brought in many contestants over the years raising a lot of money.

Without the creation of Grandma’s Marathon, the city of Duluth would have never been able to afford the changes and improvements to Canal Park. Although the marathon didn’t completely fund the construction progress, it played a role.

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