Though it was larger in the past, the Glensheen estate now consists of 7.6 acres of wooded landscape with formal and informal gardens gracing its lawns. The Glensheen Estate was built between 1905-08 by Chester A. Congdon. In 1916, just eight years after the estate’s completion, Chester passed away. Clara and Elisabeth continued to reside at Glensheen where Elisabeth adopted two daughters. Elisabeth was the youngest daughter and never married, caring for her mother until Clara died in 1950 at age 96. Elisabeth, who was active in many charitable causes and founded what became Duluth’s Junior League, was still living in Glensheen when she was murdered there in 1977, along with her elderly nurse.
Some facts about the Glensheen’s construction are as follows:
· It cost the Congdon’s $854,000 to build Glensheen.
· The ceilings are 16 inches thick and they contain large hollow tiles made of a fire retardant material.
· A water reservoir was developed to supply the estate. This reservoir was gravity-operated and it was used for the fountain with enough pressure to propel the water almost 75 feet in the air. It is no longer in use.
· Glensheen’s main house has 39 rooms and covers 27,000 square feet of living space. So that the landscaping would not be marred, all utilities came into the mansion, the carriage house, the boathouse, and the gardener’s cottage underground. The water, gas, and power lines were in a tunnel from London Road.
· Water used for the grounds was diverted from Tischer Creek into a 60,000-gallon reservoir located between Superior Street and London Road, which is still in use today.
· Because the home, stables, and greenhouses used up to 100 tons of coal each year, manholes were created along London Road into which the coal was delivered and auger-fed into the coal bins. This eliminated the need for the large trucks to rumble into the estate for deliveries.
· The pier on the estate was the largest private pier on Lake Superior and the only one shown on navigational maps of the lake.
Glensheen is a testimonial to the skills and craftsmanship available more than 100 years ago.
Glensheen is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Partner Place of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The majority of the furnishings are original. There is even clothing in the children’s closets. Glensheen is one of those places you walk into and you can tangibly sense the lives that happened there. The artifacts, the furniture, the air itself are just full of that family feeling and you just know that people enjoyed being in the house. Glensheen offers year round guided tours of both the inside and the grounds of this remarkable estate. Also, be sure to check out their events page.
Glensheen, Historic Congdon Estate
3300 London Road
Duluth, MN 55804
Toll free US 1 (888) 454-4536
Located just 7 miles from Gardenwood Resort
