5 Sep - Superior Entry Lighthouse, New Fuel Filters, Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center

5 Sep
This morning we awoke to temps in the lower 50's.  You can tell Fall is on it's way!  Rain is predicted for today and with the chilly temps Doreen put on a pot of chili and then we headed out to see the Superior Entry Lighthouse, which is not far from the campground.

The drive to the lighthouse was enjoyable.  We headed down Moccasin Mike's Road to Wisconsin Point Road and out onto the peninsula which is part of the Superior Entry sandbar.

The road is lined with birch trees

The birch bark peeing off the trees.

The road is also lined with these red berry trees but we have not identified them.

The Superior Entry Lighthouse was operational from 1913 to 1970.  The keeper maintained the lighthouse from April to December and then the harbor would freeze over making it impassible until Spring.  When it was operational, the keeper had to make his way across the rocky breakwater to access the lighthouse.  There was a room where he could stay for a day or two.

The Superior Entry Lighthouse

 There are two keeper's houses on the sandbar which are now abandoned and heavily vandalized.  There is also a huge communications tower which is likely for navigation.

The Superior Entry was the only natural opening through the world's largest fresh water sandbar.  The opening was dredged out so that ships could easily enter and load with grain and ore.  We walked out the concrete pier and took a few photos there:

Doreen with the Superior Entry Lighthouse in the background.

This concrete walkway wraps around the east side of the entry.  The significance of this photo is it shows the Burlington Northern Ore Dock #1.  This is where, on 9 November 1975,  the Edmund Fitzgerald was loaded with 26,116 tons of taconite ore pellets and headed out the Superior Entry on it's ill-fated final journey.  It passed right by here.

Gulls supervising the entry!

Zup?

Burlington Northern Ore Dock #1

Burlington Northern Ore Dock #5, still operational

 After our trip to see the Superior Entry, we returned to the campground for a bowl of chili, and then we headed to Superior Chrysler to get my fuel filters changed.  On a diesel engine, fuel filters are a big deal.  There are two.  One is a fuel filter element located by the engine, and one is a water separator located back by the fuel tank.  They say they are as important if not more important that the oil filter as far as maintenance goes.  As many miles as we are racking up on this trip, it was time for a change!  I buy them off the Internet and change them myself at home.  I can buy the set for around $100.  On the road, at the mercy of the dealerships, today's maintenance cost about $265.00  Ouch!

From the dealership we made our way to the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center.  It is a military museum established in honor of Richard I. Bong who was a World War II pilot and Medal of Honor recipient.  It also serves as a visitor center with a knowledgeable person handing out information on local attractions.

   

 The museum itself is a beautiful building and the displays, ranging from World War I through Vietnam are very professional.  The building also serves as an American Legion post, also bearing the name of the honoree, who was from Poplar, WI.

Here are a few of the pictures we took:

Munitions and an F-89J ejection seat

World war I display

Nazi Germany and WWII

Taken from the second level, looking down to the main level

Vietnam-era control tower

M7 Snow Tractor, 1944 by the Allis Chalmers  Mfg Co in West Allis, WI

Rosie the Riviter

Beautifully restored Jeep

Japanese weapons and other items from WWII

The War in Europe display

Communications equipment

Notice the M-1 carbine below the windshield!

A military Cushman scooter

Clarktor 6 Aircraft Tug

I have used most of these items

Brig Gen Raymond T. Klosowski served with the Duluth Air Guard unit and State Headquarters

A Merchant Marine display

A P-38 "Marge" flown by Maj Bong.

This aircraft was completely restored by the Duluth Air National Guard unit

 I took a whole lot more pictures there but if I posted them all this would go on for ever!  That's it for today.  We returned to the RV and watched the Cubs get beat again by the Pirates.

Tomorrow we are heading up the north shore of Lake Superior to look at lighthouses.