Glensheen Mansion Tour

Main Entrance of Glensheen Mansion, Duluth MN

Situated on the beautiful shores of Lake Superior is arguably Minnesota's most famous residence, the Glensheen Mansion.  Also known as the Cogndon Estate, the Glensheen and 7.6 acre grounds offer a glimpse of early 20th century wealth and elegance.  Finished in 1908, the mansion was built when Duluth was a bona fide boom town, thanks to rich iron ore mines in areas surrounding the city.  At the time of completion, Duluth had more millionaires per capita than any city in the world!  The mansion, which took three years to complete, is filled with furniture, artwork, and building materials from around the world.  Glensheen was also site of a sensational murders in 1977 that hold a prominent place in Minnesota history.  A tour of Glensheen is a must for any visitor to Duluth.

What to Expect

Guided tours of the Glensheen begin in the stable and grounds surrounding the mansion.  Despite Duluth's harsh winters, the Congdon's were able to enjoy fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy products year round--a luxury for the early 20th century. A full-time staff was employed to the dairy cows, show horses, three greenhouses that were kept on the property. 

Glensheen Mansion, Duluth grounds

Touring the mansion is like stepping back one-hundred years in history.  The mansion smells a little musty, mainly because of the fine wood and furniture used throughout the house.  Historians have worked hard to restore each room of the mansion to it's original elegance and layout.  The Congdon's decorated the 39 rooms of the mansion with artwork and fine materials from around the world.  My favorite portion of the mansion tour was seeing the kitchen and dining rooms.  Though it seems silly by today's standards, the Congdon's utilized the best technology to cook food, keep it warm, and notify staff of when they were needed.  An innovative sink was even installed to preserve fine china and silverware when washing dishes.   

Standard tours will get a chance to see the basement, first, and second levels of the mansion (expanded third level tours are available at an extra cost and must be booked ahead of time).  You will also get a chance to walk through the landing and bedroom where the 1977 Glensheen Mansion murders took place, though guides will not discuss them on the tour.  You may wanted to read Will to Murder prior to your visit for details of the crime and ensuing trials.

Just the Basics

• Location: 3300 London Road, Duluth, MN
  
• Hours: 
• Summer: 9am to 5:30pm (last tour at 4pm)
• Winter weekends only, 9:30am-3:30pm (last tour at 3pm)
• Cost: 
• $5 Ground Only
• $15 for grounds and mansion
• $26 for expanded tour (including third level)
• Rates for seniors and children are discounted
• Website: http://www.d.umn.edu/glen/
• Advice: Admission is first-come-first serve, so reservations are recommended.  Call 1-888-454-GLEN.  I would also highly recommend reading Will to Murder by Gail Feichtinger, John Desanto, and Gary Waller before visiting to learn about the 1977 Glensheen murders.