Jay Cooke State Park
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Jay Cooke State Park is a Minnesota state park located about ten miles southwest of Duluth, just outside the small town of Thomson. Jay Cooke is situated on the St. Louis River, which enters into Lake Superior through Duluth's Harbor, so it is considered by many to be the southernmost of the Lake Superior State Parks.
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[edit] History
The first 2,350 acres of land on which Jay Cooke is situated were donated to the state by the St. Louis Power Company in 1915. The park remained generally undeveloped until 1933, when a Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC) camp was established on the site. The CCC camp built a rustic swinging bridge over the St. Louis River just slightly downstream from some torrential rapids and waterfalls. This camp also built a picnic shelter. The camp was disbanded in 1935, but a second camp was set up in 1939. This camp rebuilt the swinging bridge and built the River Inn, which now houses the visitor center. This camp was disbanded in 1942, shortly before the federal government ended the CCC entirely. In 1945, the state began to add more land to the park, eventually giving it its current size of 8818 acres.
[edit] Architecture
Jay Cooke is famous for its rustic style historical structures. These structures were built by the CCC between 1933 and 1942. All the major landmarks in Jay Cooke are built with local basalt or gabbro stone and dark planks and logs. Most famous of all landmarks is the swinging bridge, which is one of only two suspension bridges in any Minnesota state park. The bridge was designed by Oscar Newstrom and built by the CCC. It runs 200 feet long, 126 of which run over the river itself. It is supported by two large concrete pylons also faced with gabbro. The bank of the river near the River Inn is too steep to walk along, so anyone who wishes to hike the length of the river generally must cross this bridge.
Three districts of the state park are in the National Register of Historic Places. These districts are the Rustic Style District, including the River Inn and Swinging Bridge; the Picnic District, including the shelter, water tower and latrine, and drinking fountain; and the Service Yard District, including the custodian's cabin and pump house.
[edit] Geology and Wildlife
Jay Cooke has strange and unique geology. The bedrock is largely composed of slate and greywacke. The river washed away the red clay topsoil and caused this bedrock to become exposed. Underground movements also caused the bedrock to bulge and break, making large protrusions of shale, often at more than 45 degree angles to the ground. Wherever the red clay topsoil has not been eroded, it is almost entirely covered with brush and dense forests. The park is inhabited by 46 species of mammals. Black bears, timberwolves, and coyote have been spotted within the park. It also houses 173 species of bird species and 16 species of (non poisonous) reptiles.
[edit] Recreation
The park has several miles of hiking trails, with several scenic overlooks over the St. Louis River. Certain trails, such as the Greely Creek Trail, Triangle Trail, and Gill Creek Trail, are also open to mountain biking. The Willard Munger State Trail runs through the park. From the park, one can bike or skate to Duluth, about 15 miles away. This segment of the trail features very scenic views of the Duluth harbor, as well as cuts in the rock made for the building of the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad.
[edit] External links
- Jay Cooke State Park Minnesota DNR
- Minnesota Historical Society National Register Listing
