On our second day of vacation on the North Shore we went to the
Split Rock lighthouse and then the
Soudan Underground Mine.
Soudan mine is known as Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron ore mine. It was closed in 1962 but is now open as a state park. Visitors can today travel
2,341 feet below the surface on an 80-year old electric hoist through shaft #8. The ride is fairly scary. Underneath visitors ride 1/2 mile to view some mining chambers.
Aunt Annie told Sammy that we were going to see the Joker in the
BatCave (currently, Batman and Superman are all that matters to Sammy). When we went to get into the rickety 80-year old electric hoist, Sammy was afraid to go, until our tour guide told him that she had already taken care of the Joker. We'll post some video at a later time.
Oh, and there were bats down there too!
Split Rock lighthouse...
A view from Split Rock lighthouse...
Lighthouse-keeper residences...
Sammy with lighthouse-keeper dude...
Diane & Mike...
Group shot at Split Rock...
Anne, Diane, Mike, Michele, Sammy, & Paul...
Soudan mine...
...we barely got there in time for the last tour of the day!
Part of an electric hoist...
The miners would mine from one level up to the next...
...throwing the junk rock mined to the level below them...
...and work their way up...
The scariest ride in the world!!
It will rattle your fillings loose!
Sammy in the BatCave...
Michele & Sammy...
Miles and miles of tunnels...
Anne, Paul, Sammy, Michele, Mike, & Diane...
