A new commercial fishing exhibit was added at the Knife River Heritage & Cultural Center (KRHCC) this summer. A 35-foot gas-powered fish tug that fished out of Knife River for many years, the Crusader II, was restored and is on display along with five weather-proof interpretive displays. The fish tug was gifted by the Lake County Historical Society. From the early 1990s until gifted to the KRHCC, the boat was on Lighthouse Point in Two Harbors as a visitor attraction but had fallen into disrepair.

Related: Preserving the history of commercial fishing at the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum in Tofte

The new exhibit traces the history of Lake Superior’s North Shore commercial fishing back to the early 1600s when Europeans began trading for furs and fish with Native Americans. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $30,000 Downtown Streetscapes grant. Total project investment was $68,700.

Crusader II rests on its cradle on a 26 by 48-foot slab with an ADA-compliant viewing deck that allows visitors to see its interior. Five, two by three-foot interpretive displays are mounted on the viewing deck. They chronologically describe Knife River’s Native American presence, the arrival of Europeans (mostly Scandinavians), history of Crusader II and how commercial fishing shaped the character of Knife River. A shelter over the boat and the viewing deck with its displays will be built next spring.

According to Lake County Historical Society, Crusader II was built in 1939 and christened by Crown Prince Olav of Norway during his visit to the North Shore that same year. The boat was built by Reuben and Helmer Hill of nearby Larsmont, Minn., owned by Carl Erickson of Knife River and used until 1953 for harvesting trout and herring. It was later used for charter fishing.

In addition to Crusader II, KRHCC is home to the historic Knife River train depot and the Viking ship Leif Erickson. The depot’s exterior and interior were previously restored to make it a fully functioning 1900s depot and open to the public. A previous Cultural & Tourism grant from Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation helped rebuild the depot.

The Leif Erickson was in Duluth’s Leif Erikson Park for more than 90 years before the city gifted it to a non-profit that relocated it to the KRHCC in 2021. Restoration on the Viking ship will begin next spring.

“The preservation of the three historic icons will create a significant North Shore historical and educational attraction,” said Paul von Goertz, KRHCC president. “The center is committed to preserving the past so that people, especially younger generations, can learn about the history of Knife River and the commercial fisherman of Lake Superior. Our region’s history has shaped our communities and people today, and it is vital that we understand it and cherish it so that it does not fade away.”

A number of visitors to the KRHCC arrive by train on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. Upon arrival, guests may tour the depot and boats. Adjacent to the depot area is a large agate beach where people can hunt for the official state gemstone as designated by the Minnesota Legislature in 1969.

The Knife River community is in Lake County along the North Shore Scenic Drive of Lake Superior between Duluth and Two Harbors. The township of 230 people is at the mouth of the 23.9-mile-long Knife River which drains into Lake Superior. The community’s name is speculated to have been given by the Ojibwe Native Americans due to the long, sharp stones in the river.

Other project partners included the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and Lake Country Power & Light.

Beginning last year, the Downtown Streetscapes grant merged with the Culture & Tourism grant and has a fiscal year budget of $600,000. Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.