Sunday, October 19, 2008

Blue Monday

Here is pretty little snapshot of a tall ship  on
Lake Superior.
The water really is that blue.

Gordon Lightfoot wrote a song about the lake  called The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald. The Indians call it Gichigami - meaning Big Water.    It is the largest of the five great lakes.
It's an average of 425 feet deep.   The deepest portion is about 1,300 feet deep.

Now onto something more interesting....

In the city of Duluth, MN on the shores of Lake Superior lies the Glensheen Mansion.
A 39 room Jacobean style home  commissioned by Chester A. Congdon in 1905 taking 3 years to complete.
It had all of the latest features of the day available.  Running hot water and electricity.
 
Lake side view of Glensheen.

According to Wikipedia....
It was designed by Minnesota architect Clarence H. Johnston, Sr., with the interiors designed by William French.   The grounds are spectacular.  The 7.6 acres were designed in the  english style by the Charles W. Leavitt firm out of New York.


The interior design exhibits Late Victorian, Arts & Crafts, and Art Nouveau.  The furniture was also designed to coordinate with the style in each room.   The rooms are trimmed or paneled in Circassian walnut, mahogany (they even had a piano crafted to match this room), cypress, fumed oak and American walnut.   The original furniture brought into the house  in 1908 remains in virtually the same place it has been for 100 years.     
The doors throughout the home are made of two kinds of wood, with oak on the hallway side and the variety of wood used in the room on the other side.
The original artwork also still hangs on the walls as it did when the Congdon's lived there.
If you ever get to Duluth, MN you should make a point to visit the place.

Other than being on the National Historic Register it has a notorious reputation.
Chester Congdon passed away in 1916.  His family continued to occupy the home.
In 1968 the estate was given to the University of Minnesota Duluth.  At the time, Elisabeth Congdon, (the youngest daughter of Chester), was given a life estate, allowing her to occupy Glensheen until her death.  

Glesheen is the site of the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, on June 27, 1977.    Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, was charged with the crimes, convicted on two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences.  Marjorie was charged with aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder, but she was acquitted on all charges. 
Caldwell's conviction was overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1982.   He was set to be retried, but pled guilty, submitted a full confession, and was later released from prison, and many years later it was believed to have committed suicide.
However, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen  led a pretty notorious life all her own.   She was twice convicted of arson, serving 12 years in prison and was once wanted for bigamy in North Dakota.  Most recently she was in the news for befriending an elderly gentleman and trying to cash a check by forging his name upon his death.   You need to read the book
Will to Murder  written by Gail Feichtinger.     The author became familiar with Marjorie when she was a crime reporter for the Duluth News-Tribune.


Glensheen Mansion Ghost

In the spirit of the season, here is a photo taken by Gary Schmidt and Loretta Brown.
It is a picture of the upper right window of the Glensheen mansion.   It appears to be
an apparition of an elderly lady, possibly, Elisabeth Congdon, peering out of the window  overlooking Lake Superior.   This was believed to be her bedroom and the room in which she was murdered, but also doing one of her favorite passtimes in life, staring out at the magnificant Lake.

30 comments:

SmilingSally said...

What could possibly be better than Lake Superior. After all, isn't it superior? I never knew that the water was so blue! Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday!

I see the same kinda thing in the other window too.

Kathi~Lavender, Lace and Thyme said...

I love Duluth, I haven't been up there this year. Would you believe I've never done the tour. I would love to go at Christmas...perhaps that should be my goal :)...LOL...I completely forgot you were sharing about blue Monday!

Have a wonderful Munday!
Kathi :)

Knitty said...

I live in Michigan and can assure everyone that the Great Lakes are beautiful. Interesting story and pictures.

Anonymous said...

WOW!! great reading girl...I seen this story on TV even..beautiful home..would't want to clean it haha!!! Thanks for coming by and your welcome to blogland comment...I have you on my list of blogs..thanks again as I have not a clue what I am doing here girl!!! Hugs and smiles Gloria

Sweetie said...

The blues of the sky and water are beautiful. The story of the Glensheen Mansion is intriguing. Happy Blue Monday!
Sweetie

Anonymous said...

Hi there
I just submitted a post and I'm not sure whether it went through so I'm going to say a few words here.

Thank you for sharing that story. The home is lovely and there is so much detail in the work of the home. It was very interesting. I thought at the end you might say she was still enjoying her home...after all these years. I may have to find that book and read about it further.

The water with the Tall Ships is a magnificent colour of blue.

Thank you for sharing.
Have a great day.
Judi

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Robyn!!!! What a terrific pioc of Lake Superior! :)

The Haunted Masion looks of interest. Hmmmm... (Yikes)


I made the Chicken & Dumplings on Saturday!!! OMG!!! It turned out soooo good! My boys devoured it! (LOL) I had just enough to send over to my parents yesterday! Thanks for the recipe. That was the first time for me! It was easy and good! :) I was going to take a pic and post it... but it went too fast! (LOL)

xoxoxoxoxo
Donna

Salmagundi said...

What a story!! I love old houses especially ones with a good story attached. Have a great day. Sally

nikkicrumpet said...

Well who could resist that view...even if you were dead! Have a great blue monday!

Patty said...

As I was reading about the Congdons, I was wondering if there was a book about them. I'm glad to hear there is. They seem like an interesting family! I would love to tour this house. Thanks for sharing all of this!

Anne Fannie said...

I have never been to Lake Superior. Looks so pretty and so blue. I can see a lady looking out that window. How creepy.
Happy Blue Monday,
Love, Ann

Anonymous said...

Absolutely loved your post. I did see Gordon Lightfoot perform that song. Thank you for those spooky little tidbits about the mansion. Happy Blue Monday!

Coloradolady said...

What good timing for this post...I see the lady too. Interesting. The blue monday photo with the lake is beautiful. Have a great Blue Monday.

nikkicrumpet said...

OH MY GOSH Robyn...you just gave me the BEST IDEA....I'll just tell my sweet hubby that if he ever leaves me...I'm sending Ozzie with him. If there is anything in this world that will keep him home and faithful...its gotta be THAT threat lol! And Ozzie says that any Schnauzer that appears nice...is only faking it!

Anonymous said...

What gorgeous blue water!!

Anonymous said...

Yes! Your lake and my teapot go together!! Thanks for poppin in to see me today!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Kim said...

Hello my Minnesota neighbor...

What a great idea for your Blue Monday post. Can you believe that I've lived in Minnesota my whole life and have never been to Duluth even though it's only about 3 hours from where I live? Hard to believe isn't it? Someday I will make it there. Maybe this summer.

Happy Blue Monday!!

Anonymous said...

"Oh Monday, Monday, how could you leave and not take me?"
Love it!!!! and, the Lake, the Haunted Lady --
Thanks for the fun!!
Bonnie

Anonymous said...

Lake Superior is really a beautiful blue! I would love to visit this mansion and take a stroll through the grounds. It looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing it...

Dawn said...

I loved that Gordon Lightfoot song! The water is so beautiful!!! What a gorgeous shade of blue.

That was a very interesting history you shared. I may be wrong, but I think I remember seeing the story of Marjorie Congdon on a televison show.

take care,
Dawn

Sherrie said...

Hi!
What a great post! Haven't been to Lake Superior but have been on Lake Michigan. And the water is that blue! Take Care!!

Sherrie

Anonymous said...

Robyn, What an amazing story about the mansion and the people who lived there. Really interesting.

I have been swimming in lake Superior on the Michigan side. That is the coldest water ever. I loved the tall ship picture. Beautiful. Have a great day and thanks for the birthday greeting.

Hugs...Jeanne

Anonymous said...

Robyn, don't think I'm crazy but I just realized you wished me a happy blue Monday. It's my birthday today and all I saw was happy. LOL My other post hasn't shown up so I assume you are using blog approval.Hugs...Jeanne

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful blue post..that water is gorgeous.
Come visit..xx

Patty said...

I think you should share your jar lamp for a future Blue Monday, Robyn. Or at least send me a picture of it. :) I had to google "Brooke Lexus Von Schnauzer" because the picture totally confused me. I haven't read the blog yet but I was sitting here, cracking up at the characters and their names. I have to go back when I have some time to read it all.

Anonymous said...

Robyn, you are so funny. Thanks for your birthday greeting. smiling

Hugs...Jeanne

Anonymous said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a sweet comment.
I have chosen you to give an award to this morning, so drop back by and check it out.
Liz
thequiltedcowgirl

Anonymous said...

Hi Robyn. I came back to your blog to finish reading about your spooky mansion!! Thanks for coming by to see me!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

jerseygirl211 said...

Hello Robyn,

My husband loves the The Edmund Fitzgerald song. My niece's married name is Fitz Gerald and when she calls, and my husband is in a playful mood, he sings that song letting me know it's her calling.

Interesting story about the mansion, and it's ghost. I always told my husband, that if I died in Pennsylvania, I'd come back and haunt him. I guess I won't be a ghost now, we did move.

Hugs
'D'

Kathy said...

Hi Robyn, sorry I am late for Blue Monday, but am I glad I came by that water is so Blue it's beautiful and the old lady in the window is interesting and a bit scary, hope you get to post your next blog after all, blogland can be maddening sometimes, hugs, Kathy.