What’s The Story Behind This Boat’s Pilot House Sitting In Duluth’s Bay?

If you've been lucky enough to be out on a boat in Duluth's harbor, then you've probably noticed this chunk of a ship placed on the end of a pier. Maybe you've seen it and didn't even know what it was.

Recently I learned about this pilot house from my boat enthusiast friend Vibe With Mike. He runs a YouTube channel and has thousands of subscribers from around the world who are fascinated with his videos of big ships coming in and out of Duluth. Seriously, we forget how cool of a place we live. Just look at his comment section. It's wild.

Anyway, at the end of the timber pier, there's an old pilot house for a Great Lakes Steamer.

The ship was the Irvin L Clymer. It was a self-unloading cargo ship transporting materials across the Great Lakes. It was built in 1917 and sailed for decades before being scrapped in 1994. It had gone under a major refit in 1980 at Superior's Frasier Shipyards. However, the pollution and the emissions from the Clymer would be its undoing. It was scrapped after engineers were unable to reduce the smoke it generated.

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The ship was a favorite of the owner of the fleet, and he ordered the pilot house to be cut off and saved.

It was placed on the timber pier where it's been ever since. It's been repainted a few times to keep up appearances. The doors are all locked.

Read More: Never-Seen-Before Cruise Ship Docks In Duluth

Vibe With Mike thinks this would be an awesome Airbnb if they put just a little bit of money into it. Who wouldn't want to spend a night in a pilot house? That would be awesome.

Keep an eye out for it next time you're out in the bay. It's a fun little piece of Great Lakes history.