Curious Minnesota
Curious Minnesota
Minnesota Star Tribune
What are the stories behind the two harbors of Two Harbors?
16 minutes Posted Sep 15, 2026 at 10:00 am.
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Today, Two Harbors is known for its lighthouse, ore docks and scenic Lake Superior shoreline. But in the 1880s, part of its waterfront was home to a notoriously wild strip of saloons and brothels known as Whiskey Row.So how did this rough-and-tumble settlement become the North Shore city we know today — and what are the two harbors that give Two Harbors its name? Host Erica Pearson talks with Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Christa Lawler about the early communities of Burlington Bay and Agate Bay, the railroad and iron-ore boom that transformed the area, and the colorful characters who populated its waterfront. They also explore what archaeologists later uncovered beneath Whiskey Row, including liquor jugs, shot glasses, shoes and even preserved peanut shells. It’s the hidden history behind one of Minnesota’s most familiar North Shore towns.