J. Craig Thorpe (American, B. 1948) "Minnesota Locomotive" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Fleetwood Legendary Locomotives of the 50 States Minnesota Commemorative Cover postmarked July 31, 1995. With the discovery of rich, red iron ore in Minnesota's Vermillion Range came the means to transport this precious commodity to Lake Superior for transshipment to America's steel-making centers. In 1882, Charlemagne Tower and his son Charlemagne Jr. began construction of the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad (D&IR) to make such shipments possible. The following year work began on a wooden dock at Two Harbors, the terminus of this route. The dock was completed almost simultaneously with the driving of the last spike on the D&IR's main line. On July 31, 1884, the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad's locomotive No. 8 hauled Minnesota's first trainload of iron ore in five 20-ton wooden cars measuring 28 feet in length each. The iron ore came from the Breitung Mine near Soudan, and was carried to the new dock at Two Harbors, where it was loaded onto the steamer Hecla and the schooner Ironton. The engineer on this historic trip was Thomas Owens, who eventually became superintendent and vice president of the D&IR. During the first mining season, the Duluth & Iron Range shipped more than 62,000 tons of iron ore. In 1901, the railroad was purchased by U.S. Steel Corporation, and in 1930, the D&IR merged with the Duluth, Missabe & Northern to become the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range. Pictured here is the D&IR's famed No. 8 at the ore docks at Two Harbors. This 2-8-0 freight engine was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 18 x 15 in. Unframed. (B15144)