Enger Tower

Iconic structure has watched over Duluth since 1939

By Tom Olsen tolsen@duluthnews.com

Located on the hill off Duluth’s Skyline Parkway, Enger Tower offers panoramic views of the Twin Ports and Lake Superior. The five-story, 80-foot bluestone structure was erected in 1939 and serves as a prominent site atop the Duluth skyline.

It is named for Bert Enger, a native of Norway who immigrated to Duluth and made his fortune selling furniture. At the time of his death in 1931, Enger donated two-thirds of his estate, including 600 acres of land that now includes Enger Park and Golf Course, to the city. He also contributed $50,000 to build the tower.

The structure was formally dedicated by Norway’s Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Martha on June 15, 1939. For the past 80 years, countless area residents and tourists have climbed the stairs of the octagonal tower, stopping for photos at the open-air windows on each level.

“It’s an important icon for the region, not just Duluth,” Terry Groshong, a retired city architect, said in 2014.

The city in 2011 approved spending $372,226 in tourism tax money for repairs that included tuckpointing; replacement of missing bluestone; electrical and lighting work; plaster and concrete patching; roof work; replacement of railings and a gate; and improved accessibility.

Meanwhile, Rotary Club 25 of Duluth contributed $100,000 to install a new LED lighting system that allows the tower to be illuminated in an array of colors to support awareness for various causes.

The improvements were celebrated with a rededication ceremony on Oct. 17, 2011. Doing the honors were Norway’s King Harald, whose parents prosided over original dedication, along with Queen Sonja.

“Standing here, I can easily see why so many Norwegian immigrants decided to settle here in this area, by the splendid shores of Lake Superior,” the king said during a ceremony at the tower. u

Norway’s King Harald speaks about the importance of the connection between Duluth’s residents and Norway during a rededication ceremony at Enger Tower in 2011. His parents, Crown Prince Olav and Crown Princess Märtha, first dedicated the structure in 1939. (File / News Tribune)