Canal Park in Duluth in Saint Louis County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Dedicated to Davis Helberg
December 10, 1940 October 10, 2018
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 2024
1. Dedicated to Davis Helberg Marker
In recognition of his non-tiring commitment to the maritime community and service as Duluth Seaway Port Authority executive director for 24 years, 1979-2003.
A native of and lifelong resident of Northern Minnesota, Davis began his career as a 17-year-old Great Lakes deckhand in 1958, which stimulated his love of and interest in the maritime commerce of the Duluth-Superior Harbor.
Coupled with his deep and abiding enthusiasm for our Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and his global perspective, he helped build Duluth-Superior into a world-class port. He received many national and regional awards, but he cared most about the people who worked on the ships and the docks of the Duluth-Superior waterfront.
Like this tug, Davis pulled more than his weight.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1979.
Location. 46° 46.793′ N, 92° 5.522′ W. Marker is in Duluth, Minnesota, in Saint Louis County. It is in Canal Park. It can be reached from Canal Park Drive just south of Morse Street when traveling south. The marker is located beside Tugboat Bayfield on exhibit in front of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. Touch for map.
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Regionally, this marker is in Minnesota’s Arrowhead Region and in the Iron Range. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Great North Woods, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Dedicated to Davis Helberg (a few steps from this marker); Northwoods Sailors (a few steps from this marker); Canal (a few steps from this marker); United States Merchant Marine / U.S. Navy Armed Guard (a few steps from this marker); Edgar A. Culbertson (within shouting distance of this marker); Lewis G. Castle (within shouting distance of this marker); Float Copper (within shouting distance of this marker); Modern Ship Propeller (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Duluth.
Also see . . .
1. Davis William Helberg (Find A Grave).
(Maple Grove Cemetery, Cloquet, Carlton County, Minnesota, USA) Excerpt: At the age of 17, Davis sailed as a deckhand on a Great Lakes freighter, the LaBelle. The year he spent aboard was his entry into the Great Lakes shipping industry. He worked for the Alistair Guthrie vessel agency during the Seaway's early years and remembered vividly May 3, 1959, the day the first oceangoing ship arrived to Duluth.(Submitted on February 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)He joined Upper Great Lakes Pilots,
Inc., in 1972 and served as president of North Central Terminal Operators beginning in 1977 before his appointment as port director in 1979. Davis was a past-president of the Duluth Superior Propeller Club and the Duluth Superior Harbor Club. He held offices in several national maritime organizations, including as 1994-95 chairman of the American Association of Port Authorities, an organization representing all major ports of the western hemisphere. He was named Great Lakes Person of the Year in 1992, was presented the U.S. Coast Guard's Meritorious Public Service award in 1999 and received an honorary doctorate in 2003 from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. In 2007, he was inducted into the Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame in Sault Ste Marie, Mich.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 20242. Dedicated to Davis Helberg MarkerThe tugboat Bayfield is on exhibit behind the marker. The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge can be seen behind the marker and tugboat.
2. Tug Bayfield.
Excerpt: The Tug Bayfield is a historic vessel that can be found outside the visitor center in Canal Park. This tugboat was built in 1953 and played a vital role in the shipping industry in the Great Lakes region. The Tug Bayfield was used to transport goods from one port to another, and it was also used to assist larger ships. Today, the Tug Bayfield is displayed in front of the Lake Superior Maritime Museum in(Submitted on February 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)Duluth. The display serves as a reminder of the critical role that shipping played in the growth and development of the Great Lakes region.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 25, 20243. The Tugboat Bayfield
Credits. This page was last revised on February 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 20, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 151 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
