In far northern Wisconsin, workers once built a structure that was simply incredible. The Soo Line Ore Dock extended like a giant metal finger into the cold waters of Lake Superior. While it had a very important purpose, this dock’s time has come and gone and its main structure was dismantled years ago. What remains is still pretty incredible though, and it’s an eerie reminder of a great era in Ashland.

The dock was built in Ashland, pop. 7,900, a port city near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The city is located in Ashland and Bayfield Counties.
Google / Barry Peterson
The waterfront for years was dominated by this massive railroad ore dock. It was built in 1916 to load the iron ore that was mined in Wisconsin and Michigan.
Google / Josh M
An incredible quantity of iron ore was loaded onto freighter ships here, so it could be transporter to steel factories in ports like Ashtabula, Ohio.
Google / Barry Peterson

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The dock was first built in 1916 and in 1925 it was expanded to 1,800 feet in length. It was a true marvel, the largest ore dock of its kind in the United States.
Google / Josh M
The concrete dock was incredible. It was 80 feet high and 75 feet wide. But its days were numbered as the industry declined in the area. It was last used to load ore in 1965.
Google / Barry Peterson
There were efforts to preserve the dock as a historic landmark but it was deemed structurally unsafe so it was removed. The demolition was completed in 2013. The base of the old ore dock remains and the city now owns the property and is working in redevelopment plans. While the main structure is gone, the base itself is pretty incredible!
Google / Josh M

Learn more about the dock on the Visit Ashland website. Wisconsin has a number of incredible structures. A bridge in the heart of Green Bay takes drivers high in the sky – it’s the tallest bridge in the state!

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Soo Line Ore Dock, Tri-County Corridor, Ashland, WI 54806, USA