This 1949 linen lithograph postcard captures the Port of Duluth-Superior during its mid-century peak as a Great Lakes shipping center. The image shows the bow of a freighter positioned in a narrow loading slip, framed by tall metal coal-loading towers that extend into the water and long black piles of coal on either side.
By 1949, Duluth-Superior ranked second only to New York in annual shipping tonnage, handling more than 45 million tons of cargo each season. The scene reflects both the scale and energy of a port that powered the Midwest’s industry and commerce.
On the verso is a cancelled “Superior WISC AUG 10 1949” 1-cent U.S. postage stamp depicting George Washington. The stamp belongs to the 1938 Presidential Series, often called the “Prexies.”
The postcard’s vivid color and textured linen surface give it a striking depth and warmth typical of 1940s printing. A fine example of industrial Americana, it would make an elegant framed display or a distinctive addition to a maritime or Great Lakes collection.
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