"The harbor of Ashland,Wisconsin is dominated by the massive Soo Line Ore dock, built in 1916 to load iron ore mined in the area into freighters bound for ports in the Rust Belt. The last of what were once many such docks, the concrete structure is 80 feet (24 m) high and 75 feet (23 m) wide and in 1925 the dock was extended to 1,800 feet (550 m); it was last used to ship ore in 1965. As of late 2007, the historic oredock was slated for an imminent demolition, as the owners for the structure, Canadian National Railroad, are worried about possible liability for the aging dock which has become structually unsafe after crumbling due to the area's harsh climate over the years.
While up at Lake Superior in 2008 I made a trip into Asland to take photos of the ore dock just in case they do tear it down. It is so massive that it is hard to imagine Ashland without it.
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