Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum

A SUNKEN DREAM

Have you ever acted on what you thought was a good idea only for it to fail? About a hundred years ago, Duluth local Harvey Whitney spent nearly everything he had for what he thought was a good business plan. His company, Whitney Brothers of Superior, collected sand and gravel from surrounding areas, like the Apostle Islands. When the shipments came, ships often had to wait to pass through the busy canal in the harbor. By building what is now known to Duluth locals as The Cribs, Whitney hoped to use it as a storage space for ships to dump the sand and gravel where he could then transport it directly to his business. This would, in turn, provide more efficiency, without the long waits in the crowded port. However, despite his plan and hopes, he was fully aware of Lake Superior’s temperament and the way it had wrecked ships with its raging storms over the years. Nevertheless, Whitney still went through with his plan and took the risk, but it turned out that Lake Superior got the better of him. Not so long into his new plan, it was evident that it was too dangerous for ships to get close to shore to drop off the sand and gravel. Not only that, but the nasty waves of the Great Lake were beginning to break down the building itself after only a short time. In 1922, just a few years after being built, Harvey decided to abandon this plan, including the building itself.

Despite his plan and hopes, he was fully aware of Lake Superior’s temperament and the way it had wrecked ships with its raging storms over the years.

Over the years, Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum has sat as a curious icon along the shoreline of Lake Superior. In the years since the building’s close, people have come up with their own stories and legends regarding the beginning of this unique landmark. For example, part of the building’s well-known name, “mausoleum” means the house of a tomb, suggesting that it is the watery grave of its founder, Harvey Whitney. However, it is not only legends that make this site a popular talking point. In the summer it becomes a popular swimming spot as locals and tourists alike curiously venture out into the water to jump off its edge. In the winter, some people like to wander through its icy corridors and perhaps think back to what this building and the city of Duluth were like back in the early 20th century.

The next time you walk the Duluth boardwalk, be sure to take a noticeable glance at The Cribs and think about the risk that “Uncle Harvey” took in creating that building. The Bible wisely tells us the importance of counting the cost of decisions we make in life (Luke 14). What things might you have to give up for the sake of something important or valuable to you? In life, it is inevitable that at some point, you must give up certain things to pursue what you find most worthy or valuable. Harvey thought it was worth risking safety and finances for the sake of efficiency. In the end, however, it meant losing out and having to abandon his plan only three years into it. We have to decide if we believe Jesus is worth laying down our whole lives, including our decisions, plans, and hopes. Sometimes our plans, like Harvey’s, fall flat and must be deserted. However, laying it all down for the sake of Jesus and his mission is worth it because ultimately, he will not disappoint us, no matter the cost to us now. Are you willing to take that risk?