Love Duluth Sign Brings Shared Love for the Harbor City
DULUTH, Minn. — Along the wavy seawall of Duluth’s inner port sits a heart-shape sign of admiration and love for the city of Duluth.
“I came up with the idea a couple of years ago because I was in Chile and Argentina. They have these big signs like this and I thought that would be a perfect thing to have in Duluth’s waterfront,” said Judy Gordon, the donor of the Love Duluth sign.
Judy Gordon has lived in Duluth the majority of her life. Her parents were from Duluth, and her father owned Mills TV Audio back in his heyday. Gordon always thought what the city needed was a way to allow visitors and Duluthians alike to share the love of the charming harbor city.
“I think it’s (Duluth) is a wonderful place and not enough people know about it,” said Gordon. “I thought first maybe we should raise a lot of funds but I thought that would take forever. I decided that I could donate it.”
After struggling for a forever home for her vision, Gordon found that there’s quite no place like the heart of Duluth’s busy seafront.
“It gives Duluthians a place to be proud of their city,” said Gordon.
After trying several places to get support for her project, Judy was finally connected with Dan Hartman, the executive director of the DECC. Dan had been envisioning a big sign for the DECC
They turned to the Borealis Waters Foundation, previously the Duluth-Superior Community Foundation, and they made a new fund reserved for artwork and installations for the DECC.
The sign is currently sitting behind the DECC on Harbor Drive. The DECC is looking forward to finishing the reconstruction of Harbor Drive and the new Portside Park. Hartman said they’re hoping to incorporate more artwork, both inside and outside the DECC, from local artist to also share their love of Duluth.
“This is a good wat to just celebrate our town,” said Hartman. “This is kinda the start of the fun that is coming for this harbor area. We’ve kind have always thought of this as the back of the DECC, but really it’s the front of Duluth.”
After construction crews clear out from Harbor Drive, the “Love Duluth” sign will move further down the road for it’s summertime home. Hartman also said the sign will move to the front of the DECC during the wintertime for some winter Duluth photo opportunities there.
