The home now known as the A.G. Thomson House was originally built for William N. Ryerson in 1909 at a cost of approximately $17,000. It was designed by Minneapolis architect, Edwin H. Hewitt—a native of Red Wing, Minnesota, "whose impeccable credentials included an apprenticeship with Cass Gilbert and a diploma from the celebrated Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris" (Millett, Larry; Lost Twin Cities; 1992). Among Hewitt's better known buildings in the Twin Cities are the Minneapolis Club, Blake School, Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church, and Pillsbury.

A number of prominent Duluth families have owned the house since it was built nearly a century ago. The inn is named for second owner, Adam G. Thomson, who purchased the original structure in 1918 and soon added a two-story addition on the rear—with a large pantry and porch on the first floor, and bathroom and "sleeping porch" on the second floor. He also built the two-story carriage house with upper level four-room dwelling at a cost of $4,000, and a frame “tool house” for $1,000.

Adam G. Thomson was the only child of Alexander and Helen Thomson. A native of Scotland, Alexander (generally known as A.D. Thomson) was one of Duluth’s pioneer grain merchants, and eventually became one of the largest exporters of grain in America. He joined the Duluth Board of Trade in 1883, two years after it was organized, and served as one of its first presidents

A.D. Thomson also was involved in several other local businesses, including the Kelley-How-Thomson wholesale hardware firm—which became well-known for its “Hickory Brand” line of top-quality hardware. He was a large stockholder in the Great Northern Railroad, American Steam Barge Company, and a number of early mining and railroad ventures on Minnesota's Iron Range. The family also owned a 40,000-acre cattle ranch near Raton, New Mexico. A 1913 newspaper account referred to the senior Thomson as “one of the most prominent business men in the Northwest.”

Helen Thomson died in 1912, leaving an estate worth $461,500—one of the largest ever by a resident of Saint Louis County up until that time. Two-thirds went to her 23-year-old son, Adam. A.G. Thomson soon followed in his father’s footsteps as a noted Twin Ports businessman. He joined the Duluth Board of Trade in 1914, and served as president of A.D. Thomson & Co. after his father’s death in 1921. The company operated the Great Northern grain elevators in Superior for many years until 1937. A.G. Thomson also chaired the board of Kelley-How-Thomson Co., and was president of the family ranch in New Mexico until he died in 1955.

Adam and his wife, Clara, lived here from 1918 until 1925—along with three sons and a number of servants. The 5,700 square-foot, three-story structure (plus carriage house) essentially was their “starter home.” The Thomsons purchased it while in their late 20s, apparently after first living with his father just a few blocks away. Eventually, they built an even more palatial home at 3500 East Superior Street—on a lot that comprises an entire city block. It remained their primary Duluth residence for the rest of their lives. Along with that and their New Mexico ranch, the Thomsons also owned seasonal homes in Miami Beach, Florida and on the Brule River in northwest Wisconsin.

Who Are The Guest Rooms Named For?

The upper floor of our carriage house reportedly served as living quarters for a family chauffeur until as late as the 1940s. Subsequently it was rented for many years as a four-room apartment. Completely remodeled in 2000, the two resulting guest rooms draw their inspiration in name and décor from the Thomson family’s retreat on the Brule and our beautiful North Shore. (North Shore Retreat) and (Brule River Retreat). The four rooms in the main house are named for other former owners:

Ryerson Suite
William Ryerson was general manager of Great Northern Power Company when he commissioned construction of the house beginning in mid-summer, 1909. Ryerson had come to Duluth that January from a similar position in Niagara Falls, New York—along with wife, Martha, and their three children. The Ryersons moved into the newly completed home on April 27, 1910. A fire on Christmas Day, 1913—reportedly caused by burning wrapping paper caught in the chimney—apparently resulted in relatively minor damage to the children's nursery and roof of the house. But a second more devastating fire less than two months later on February 7, 1914 spread from the living room and gutted much of the interior. Damage repairs from the second fire totaled nearly half the home's original construction cost. Evidence of these fires still exists in the form of a few charred roof joists in the west end of the attic.

Had we known more about the home's original owners at the time the inn opened in May, 2000, it might have been called the Ryerson House B&B. Thanks to the power of the Internet we have since learned more about this family's history. In February, 2002, the Ryersons' grandson happened across our website from his home in Vermont. He has since been kind enough to pass along first-hand information from his grandfather's diary, along with house and family photos.

Salyards Suite
Ely and Dorothy Salyards and their five children lived in the home for the longest period of time—more than 40 years, from the mid-1920s until the late 1960s. Similar to the father and son Thomsons, Ely Salyards followed in his father’s footsteps as a prominent Duluth grain broker. He was president of the grain commission business started by Henry Salyards in 1896—Ely, Salyards & Company (both the company name and Ely’s own apparently were derived from his mother’s maiden name, Mary Ely). Ely Salyards also served several terms as president of the Duluth Board of Trade—as did both his father and A.D. Thomson. Ely died in 1967, and Dorothy followed in 1976.

The Mayor’s Chamber
The Fedo family owned the home from 1986 until 1989, while John Fedo served as Mayor of Duluth. Mayor Fedo cut a controversial profile as a public official, attracting both ardent supporters and avid detractors. He is widely credited for launching the renaissance of Duluth’s lakefront. But he also is the only mayor in city history to be indicted and tried on criminal charges while in office. Following a high-profile trial in 1988, Mayor Fedo was acquitted on all nine charges of misusing city money.

Hewitt Suite
This beautiful Dutch Colonial was designed by one of Minnesota’s finest architects of his time, Edwin H. Hewitt. Hewitt was a native of Red Wing, Minnesota, whose impeccable credentials included an apprenticeship with Cass Gilbert and a diploma from the celebrated Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After his studies, Hewitt returned to Minnesota in 1904 to establish his own architecture firm. He designed many high-profile buildings around the Twin Cities. Among Hewitt’s better-known buildings in the Twin Cities are the Minneapolis Telephone Building, Cathedral Church of St Mark, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Metropolitan Bank Building, Minneapolis Club, Blake School, Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church, Gateway Pavilion and Pillsbury House to name a few.