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Driving Wind, Rough Water On Lake Superior Wreak Havoc In Duluth Area

DULUTH, Minn. (WCCO) -- Northern Minnesota saw a lot of damage Friday with heavy wind gusts along Lake Superior.

There was flooding in Canal Park in Duluth while at the Glensheen Mansion, 15-foot waves came crashing onto the grounds, wreaking havoc on the historic property.

In a place that seems frozen in time, the magnitude of Lake Superior's fury on this Friday felt like one for the history books.

"I've never seen it like this here," said Lucie Amundsen, who works at the historic property.

The shoreline is usually filled with tours and concerts, but Friday it was crashing waves and debris.

"The waves had been bringing rock and debris inside the historic building," Amundsen said.

Some of these waves have come crashing onto shore as far as 40 feet, washing up all kinds of debris like wood, pieces of gutters, trash and even golf balls.

The mighty waves brought closures for Duluth beaches and boardwalks -- a beautiful sight, but also a bit frightening.

"Lake Superior is enraged, and she's been beating on our historic boathouse door all night," Amundsen said. "When we arrived this morning, we could see it was completely ripped open over here."

With the first snowfall of the season came a reminder that history isn't always the best measure of what's to come.

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