The North Shore is home to a variety of unique people and their incredible stories. Two Harbors’ resident Mitchel Costley is one of these lifelong North Shore natives, and his story begins in 1852. That is the year Costley’s paternal great, great grandfather Maurice came to America from Ireland. He first landed in Kentucky before making his way, via the Mississippi River, to St. Paul. He eventually traveled north to Duluth and continued along the lake shore until he ran out of path, near what is now known as Larsmont.
Minnesota was still a territory, not becoming a state until 1858. The family elder filed his claim of over 120 acres and was granted the deed for the land. This is the land Costley’s grandfather lived on when he met his grandmother, Margaret O’Conner. Costley’s mother’s side were Giddings and homesteaded on the Stuart River outside of Two Harbors in the 1890’s. The families were large and have many ties to the young settlement. His maternal great, great grandpa was one of the co-founders of Co-Op Light and Power in Two Harbors. Fast forward to the 1930’s when his parents Laine Costley and Phillis Giddings met at the Two Harbors Skating Rink. “Dad was a hockey player and mom loved to skate,” Costley reflects.
Mitch Costley graduated in 1960 from Two Harbors High School. He went on to law school at the University of Minnesota and began his practice in 1967. He still practices law in Two Harbors with his son Tim, who serves as the current city attorney for Two Harbors and Silver Bay. The current Costley & Morris office building was purchased in 1985. The building, located downtown on the historic 1st Avenue, has a great story to tell, as well. A candy store originally occupied the space and eventually became the Beacon Tavern. Costley pays tribute to both his family and the town’s history throughout the building, resembling a museum with photos, artifacts and stories behind each item. “Most people here today have no clue of the local history and I enjoy the opportunity to educate those interested.”
Costley invites the public to come to his office and browse through the treasures. The original bar proudly welcomes clients as a repurposed front desk. A prize artifact is the vintage Hamm’s Beer sign that was restored and now blinks bright neon as it did back in the day, it now hangs in the lounge of the office. Pictures that line the walls include portraits of the Costley family lineage and tell the many stories of life during the early Two Harbors and its economic development of the community.
Railroads and shipping are two of the key economic drivers of the North Shore and Two Harbors has been a primary headquarters for both throughout the years. Costley’s family was part of generations employed as engineers and mechanics with the Duluth, Missabe Iron Range Railway (D.M & IR). He shares his account of turbulent times in the 1920s. The railroad workers were on strike, and strike breakers were brought in to do the work while the negotiations continued. Costley explained, “After the strike ended and clean up began at the camp where the breakers lived, the hill, located next to the Ore Boat docks in Agate Bay, was littered with empty pork and bean cans.” It was nicknamed Pork City Hill and still referred to as that today.
In the 1950s, mining and transport of raw taconite was booming Costley recalled over 4,000 men work for the railroad at that time. Eventually shipping of taconite slowed down when raw supply began to run low. By 1963 the rails were closing, and workers were scaled down to a skeleton crew of 20 employees. By the mid 70s the area became somewhat industrialized again but not really returning to the bustling early days. Costley does see things have begun blossoming again. “I see green shoots of a rebirth of Two Harbors, old buildings being renovated and new business opening,”
Costley turned 82 this summer and remains active in his law practice and passing along family history through his cookbook published in 2018. The Hunting Shack Cookbook: A Bad Cookbook with Good Recipes is a collection of family favorites passed down from his mother and stories shared throughout the years at the hunting shack. He welcomes the opportunity to share family, city and North Shore stories with residents and visitors, and extends the invite to stop by his office at 609 1st Avenue, Two Harbors.