Welcome to the Cotton Mansion. You are currently standing in the foyer, the first stop on our self-guided audio tour.

We are often asked about the history of this place. Simply stepping inside makes you want to know more. Who lived here? How old is the mansion? What did its residents do? What type of architecture is it? Who restored it? We hear these questions all the time.

We created this self-guided audio tour to collect the information we have learned over the years and share it with you. Along the way, I will tell you the stories and history of the Cotton Mansion.

I’m Mike, the current owner of the Cotton Mansion and your private tour guide today. First, let me share a little about myself.

I’m a contractor, hotelier, traveler, and history buff—mostly in that order. We purchased the Cotton Mansion in 2022 from a retiring couple who had cared for the property for 25 years. Ken and Kimberly made several improvements and largely saved the mansion from the wrecking ball in the 1990s. However, more work was still needed, and we picked up the torch in 2022 with a grander vision of what the Cotton Mansion could become.

We thoroughly renovated the mansion’s 12 guest rooms, installed commercial kitchen equipment, and updated the main floor. We also had to stabilize and restore many of the less glamorous—but extremely expensive—parts of a property like this.

The 120-year-old internal gutter system leaked, causing water damage in several rooms throughout the building. The electrical service was still original to 1908 and had to be replaced. Much of it was underground, if you can believe it.

There were also several serious masonry issues. More than 100 feet of cast-stone railings had to be replaced and brought up to modern building codes, along with numerous other improvements. These repairs took approximately three years to complete.

It has been quite a project to undertake and one we are excited to share with others like you.

My favorite way to look at history is through what I call the “through line.” I have always been curious about the things we see in front of us today and what caused them to become the way they are.

What was their origin story? How did they get here?

I personally love the history of the Cotton Mansion because it is connected in so many ways to the rise of Duluth itself. Duluth flourished during the westward expansion of the United States and had a front-row seat to the Industrial Revolution that shaped America during the late 1800s.

The Cotton Mansion offers an inside look at the life of a tycoon and his family during this fascinating period. It is also a fine example of the architecture, mansions, and people of the turn of the 20th century.

The Cotton family and the Cotton Mansion were at the center of several of Duluth’s origin stories, which we will share as we tour the home. As we move from room to room, we will discuss the construction of the mansion, the family who lived here, and how the property has evolved alongside Duluth over the past century.

The complete common-area tour includes 12 stops and will take you through the mansion’s shared spaces from top to bottom. You are currently in the foyer, which is the first stop.

As an added bonus, guests staying at the Cotton Mansion will find an additional QR code inside their guest suite. Each guest room is themed around the architecture and history of the space, as well as the family who built the Cotton Mansion.

Throughout the tour, we will tell you about the original Cotton family who built this home. We will explore the period in which it was constructed and discuss the lives of the staff members who also lived here.

We will also cover important moments in Duluth’s history and introduce you to the mansion’s five previous owners over the past 120 years. Of course, we will discuss the architecture and the many unique materials used throughout the Cotton Mansion.

This home is nearly 17,000 square feet, so there is a lot to cover. I hope you have fun and enjoy the tour.

Please head into the living room for the next stop on the self-guided audio tour. You will find the QR code for the living room audio guide on the white limestone mantel.