Popular DULUTH Sign Returns to Harborside After Winter Weather Repairs

Judy Gordon had a clear vision when she decided Duluth deserved more than an airport abbreviation on its waterfront. A retired special education teacher, Gordon was vacationing in South America when she noticed that "many of the cities had these gigantic signs, and they were often by the waterfront, and there would be lines of tourists waiting to have their picture taken." Her conclusion was direct: "We have a waterfront and we have tourists. It would be nice to have a sign like that in Duluth."

The result was a 27-foot, three-dimensional sign spelling "DULUTH" prefaced by a large red heart. The sign stretches just over 27 feet wide, with the heart reaching a height of 6 feet. Gordon and DECC Executive Director Dan Hartman liked the idea of featuring a heart alongside the city's name, but decided that placing an "I" before the heart could create confusion with the Canal Park souvenir shop called I Love Duluth.

The sign made its debut in spring 2025, initially near the Minnesota Slip Bridge due to construction along the harbor seawall. Later, it moved west to its intended long-term home behind the DECC, near the Great Lakes Aquarium. From that vantage point, with the Aerial Lift Bridge in the background, Lake Superior in the distance, and the Duluth Harbor and Canal Park filling out the scene, the visual encapsulated many elements of what comes to mind when people think of Duluth. During the course of the summer, through the fall, and even into wintertime, as Bentleyville was in full swing, the sign stopped countless people for a photo opportunity.

Winter, however, proved too much for the installation. When winter weather arrived, it became clear that the sign could not remain displayed as it was year-round. After DECC staff moved the wind-whipped sign from its anchored spot to a location that seemed better sheltered, a gust toppled the letters, causing cosmetic damage that Your-Type will repair. The sign currently stands in a lobby between Symphony Hall and the DECC Arena, but it will be back outside in time for school graduations, said Hartman.

The target timing is significant. UMD's commencement ceremonies are on May 9, followed by St. Scholastica's on May 10. Both events are held in the DECC complex, which hints at a return of the sign sometime in April, ahead of these early May events Hartman mentioned as the milestone by which the sign will head back outdoors.

Your-Type, the company that built and will repair the sign, carries an established national portfolio. The company's commissions include a CNN logo that stood in Detroit during a 2020 Democratic presidential primary debate, and a series of Route 66 shields installed along that iconic highway to celebrate its 2026 centennial. When the sign was being delivered, "it wasn't even completely up and installed when people started jumping in and taking pictures," said Jennifer Hoffman, whose company manufactured the sign.

Gordon's gift marked more than a single installation. Her donation was only the first use for the Boreal Waters Community Foundation's DECC improvement fund. "This is a long-term fund," said Hartman, who has a new mural in his sights next. Hartman noted that when he first came to the DECC in 2021, his plan was immediately to try to build some of these signs, but finding the money would likely have taken years longer without Gordon's contribution.