Switchman Pen Company Bottled Ink (35ml) - Lakeside Lilacs: Blooming Violet

Of all the seasonal displays along Lake Superior’s North Shore, few are as quietly striking as the lilacs that bloom near Duluth. The cooling influence of the great lake extends the lilac season far beyond what is typical farther inland, often beginning in late May and continuing in waves well into June. This prolonged bloom turns the shoreline and nearby neighborhoods into a fragrant corridor of purple, white, and lavender just as the region shakes off winter.

The rail corridor that now carries the North Shore Scenic Railroad was originally built in the 1880s as the Lake Division of the Duluth & Iron Range Railway. Its purpose was to link the iron ore mines of the Vermilion Range with the ore docks and expanding rail connections at Duluth. For decades the line moved heavy freight and offered passenger service along the scenic lakeshore until regular passenger trains ended in 1961.

In 1990 the historic Lakefront Line was reborn as the North Shore Scenic Railroad, a heritage operation running between Duluth and Two Harbors. Today’s excursions travel the same right-of-way through downtown Duluth, past Canal Park, and into the north woods, giving riders sweeping views of Lake Superior and the forested shoreline where lilacs still appear each spring.

Though the original purpose of the line was industrial, its second life as a scenic railroad has allowed generations of riders to experience the North Shore’s natural beauty in every season—including the extended lilac bloom that the lake itself helps sustain. The trains continue to carry people along the same steel that once served iron ore, now offering a slower, more contemplative way to witness the landscape’s quiet annual transformation.

Switchman’s Lakeside Lilacs is our ode to nature’s glory. In nearly every respect, it is a constant reminder to us all of a simple truth: for all things, there is a season. Just as there are those moments where we must work with diligence and patience, it is important that we remember to stop and smell the flowers when the time comes.

Switchman inks prioritize dry speed over permanence and will dry rapidly even when used in very wet pens. They will resist feathering on highly absorbent papers (printer paper, for example) and are tuned to minimize dry-in while still within pens. Switchman inks shade beautifully and many boast color variation the more thickly they are applied.

As a special note from Switchman Co.: "We recommend that you use the broadest and wettest pens you can find to bring out the stunning range this ink is capable of. You won't regret it!"