Share a Little of Your (Secret) Duluth?
By Adam Carr on Dec 29, 2011 in Weird Stuff
January in Duluth is fast approaching (a refresher on what that project will be)! As always, twenty-four short hours at a time. During the month, I’ll be posting on PDD regularly to ask for suggestions/recommendations/answers, as this seems like the exact right place for Duluth-related ideas. In fact, I’d like to start the project with your input.
I’ll be driving to Duluth on Jan. 1 and 1/2/12 will be my first full day in town. So, rather than begin with an obvious orientation hitting the most major landmarks/places/people, on that day, I’m hoping to start the project a little backward — with experiences that are hidden/concealed/secret/obscured. Experiences you recommend.
Whatever your favorite Duluth-minutia happens to be, I want in (whatever you’re willing to share, of course). Whether it be a quiet conversation with a person that represents Duluth perfectly or a favorite car dealership jingle or a quiet, tucked away street with familiar houses or a hilarious joke scratched in a restaurant’s bathroom stall. Be an expert of your own trivia. I just have one request — I don’t mind climbing fences, chatting my way into a back room, or any of that, but I’d prefer that I can reach your suggestion without trespassing (too blatantly).
I’ll do my best to try out as many suggestions as possible on 1/2/12 and record the results. Thanks in advance!
(You can also just e-mail me anytime at <januaryinduluth @ gmail.com> with any suggestions on anything else I should be checking out while I’m around. The website will be coming very shortly too!)
It’s not really a secret, but one of my favorite places to view the city is from the St. Mary’s Hospital skywalk facing west down 3rd Street. You get a great view of the city, the bay, the lake, the liftbridge. And because there are benches it’s a handy place to bring a book or a lunch.
I like the view from the Duluth Clinic Center for Personal Fitness treadmills. Hills, sky, downtown, beach…
it’s quite nice.
There was a PDD post in September with similar subject matter. Here’s the link for reference:
Not your typical Duluth visit
In the comments to that post is a link to another similar post from 2006. So now there are three waves of suggestions!
I saw, keep your eyes open and watch as many people as you can (hell, maybe even talk to ‘em!). The cross-section of people you get to see are my favorite part of this town.
Example…I saw my neighbor shoveling in front of his garage today. He’s a very nice guy in his mid-50s, upper class, and never has sounded crazy. But he was wearing what appeared to be a kilt, bomber hat, and loafers. As a whole Duluth my be reserved, but is not afraid of being unique.
Drive to the end of Park Point, then walk along the airport to the old growth white and red pines and walk to the Superior ship canal. Then, cut over to the beach and take the beach back to your car.
Have a drink at R.T. Quinlan’s.
I’m still wondering a little why we shouldn’t feel like Trobrianders.
I mean, woot for anyone who wants to discover Duluth, but…
There’s this creek that runs right past my house. It’s pretty cool, too. There’s a bear and a bridge … and it ends up at the Burritooh … wait, that’s Chester Creek.
Nevermind.
Spend the day at Curly’s.
I don’t really think how you’re going about this project make sense. You want the true flavor of Duluth, right? Not some weird hyper-tourist-journalist perspective? Rent an apartment in a house on the East Hillside. Buy a case of PBR every 2-3 days, get a bag of weed and some Jameson. Sit inside, listen to music, drink heavily, go to a concert every Saturday, and be sure to shovel your walkway.
While not technically Duluth, you do need to get a burger and fries at the Anchor Bar in Superior.
in.dog.neato is on to something with the “follow a creek” thing. Numerous streams in Duluth, let me see I think there’s a stream trail map somewhere … here It could be dangerous (and possibly fun & interesting) going along the river/creek beds where there aren’t trails. Keep your wits about you.
One thing that continually strikes me when i travel Duluth is that there are a lot of abandoned/decommissioned neighborhood churches and schools which hints at a cultural shift over the last 30-40 years. I have my theories, I’m sure others do, too and that could be something to explore where you might get to the bottom of it faster than a “local” would.
Also CHUM offers half day walking tours of Duluth that give some perspective about what it is like to be homeless here -- not your typical tourist fare, that’s for sure.
Well, if you wanna go on a cemetery tour which would include a variety of historical figures, I’m happy to oblige. Afterwards, I’ll take you to the top of Gazebo Point, which is an awesome view that pretty much no one gets to anymore.
Adam:
Go to the public library and find a copy of True North published by X-Communication. Kerry Elliott and I spent over a year picking people’s brains about Duluth to come up with a guide to all things free and/or locally owned, including places like Graffiti Graveyard and Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum and many other “hidden gems” the PDDers have been throwing your way. Warning: it is slightly outdated, particularly where restaurants, nightclubs, and retailers are concerned.
HBH, aren’t you and I supposed to take the same hike?
I love the walk from Chester Bowl down to Burrito along Chester Creek, though may not be so great in the middle of winter without snowshoes. I also love walking around In.Dog.Neato’s neighborhood, it’s just got some cute little streets and cool houses nestled against the hill. I always discover something interesting whenever I walk around there. Sometimes I walk up Chester Park Drive to Skyline and then down on the other side of the park along Chester Parkway.
Graffiti graveyard. I never knew about it until recently, and still haven’t been.
Duluth Skywalk System and Tunnel -- Be sure to walk on both sides of the street and out to/around the DECC. (at lunch time!)
Girls in skirts and Curlers!
Can’t miss that.
Start at the Library
Ely’s Peak tunnel. Start from the climbers’ trail off Beck’s Road and head east.
Old Work People’s College in Riverside. Now an apartment building. Former commie school.
Morgan Park. Former company town for U.S. Steel.
Lots of interesting ruins on Goat Hill (west of Downtown between Central Hillside and Lincoln Park). The 7th Ave. W stairway (from 4th St. to Skyline Pkwy) is a fascinating climb.
The fisherman’s pier under the Blatnik Bridge. Also, find someone to take you ice fishing.
Yeah, Tony D., we *are*! But I think your house ate you.
Actually, after I become well acquainted with Oneota Cemetery, I’m going to offer myself up as a cemetery history tour expert. I’m sure the riches will roll right in. Right now, I only know Forest Hill and Park Hill like my own backyard. Mostly because they are my own backyard.
HBH1 — I’d love to take you up on that cemetery tour! Feel free to contact me at
The ice volcano on Orange Street is a cool sight. I think it’s near 400 East Orange Street, across the street from the blue house visible at http://maps.google.com/?ll=46.797153,-92.126018&spn=0.001559,0.003484&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=6 . You also get to pass by the antennae farm while visiting the ice volcano.
(Has the ice volcano never been mentioned on PDD? I couldn’t find any reference to it.)
Duluth’s steepest street is near the end of Orange Street, as well, about a mile south-east of the ice volcano: Fifth Avenue West between Fourth and Sixth Streets. It has previously been mentioned on PDD. The fourth and fifth comments at that page link to photos of the street.