MARCH 10, 2010 — Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has joined The Google Twin Ports Fiber Initiative by resurrecting his Duluth Answer Man clips.
Duluth’s campaign combines a fun and creative grassroots campaign with a very serious effort to build a strong business case for bringing Google Fiber to the Twin Ports.
The Duluth Answer Man campaign was produced in the mid 80s by the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, known today as Visit Duluth. The series ran in the Twin Cites market as the summer tourism campaign for Duluth.
I’m not sure if these are junior high students from Oneota School or if they are high school kids and this is a community team for the Oneota neighborhood (part of West Duluth). Denfeld didn’t have an official football team until 1917.
I don’t know the names of any of the players, except the guy sitting cross-legged in the middle — he’s my great uncle, Sam Brassard. (Yep, Uncle Sam.) (more…)
Does anyone know where to find information about the Park Point Beach House – it’s history, original uses, etc. Web searches don’t turn up very much information. I know there was an amusement park out there in the early 20th Century…
As you can see, this picture is dated 1919, so it’s about 90 years old. The girls look to be of elementary school age, so maybe one of them is still around today.
The location of the picture is the old Denfeld High School on Central Avenue, which is now Laura MacArthur Elementary School. There must have been elementary classes in the old Denfeld, or these are just random kids from the neighborhood, because none of them look old enough to be in high school.
The old Denfeld/MacArthur building will likely be torn down after the new MacArthur is built, but hopefully the old house in the background will keep on keepin’ on.
Anyone remember when they had Soap Box Derby races in Hartley back in 1961-1968? I’m writing an article on it for a class and would love any help, information or photos that anyone may know or have!
School faculty must have thought this was a major pain, but I think in the long run it proves worthwhile to drag an entire student body out to pose for a photo in front of the building.
It’s been 10 years since the Ripsaw published the last of its monthly scandal sheets and converted to an “alternative newsweekly” format. Here’s a look back at the old monthly editions of Duluth’s most infamous rag. (more…)
You know you’ve always wanted to see somebody go off those jumps at Chester Bowl, now you can.
Just in time for the Olympics, learn about Duluth’s world-class ski jumping history, and support both Chester Bowl and WDSE public television at the same time. Come take in a movie and hear some stories from Chester’s ski jumping legends. Kid-friendly early and late showings, conveniently overlapping the Paul Lundgren Happy Hour right upstairs.
The Ski Flyers: a Jumping Tradition, including additional archival footage of ski jumpers
Wed Feb 10, 5:30 and 7:00 pm Zinema2
Tickets: $3 for 5:30 show, $5 for 7:00 show. Seating is limited; advance tickets and more info are available at this link. Remaining tickets will be available at the door.
So, 13 years ago my band, The Gimme5’s (also know as The Fromundas) recorded an epic masterpiece … and promptly broke up .I know most of you have been there too….anyway we’re all older and grey and hard of hearing although we aint deaf yet..like some of you .. so we dusted off the ADATs and dumped them into PRoTOols and we can once again re-live the fuzzy days of mid 90’s duluth rock….and it was good…see below… Now, we’re looking for any related postering, photos, used underwear or other assorted mementos for digitizing and use in a possible release .. here’s a taste and thanks in advance …Long Live the Ed Fitz! Downtown
“Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country,” a national traveling exhibition, is on display in the UMD Library fourth floor rotunda reading room. The public is invited to a traditional Ojibwe opening ceremony in UMD’s Weber Music Hall at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 15. The ceremony will include drumming, prayer, and welcome statements at the Weber, followed by a reception and viewing of the exhibit on the fourth floor of the UMD Library. Refreshments will be provided by Friends of the Duluth Public Library. Call 218-726-8130 for more information.
The exhibit, which tells the story of the explorers’ historic 1804–1806 expedition from the point of view of the Indians who lived along the route, is available for viewing during all hours when the UMD Library is open. You can learn more about the exhibit and check the library hours by going to the UMD Library web site:
On the hiking trail at the end of Park Point, there’s an old cabin on the harbor side. Does anyone know the story behind this cabin? I read that there used to be several “settlers cabins”, perhaps this is the one remaining settler cabin? I can also of course speculate about blacklisted Finnish bachelors, but I suspect folk on PDD know the real story.
I thought this was intended as a temporary winter seawall.
But Duluth Daily photo (above) and later the Duluth News Tribune had some good coverage of this that straightened me out, apparently these coal cars are just being stored on those tracks, even though they do sit in a storm prone spot. Now, DNT’s Brandon Stahl writes that the train will be moved to Leif Ericson Park. (more…)
If anyone has fun memories of going to a Suburbs show especially in Duluth please post them in the comments. I want to read them on my radio show today between sets of awesome Suburbs music.
Duluth Publishers Holy Cow! Press and X-communication have teamed up for this very special sale and author signings
Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009; noon to 4 p.m.
Location: Spiritual Deli, 3 West Superior Street, Duluth
Details:
• 10% of proceeds go to the Duluth chapter of C.H.U.M.
• All prices greatly reduced—up to 66% off!
• Refreshments will be served
Special: Spend $20 on X-Comm titles and receive a free book or historic art print of the Aerial Transfer Bridge, Incline Railway, Enger Tower, or Old Central and Minnesota Point from the top of the hillside (scroll down to see examples on flyer).
(Note: We do not have credit card capability at these events, so please bring cash or checks.)
Author Signing Schedule:
Chuck Frederick • Leatherheads of the North: The Duluth Eskimos • 12 – 1 pm
Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson • Dovetailed Corners • 1 – 2 pm
Denny Anderson • Good Night, Everybody…and Be Kind • 2 – 3 pm
Jim Heffernan • Cooler Near the Lake: Collected Columns • 2:30 – 4 pm
Anthony Bukoski • Twelve Below Zero • 3 – 4 pm
Jim Perlman • Beloved on the Earth • 12 – 4 pm
Tony Dierckins • Crossing the Canal: Duluth’s Aerial Bridge • 12 – 4 pm
A new comment to the “Spooky Menards” post from March has inspired this post, specifically about Shoppers’ City. I think there have been some other posts in the past that veered into Shoppers’ City stories as well, so it’s probably time to give the place its proper memorial.
The West Duluth Memories page on Facebook has a bunch of old West Duluth photos, including some of Shoppers’ City, posted by Roger Nesje.
Killer Khan wrestled at the Duluth Arena about 20 years ago. The infamous Mr. Fuji is in the background of this photo, which I came across while up in the attic getting out Christmas decorations this morning.
Nick Bockwinkel was special guest referee for one of the matches on this card. It was when Bockwinkel was a road agent for the World Wrestling Federation, so these photos must be from between 1987 and 1993.
A post three days ago by akjuneau featured some retro Duluth TV spots. The video below was linked in that post, but not embedded. I’m posting it now to make sure you didn’t skip it, and to provide some footnotes.
Spot #1 is for Rhude Camper Headquarters in Duluth and Rhude Ford in Hibbing and features longtime Duluth TV personality Jack McKenna as spokesman.
Spot #2 is for Northwestern Bank of Commerce, which is now known as North Shore Bank of Commerce.
Spot #3 is for Goldfine’s By the Bridge, which was one of the nation’s first discount stores. “Soft Touch” Erv and “Easy Mark” Monnie Goldfine opened it in 1962 at 700 Garfield Ave., where Goodwill Industries is today. It closed in the late 1970s, when the Goldfine brothers formed a new company, now known as ZMC Hotels, which owns numerous hotels in Duluth, Superior and across the country.
Spot #4 and Spot #5 are also for Goldfine’s By the Bridge.
Spot #6 is another Northwestern Bank of Commerce commercial with a similar western theme.
Spot #7 is for the M&K men’s and boy’s clothing store, which was a staple of Duluth’s “Friendly West End” for about 95 years. S. Morterud, his brother Pete, and Mat Koneczny founded it in the 1870s. By the late 1960s it was one of the largest stores in the area. Jack McKenna is also the spokesman in this ad.
Spot #8 is for Shake-a-Leg. I’m assuming it’s not a local product, but who knows?
Someone just posted a bunch of old WDIO news, sports and weather promos on YouTube. Here is an assortment of 1970s-era holiday spots -- lots of glimpses of old TV news sets and technology…. and a brief appearance by Dennis Anderson:
As a former wrestler I found this article quite interesting. I remember visiting UMD and looking at the conference Champ Pennants up at the fieldhouse.
Duluth Denfeld played Duluth Central tonight in high school football for what will very likely be the last time. Denfeld won 20-6 in front of a crowd of maybe 500 at Public Schools Stadium.
Before Denfeld had a football team, the big game in town was Central vs. Duluth Cathedral (now the Marshall School). But the Denfeld/Central rivalry was huge from the very beginning, and soon became the most important game in town.
There was an unofficial first game in 1916, in which Denfeld’s freshmen played Central’s freshmen to a tie. It was the only game Denfeld played that year. Having no coach, the Denfeld kids coached themselves.
The real first game was on Oct. 13, 1917 at Athletic Park (where Wade Stadium is today). Denfeld won 6-0. The Duluth News Tribune noted: “More than 1,000 students saw the contest, and school yells and cheers were not lacking, although various players were jeered by the opposing schools for tactics.”
It’s safe to say a strong rivalry was established from the very beginning, as this excerpt from the DNT story indicates.
Between halves a free-for-all fight started by rooters of both sides. Teachers of the schools also suffered. Members of the Fourth Minnesota Infantry came to the rescue and the belligerents were parted.
