Entries into the guest books at lodges tend to be kind of boring, but I like how this group made a comic out of their stay at Heston’s Lodge on Gunflint Lake a month ago. Flipping through the stack of archives reveals this group has been making the trip for at least a dozen years, and they always leave a comic behind.

When you look at old pictures of Duluth’s Cascade Park there is a creek that runs through it. Whatever happened to it? Why did people change it?

Duluth East High School A Cappella Choir
1964-65
1965
Directed by Robert D. Mix; includes the “East High Alma Mater.”

Don Yoder
Because He Lives
Year not listed, Word Records
Produced, as near as anyone can tell, through the everlasting love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Moose Wallow Ramblers
The Moose Wallow Ramblers
1976, Half Moon Records
Engineered by John Berquist; band included Berquist with Charlotte and Greg Ham.

Gene Hill
That’s Just His Way
1976
Recorded and mastered at Sound 80 in Minneapolis; directed by C. Edward Thomas.

Various Artists
Trackin’ Up the North
1982, KQDS 95FM Radio
Features bands from the KQDS Miller High Life Rock to Riches Talent Search Contest.

Kim Solem & the Electric Spurs
In Just One Night
1993, Divine Bovine
Engineered by Jeff Nelson and Tom Heinonen.

Low
I Could Live in Hope
1994, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced by Kramer at Noise New Jersey. Assisted by Steve Watson.

Puddle Wonderful
Sweetly Unnecessary
1995
Recorded by Tim Mac at Amphetamine Reptile in Minneapolis.

Low
Long Division
1995, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced and engineered by Kramer at Noise New Jersey. Assistant engineering by Jed Rothenberg.

Charming Snakes
Charming Snakes
Year not listed
Recorded and mixed by Todd Behrens at Danger Studios in Minneapolis.

Low
The Curtain Hits the Cast
1996, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced by Steve Fisk and engineered by John Goodmanson. Recorded in Seattle.

The Busters North Coast Blues Band
Waiting for the Tide
1997
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Gild
Belief
1997, Spinout Records
Produced by Bernie Larsen at Suburban Exchange Studio in Houghton, Mich.

Port Authority
Serving Up Stuff
1998, North Coast Records
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Jerree Small
Sleeping Giant
1998
Engineered in Minneapolis by Kendall Karsh and at Doghouse Studios by Steve Bonkoski.

Stuart Davis
16 Nudes
1998, Panacea Records
Recorded by Rob Genedek and John Pemble at the Maintenance Shop and Brewhouse.

Various Artists
Random Acts of Radio
1998, Random Records
Produced by D.J. Starfire and recorded in his basement.

Paul Imholte
Red Wing
1998
Recorded and engineered at Doghouse Studio by Steven Bonkoski.

Delta Resonators
Juke Joint Junkie
1998
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Ballyhoo
I’m a Pretty Ballerina
1999
Recorded and engineered at 20 Below Studios by Alan Sparhawk.

Giljunko
Gaspump Graveyard
1999, Shaky Ray Records #006
Recorded at Flowerpot in Minneapolis by Rich Mattson and at Shaky Ray by Mark Lindquist.

Low
Christmas
1999, Chair Kickers’ Union
Recorded by Low at 20 Below Studios. Mastered with Tom Herbers at 3rd Ear.

Help grow this list with notes in the comments or by e-mailing Paul at Perfect Duluth Day dot com.

Of course, every time we create a list on Perfect Duluth Day it always comes with a set of rules. So here we go:

• What makes an album a “Duluth album” can be vague, so there is little choice but to determine it on a case-by-case basis. In general, if the band is from the Twin Cities and the bassist is from Duluth, for example, that doesn’t quite cut it. And we’re not counting Bob Dylan, but here’s a link to his discography.
• Obviously nothing released in 2000 or later is meant for this list. Starting in 2000 pretty much every punk who could strum a cord or beat a stick on something had the means to record an album and did. That list would be too long.
• We’re not including seven-inch records or other singles on the list. If you want to comment about your favorite 45, please do, but it won’t make the master list.
• Even qualified albums won’t make the list until a suitable image of the cover art is available. We like things neat and pretty around here. So don’t pull a tiny graphic off the web and call it good. Scan your album covers or do whatever you have to do so the image is a decent size, like 900 pixels if you can manage that.

So here we go — start digging through your collection and help this list out!

From Thom Storm:

We are in the process of applying for different grants for our ski program. It was suggested that we have some Chester Bowl stories/testimonials to include with our applications. I would like to take that a step further, and have a Chester Bowl Stories section on our website, chesterbowl.org.
Many parents have told me that the ski program has made a big difference to their families. If you would like to share your story, we would like to post it on our site. Please send any stories/testimonials to:
chesterbowl@clearwire.net
and include your name for the posting.

If you’ve got any historical stories, photos or artifacts, you could submit them to the Chester Bowl History page.

Just a little something I happened across on the job today.

To read the story, click here for the PDF.

Somewhat related posts:
Chief Buffalo, Point of Rocks and “The Mayor of Duluth”
Duluth’s Point of Rocks
Peerless Auto Body Fire
Adams School in Duluth’s West End

So when I walk by these modest, quiet homes, and wonder who lives there, I’ll know many of them are old-time Duluthians who served their country in wars people easily forgot. And while I may be angered by the hypocrisy, failure of diplomacy, fear or greed that may cause them, I am equally amazed and humbled by the courage and selflessness of those who serve. Sometimes they just want their stories to be heard.

As most people know, the southern wing of the old MacArthur Elementary School was built in 1915 as Denfeld High School. (The modern Denfeld opened in 1926 and the old Denfeld became West Junior; MacArthur was built in 1957; West closed and became part of MacArthur in 1983; MacArthur was replaced with a new building this past fall). The photo above is of the 56th Avenue West entrance to the old MacArthur, which has always been considered the back door.

The section of the building that protrudes out and comprises the rear entrance is not original. It was built in 1994 to provide an elevator for improved handicap accessibility. There was a stone block over the entryway, covered by this addition, that read “Robert E. Denfeld High School.”

If anyone has old photos of the entryway, please post them. The old MacArthur is in the process of being gutted and prepared for demolition, so if that entryway exists under the current one and anyone would like it to be saved and either left on the current site as a monument to the old Denfeld or moved to the current Denfeld campus, the time to act is drawing short.

Update: All evidence points to the conclusion that the old Denfeld block was removed in 1994. Details in the comments.