Welcome to Our City (and the National Regatta of 1916)

The song “Welcome to Our City” appeared in the magazine section of the April 2, 1916, Duluth News Tribune. It was written by two Duluthians — Donald Wade and D.J. Michaud — as a “contribution to the city’s welcome to the visiting oarsmen who will come to the Head of the Lakes next August.”

Duluth hosted the 44th annual regatta of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen on Aug. 11 and 12, 1916, winning nine of the 12 events entered.

Lyrics:

Come sing a song of welcome to the boys who’ve come to share our good will and our joys
Greet ev’ry one that they may understand that they are welcome to our city grand
Reach out your hand, extend the open door, mark not the aged nor the poor
Greet ev’ry one upon equality, what e’er his station in this life may be

Welcome to our city, Zenith of the west
Mingle with our gladness, welcome as our guest
Noted for its beauty, with prosper’ty bles’t
Welcome to our city, Minnesota’s best.

And now a regatta addendum. Articles from the April 8, 1916, Duluth Evening Herald:

And here are the regatta results: