February 2017 Posts

Hydrologists say they’ve solved the Devil’s Kettle mystery

Devils KettleWhere does the water go? That’s the question that has puzzled scientists and random hikers along the Brule River for decades.

Upstream from the Devil’s Kettle waterfall at Judge C.R. Magney State Park, the river splits in two at a rock outcropping. “The east side of the river plummets 50 feet into a pool, in typical waterfall fashion,” according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources “Field Notes” in the March/April 2017 issue of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine. “But on the west side, the water plunges into a cavernous hole in the rock and vanishes.”

Where does it go?

In late fall 2016, hydrologists Heather Emerson and Jon Libbey measured water flow above Devil’s Kettle at 123 cubic feet per second. Several hundred feet below the waterfall, the water was flowing at 121 cubic feet per second. “In the world of stream gauging, those two numbers are essentially the same and are within the tolerances of the equipment,” Green explains. “The readings show no loss of water below the kettle, so it confirms the water is resurging in the stream below it.”

Old Tokens to Existing Duluth Establishments

Kom On Inn Token Owls Club Buffalo House Buffalo Chip Duluth

Consider this a companion post to “Tokens to Long-gone Duluth Establishments.”

Camp Gecko

Camp GeckoKeegan Burckhard directed this video, which took first place at the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Yeti Film Festival.

Leaving Duluth: June 30, 1916

Leaving Duluth 1916June30

Another photo from the “Leaving Duluth” collection; Arcade Camera Shop/Studio, 110 West Superior St., Duluth.

Kip’s Memory Card Dump #11

Another collection of photos in rapid succession by Kip Praslowicz, covering the time span of September to November 2016, featuring the usual stuff — rock shows at the Red Herring Lounge, cribbage, canoeing, kitty cat sprawls, etc.

Breanne Marie & the Front Porch Sinners launch Kickstarter

Breanne Marie and the Front Porch Sinners at the Spirit RoomBreanne Marie & the Front Porch Sinners have plans to record the full-length album Wildflowers & Tumbleweeds in 2017. A Kickstarter campaign is underway to raise $7,500 to cover the costs.
Brian Barber donated his videography skills for the Kickstarter video. Katlyn Kretzschmar donated her photography for updated band photos, shot at the Spirit Room. Bent Paddle has donated a $50 gift card. Back the Kickstarter campaign at $50 or more between now and Feb. 26 at midnight to be entered to win.

PDD Quiz: February 2017

duluth potteryDespite being the shortest month, February was full of stuff and things. How much do you remember? Take the PDD Quiz to find out!

Our next PDD Quiz, on the subject of Duluth in popular culture, will be published on March 12. E-mail question ideas to Alison Klawiter at [email protected] by March 9.

What’s in the box? A gift I’ll never open

John Hatcher - Saturday EssaySomeday, hopefully years from now, someone will face the task of going through all the “stuff” in my office and will find a box.
It is postmarked April 2, 2010. It has an address label on the side:

From: John Hatcher
To: Sam Cook

Here’s my request: Don’t open it.

Here’s why.

If you simply have to know what’s in it, I can just tell you that part: It’s one of those sporty Nalgene water bottles. I can’t honestly remember what color or what style, but I do know it has a University of Minnesota Duluth logo on it. What the box contains isn’t why I’ve kept it unopened for nearly seven years now.

The water bottle was a gift, not to me but from me. The intended recipient was Sam Cook, longtime (that’s polite for old) journalist and columnist for the Duluth News Tribune. It was a way of thanking him for coming to my journalism class.

Veggies by Subscription: CSA signup season underway in Duluth

Carrot - ParsnipIt might seem too early to be thinking about fresh local vegetables. The growing season around Lake Superior doesn’t generally start until May, but area farmers are already busy planning their crops and ordering seeds. The signup period has begun for most farms offering community supported agriculture subscriptions. The online CSA Signup Day is today, Feb. 24; Duluth’s CSA open house is March 19.

Farm shares offer a direct method for consumers to access fresh food from local growers. Members buy a seasonal “share” from the farm. During harvest time, which is generally mid-June to mid-December, members go to a designated spot each week to pick up a box of mixed seasonal produce.

Selective Focus: Stack Prints

SF-TeaserStackPrints

Please tell us about the medium you work in, and how you came to work in your style.
Stack Prints is a pizza-eating boy band of four Duluth-based graphic designers, Cody, Taylor, Stephen, & Tyler. We run an online store, pull squeegees in our screen print shop, and advocate for art & design education. We’re kinda like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Dong Dot Surgery – “Computing 4eva!”

More spoken word by John Holden with electronic weirdness by Matt Norby.

Duluth Album Releases in 2017

Matt Ray - Minnesota MoonMatt Ray
Minnesota Moon
(Jan. 1)
Available on CDBaby

IWMDK - GhostshipIW/M/DK
Ghostship
Xero Music (Jan. 12)
Available on Bandcamp

The Farsights - Traffic EPThe Farsights
Traffic
(Jan. 17)
Available on Bandcamp

Video Archive: Umbrella ice sailing on Lake Superior

As the failing winter of 2016-’17 continues, we take another look back to a decade ago and the amazing freeze over Lake Superior. In this video from Feb. 22, 2007, “Duluthom” skates the big lake, accelerated by wind power and a simple umbrella.

Escape

TettegoucheKeegan Burckhard directed this video as a part of his senior exhibition as a digital art and photography student at the University of Minnesota Duluth. It was projected in the Tweed Museum of Art Feb. 14-19.

Overhaul of USS Duluth at Swan Island, 1985

USS-Duluth-1985-Oregon

Sept. 29, 1985 — Dawn Kee, with daughter Melissa, 4, and holding son, Jeremiah, 2, shouts to husband, Chief Signalman Rick Kee, who is among crew arriving at Swan Island for overhaul of USS Duluth. She said she was living in a motel until the family found housing but was “excited” about living in Portland.

Photo by Joel Davis of The Oregonian.

USS Duluth was a Navy ship named for the city of Duluth. It was launched in 1965 and was scrapped in 2014. Its anchor was salvaged and installed along Duluth’s Lakewalk.