Perfect Duluth Day

Duluth photos repaired and colorized: 19th century people/places

Streetcar Barn (1882)
Superior Street and 11th Avenue West

All of the photos here come from the University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library through the Minnesota Reflections website. While most of the pictures on the site have been well preserved, some have been damaged over the years. For six of these photographs, I digitally repaired any damage and then added color.

I tried to make reasonable choices for the colors, but in most instances, I have no way of knowing how things actually appeared at the time, and sometimes chose colors that would draw attention to interesting details. And occasionally, when certain elements seemed like they must be present but weren’t really visible (like overhead wires or the water of Lake Superior in the distance), I just made it up and colored it in where it seemed like it should be. All of which I include just to be honest about the end results reflecting a certain degree of artistic liberty.

All of the photos were taken between 1882 and 1900 and all feature people enjoying a moment outside in Duluth.

W. G. Willis Block (c. 1882)
219 W. Superior St.

Electric Streetcar in Winter (c. 1890)
Terminus at 40th Avenue West

Mrs. M.C. Seibold Tobaccos and Cigars (1891)
225 E. Superior St.

Lakeside Lester Park, woman on rock (1891)
Near 42nd Avenue East

Pastoret Terrace (c. 1900)
127-129 E. First St. (Known since 1960 as the Kozy Bar and Apartments)