This undated postcard, published by Zenith Interstate News Company, shows the Steamer South American on Lake Superior. It was built for the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Company and launched as an overnight passenger ship on Feb. 21, 1914. A fire in 1924 required the upper works of the vessel to be rebuilt, resulting in the addition of a second smokestack, which is shown on the postcard.
Duluth band Syd & the Boys, featuring Sydney Hansen, have a new music video shot on the fishing dock on Rice Point that was once part of the Duluth-Superior Interstate Bridge. The video was edited by Grent Ellis Cañete, who plays guitar in the band. Other band members are drummer Ian Hopp and bassist Calvin Lund.
The song is a cover of the 1970 Velvet Underground classic “Sweet Jane,” styled after the 1988 Cowboy Junkies version.
Via WDIO-TV, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson outlines priorities for Duluth with her State of the City address.
On April 5, 1921 — one hundred years ago today — Samuel Frisby Snively was elected mayor of Duluth. He held the office for four terms spanning 16 years. Duluth has had two three-term mayors who served for 12 years, John Fedo and Gary Doty.
Masks, a global pandemic and no cameras on the ice for intros. Hockey hair video maker John King did the only thing he could do this year — go with the flow.
Hairmentown gets a brief mention at the 2:30 mark for it’s junior varsity hockey hair, with King noting JV should stand for “juicy vinaigrette” when referencing the salad of the Hawks.
Amtrak’s North Star parked at the Duluth Depot, July 19, 1981. (Photographer unknown)
It’s been 36 years since Amtrak ended its 10-year run of passenger service from the Twin Cities to Duluth. This past week the company, which provides medium and long-distance service in the contiguous United States and nine Canadian cities, announced a vision for up to 30 new routes, including a return to Duluth … if Congress passes President Joe Biden’s $2-trillion infrastructure proposal.
[Editor’s note: For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the archive of Slim Goodbuzz, who served as Duluth’s “booze connoisseur” from 1999 to 2009. Twenty years ago he took a ride to Grand Lake Township for a night of imbibing at La Grand Supper Club. The establishment closed in 2010 and was replaced in 2016 by the Cast Iron Bar and Grill. Goodbuzz documented his experience for the March 21, 2001 issue of the Ripsaw newspaper.]
So, Sean the locksmith shows up at my door and tells me that he’s “in the mood to drive.” How fortunate: I’m in the mood to drink. I suggest we head up the Old Miller Trunk Highway to Le Grand Supper Club and see what kind of mischief we can find.
Le Grand is a nice, big place, and tonight it’s all but empty except for a group of disgruntled pool players and about six or seven inebriated regulars at the bar. If I did my drinking on the weekends like any normal person, I might be able to see this place packed as a cover band such as Sh-boom attempts to rock the house. But weekends are made for pleasure drinking; I’m here for business drinking.
Someone was kind enough to write the names of these love birds on their photos and keep them together. But who are Mr. and Mrs. Peter Anderson?
This clip of Trampled by Turtles is from the Trampled by Thursdays concert series shot at First Avenue and streamed on Thursdays during the month of February. The shows were directed and edited by Charlie Berg. The song “Annihilate” is from the band’s 2018 album Life is Good on the Open Road.
