Month: May 2021
A Brief Remembrance of George Hovland
I’ve only been in Duluth for 20 years, so in relation to George Hovland’s life, I’m just a newcomer. Even so, as a cross-country skier, my tracks crossed his over and over.
George always ran Snowflake Nordic Ski Center like a charity. The cashbox on the counter just sat there on the honor system. Each year, I signed up my kids for the KidSki program. This was during the window of time each fall where he gave a discount for signing up early. I paid full price because I could afford it. I also did it because, unlike a lot of things, I knew exactly where my money was going. I mean, outside of my family, cross-country skiing is my favorite thing. And each year when he got my check, George called me on the phone and said, “You shouldn’t pay full price. You can pay the discounted price.” And I said, “I know George. It’s me. I told you the exact same thing last year.”
One time, I was skiing classic style in the snow-blessed microclimate at Snowflake and George came up on me the opposite direction and said, “Great technique!” I was a little too pleased, but a comment like that from George, a 1952 Olympian, was like a benediction. (more…)
Blacklist Brewing finds new space downtown
Blacklist Brewing Company will move its taproom and brewing operations from 120 E. Superior St. to the Lange Motors building one block east this summer. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske).
A Downtown Duluth brewery and taproom is moving into a larger, newly renovated space just an axe-toss away from its existing location on East Superior Street.
Blacklist Brewing Company will move its brewing operations, taproom and axe-throwing lanes one block east into the historic Lange Motors building at 206 E. Superior St. The move will almost double its serving and entertainment space and increase its brewing capacity. (more…)
Heely Tricks with JamesG: April 2021
Another monthly dose of wheeled sneaker stunts by former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.
Hartman tapped for DECC director job
After a national search, the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center announced today that Dan Hartman will serve as its next executive director. Hartman has been director of Glensheen Mansion since 2013 and prior to that was curator at Veterans Memorial Hall. He also served on Duluth’s city council from 2010 to 2014.
As a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2006, Hartman led the student campaign to build the DECC’s Amsoil Arena. He follows interim executive director Roger Reinert, who has headed the DECC since August. Hartman will start in his new role at the DECC on June 14.
Steve’s Overpopulated One-Man Band – “Oatmeal Raisin”
Just in time for prom season, Steve Solkela and his Iron Range friends have a new music video for those left feeling alone on the shelf, like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Hey, sometimes the healthiest option gets picked last.
How did the city of Cloquet get its name?
As mentioned in the “Northeastern Minnesota Nomenclature” post on Perfect Duluth Day last summer, the city of Cloquet gets its name from the Cloquet River. But how did the river get its name? (more…)
Driftwood Dan from Duluth
The 1999 movie Los Enchiladas! drops references to both Duluth and Superior. It’s not clear whether the character Driftwood Dan lives in Duluth or merely collects driftwood in Duluth, where his mother resides. (more…)
Monthly Grovel: May 2021
Herd immunity could elude us forever, but things are feeling safer and Minnesota’s governor is letting people cautiously cluster. When you are ready to poke your head out, the PDD Calendar remains the faraway leader in listing Duluth area events. Each month we reach out with one beggarly blog post to remind everyone that human beings and not machines are at work editing and publishing calendar events. So if you appreciate it, drop a few bucks in the PayPal account. (more…)
Anthony Bennett – “I’m a Politician”
Duluth’s Anthony Bennett has a new album set for release on May 28. Fun’s Over contains 12 tracks recorded during the pandemic, including the first single, “I’m a Politician.” (more…)
Charlie Parr – “Last of the Better Days Ahead”
Charlie Parr‘s next album, Last of the Better Days Ahead is due out July 30 on the nonprofit record label Smithsonian Folkways. The video for the first single is directed by Parr himself.
Postcard from Superior Street in 1871
What did Superior Street look like 150 years ago? Well, a little something like what’s shown in the postcard image above. (more…)
The Life and Times of Ignatius Donnelly
Silver Brook Township’s Mike Scholtz has a new documentary, produced for the southwestern Minnesota Pioneer PBS series Postcards.
The subject is Ignatius Donnelly, an American congressman, populist writer and amateur scientist known for his writings about the lost continent of Atlantis. The story begins near the town of Donnelly, roughly 200 miles southwest of Duluth, and takes viewers on a wild ride exploring the amazing legacy of the man.
Duluth actor Jody Kujawa plays the role of Donnolly in reenactment scenes.
St. Louis County Jail designs approved in 1921 … sort of
One hundred years ago today — May 11, 1921 — the Duluth Herald published a story about plans for a new St. Louis County Jail. The building that would eventually be constructed looks somewhat similar to the drawing here, but there were numerous changes to the plan. (more…)
Homegrown 2021 Unofficially Unofficial Recap Video
The pandemic put the kibosh on official in-person events during the Homegrown Music Festival, but with restrictions easing up a bit there were numerous unofficial events accompanying the hours upon hours of online video content put out to avoid a superspreader.
In addition to the slaptogether kickball game, outdoor video art installation in West Duluth and the scavenger hunt, there were little bits of actual live music happening with limited attendance. The video above captures clips of some of the unofficial activities, with a note that nothing is officially unofficial, it’s all unofficially unofficial, really. (more…)
Mystery Photo #139: Three Men in Caps
Anyone who wants to delve into the difference between a flat cap and a newsboy cap and a bakerboy cap and on and on can feel free to do so, but the main mysteries we seek to solve are who these three gentlemen might be and whether they were Duluthians. (more…)
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Seven
Saturday’s online Homegrown Music Festival content begins with the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra‘s season-ending show, From Beethoven to Milhaud. At the 2:18:43 mark a big blawk of local rawk begins. (more…)
Plume
Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea composed the music for this video, which features 21 acrobats from around the world performing movements layered with animation. (more…)
Art outside Wussow’s Concert Cafe and Zenith Bookstore
I parked to watch the new media installation by Daniel Benoit and Tom Moriarty. Below is the description from Facebook:
This installation is a pilot project initiated by the Duluth Public Arts Commission, with plans on the horizon for more rad art like this to be shown around Duluth 🌟 (more…)
Rawkers win unsanctioned Homegrown slap-together kickball
Scott “Starfire” Lunt surveys the kickball field in his Homegown jumpsuit.
Ryan Nelson was barking all game from his first base post for the Friday Rawkers. In the eighth inning, he actually uttered something that had a grain of truth: “It almost feels like Homegrown.”
He and 50 other people were in synch Saturday afternoon as an unsanctioned Homegrown Music Festival Kickball Classic broke out at the field in the back of Chester Park. Those who were there will call it good, and witnessed a win by the Rawkers over the Saturday Rollers that now puts Friday ahead in the all-time series, 11 wins to 10. (more…)
City Bottling Company?
Found this bottle while cleaning out the old dump by our house. It’s an annual event where I commune with our forbears — white folks scratching out a living decades ago on stolen land and tossing all their garbage into the wetland.* (more…)
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Six
A bit more than two hours of local rawk and/or roll comprise the Homegrown Music Festival‘s Friday content. (more…)
Help raise donations for the pets of CHUM
A group of citizens is raising money for the local pets who find their way to CHUM. We’re looking to provide CHUM with donations of dog and cat food, as well as cat litter, to help them out. We have multiple ways to donate: PayPal, GoFundMe, an Amazon shopping list, or just having us swing by and pick something up from you!
If you are willing to send us some cash to help provide food and litter for the cats and dogs who find their way to CHUM, please visit northlandcritters.org
Video Archive: The Black-eyed Snakes – “Chickenbone George”
From the days when digital video quality was horrific, we present the Black-eyed Snakes at the Red Lion Lounge during the Homegrown Music Festival … two amazing decades ago.
Shot by Chris Bacigalupo on May 4, 2001.
Lake Inferior: The Underground Lake Beneath Lake Superior
Exploration Timeline
June 1679
I have lost the reference, but I read somewhere that when the French explorer Sir Duluth heard rumors of an underground lake beneath Lake Superior, he quipped in his native tongue, “Lac d’Enfer” (literally: “Lake of Hell”). This nomenclature was mistranslated by English-speakers, becoming anglicized as “Lake Inferior” — an insidious malapropism that replaced the original meaning.
Sept. 8, 1870
Copper-helmet diver William Bitter found an entrance to Lake Inferior. He was working by the breakwater wall for the city of Duluth, offshore of what is now the Lakewalk. A large storm had damaged the wall, and he was conducting an underwater survey at the end of a 20-foot lifeline.
Working the winch and the air pump, his support team on the wall heard Bitter cry out through the speaking tube, then noticed a whirlpool opening up. They winched Bitter out as loose boulders and timbers were sucked into it. (more…)
Videos: Homegrown 2021 Day Five
Thursday’s Homegrown Music Festival content is three and a half hours of livestreamed music from 2104. (more…)