Minnesota Point: Duluth's Hay Fever Haven and Summer Resort

Minnesota Point: Duluth’s Hay Fever Haven and Summer Resort

Paul Lundgren Aug 23, 2022 5 Comments

In the early half of the 20th century Duluth was often promoted as a haven for those who suffer from hay fever. Such is the case with this postcard of a trolley car on Minnesota Point, mailed Aug. 23, 1912 — 110 years ago today.

The text on the front reads:

9119. Minnesota Point “Duluth’s Far Famed Hay Fever and Summer Resort.” A Strip of land seven miles long forming our wonderful harbor, Duluth, Minn.

The names aren’t easy to read on the postcard, but it looks like Mr. H. P. Peterson sent it from Superior to Mr. C. J. Campbell in Butte, Mont. The message is also not easy to decipher, but basically it reads:

Dear Sir, I write to let you know that I have moved back to Superior. I left the key with the lady in the (???) Mrs. Hoyt.

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5 Comments

Nick

about 2 years ago

Always impressed with your ability to read olde timey cursive.

Mike Creger

about 2 years ago

Henry P. Peterson was editor of Superior's Norwegian newspaper, Tidende from 1896 to 1901. He took a government job as a factory inspector and later an assessor. The paper was a big backer of Robert LaFollette, the progressive Republican who became governor of Wisconsin in 1900. It is rumored that Peterson enjoyed the benefits of that support by taking a government job.

I couldn't find anything about Peterson in the 1912 range, aside from some essays he wrote in the Tidende in 1909. C.J. Campbell was editor of a paper in Whitehall, southeast of Butte, started in 1911. The Jefferson Valley News became the Whitehall News and Campbell sold it in 1915.

Perhaps the two editors were plotting a newspaper adventure in 1912 and it didn't pan out. Or they were friends from editor circles and he just left town before he could say goodbye.

Ghist1

about 2 years ago

He appears in the Superior City directory fairly often before 1930, always at 2611 Banks Ave. Here is his listing from 1916.

Matthew James

about 2 years ago

I somehow convinced myself that I could decipher the sloppy word on the postcard by searching for historical hotel/boarding houses in Butte, Montana. I learned some interesting things about the history of Butte, but did not find a convincing match. 

As one final attempt, and as a way to give myself an excuse to stop looking, I sent an e-mail to the person whose blog kept coming up in my searches: buttehistory.blogspot.com.

He responded immediately. No clear answer about that one word, but a little extra information about Mr. Campbell. And also kind of nice to know that people in other cities have similar historical hobbies. Here is his reply:

Hello - your best shot will be with the Butte Archives. 

They could check the 1912 city directory for Mrs Hoyt, which might show which place she ran. You are correct, there are dozens of places, and they get listed under Hotels, Furnished Rooms, and Boarding Houses. I have the 1910 directory and checked, but did not see anything starting with B, and an "i" and H in the word (I'd decipher the name as Berihes). But such lodgings changed names frequently.

I can add that in 1910 the addressee, Clarence T. Campbell of 1055 West Gold Street, was a clerk for Lutey Brothers grocery stores.

Paul Lundgren

about 2 years ago



Here's a zoomed in and cropped image with the fuzzy word, to better help people obsessing over it. Looks to be something like Berihes or Besikes or something.

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