Month: January 2023
The Story of Grace
Austin McConnell delves into the backstory of Grace, the official state photograph of Minnesota. Photographer Eric Enstrom shot the image in 1918 at his home in Bovey, about 60 miles northwest of Duluth.
My retirement fund in squished pennies
I told artist Moira Villard that she was my retirement plan, as I pressed six pennies at the Duluth Public Library on Saturday. Someday, when she’s even more famous, these pennies will be worth more than a cent! (more…)
List of Duluth Authors from Duluth Public Library Vertical File
It used to be, a library committed to local information had to keep it in a “clippings file” or “vertical file.” The local history room at the Duluth Public Library still has one and has a master entry on clippings about authors from/in Duluth. (more…)
West Duluth theater project moves forward, seeks city loan
The Alhambra Theater sits just to the east of the West Theatre on Central Avenue in West Duluth (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)
A long-lost vaudeville theater renovation gained ground this week when city officials authorized grant money to fund a business loan for the West Duluth entertainment district project.
The Duluth Economic Development Authority approved a $150,000 grant Jan. 25 to the city of Duluth 1200 Fund for restoration work at the Alhambra Theater, 321 N. Central Ave. The move allows the 1200 Fund to loan building owner Paladin Properties LLC a total of $200,000 for project completion. (more…)
PDD Quiz: January 2023
The first month of 2023 is nearly over; how many of its headlines do you recall? Jump into this week’s PDD quiz to find out!
A Valentine’s Day-themed quiz comes your way on Feb. 12. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Feb. 9. (more…)
Ripped at Molly’s in 2003
[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. One of Slim’s favorite old stops was Molly’s Tavern in Superior, which had a sign outside promising “dancing & sandwiches,” neither of which could be found inside. The bar closed in 2005 and later became Tower Avenue Tavern. Twenty years ago the Sultan of Sot paid a visit to Molly’s and wrote the article below for the Jan. 22, 2003 issue of the Ripsaw newspaper.]
Whenever I find myself at Molly’s, I’m usually there to “finish up.” Usually, it’s late, I’m half in the bag and I have little interest in anything other than the square foot of bar top directly in front of me — the magical zone in which I lay down money and it miraculously turns into booze. But tonight Sean the Locksmith and I end up at Molly’s relatively early in evening. And I’ll be damned if Molly’s isn’t a pretty sweet place.
This doesn’t really surprise me. I’ve heard many tales of the coolness of this bar: the cheap booze, the weird and amazing antiques scattered about, the mother of Darryl Hall’s child pouring drinks. But maybe it’s to its credit that I’ve never really analyzed it. I go to Molly’s because I want to drink undisturbed. The appreciation of the bar among homosexuals and its seedy location at the very end of Tower Avenue help to keep away most of the local dillweeds. (more…)
Mana Bear Bolton has her way with the Tweed elevator
Mana Bear Bolton‘s “Primordial Rapture” opened in the Tweed Museum’s elevator on Aug. 30. Read all about it at findmana.com.
Vignettes from the Edge of a Beaver Pond
Researchers at the Voyageurs Wolf Project placed cameras around the edge of a beaver pond this past summer hoping to get good footage of wolves. Instead, they captured a whole lot of otter activity along with a few other critters, including a black bear and three cubs that predictably knocked over a camera.
Lovehouse – “She’s Gonna Catch You”
Duluth band Lovehouse released the EP Shades of Red last summer, along with this video for the song “She’s Gonna Catch You.”
Ladies’ Literature Class of Duluth
The Duluth Ladies’ Literature Class leaves few electronic traces outside the local collection at the Duluth Public Library. (more…)
Shippee – “World Today”
The fourth video release from Blake Shippee’s new solo album, It All Started from a Whisper, was produced by Laura Jean.
Cut- and Burned-over Timber Land near Duluth
This image is from a stereograph published circa the early 20th century by the Keystone View Company of Meadville, Pa. (more…)
Lester Park Literary Club
In visiting the new local history librarian at the Duluth Public Library, I am uncovering even more gems about the history of writing and literature in Duluth.
One of those gems is the Lester Park Literary Club. (more…)
Avant-Garde Women: Review of the novel “Branded” by founding Dadaist Emmy Hennings
Contents
-Introduction
-The Key to Dada
-Hennings on Language
-Hennings and Expressionism
-Hennings as a Burroughsian Beat
-Technology in Branded
-The Branded Playlist
Introduction
Just last year I pointedly wondered why the books of founding Dadaist Emmy Hennings remain untranslated into English after more than 100 years. I threatened to translate them myself even though I don’t know German. Thankfully, I caught wind of a forthcoming English edition of Hennings’ autobiographical novel, Branded (edited and translated by Katharine Rout). Since I demanded translations and one appeared, now I demand this book become a film. It is Hennings’ origin story, the often hilarious tale of a proto-Dadaist navigating contradiction, absurdity, and lies. (more…)
Steve Solkela – “Up on da Range”
Steve Solkela keeps the hits coming. Here’s a prime cut from his recent album release Sauna Knight, available on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. (more…)
Superior FunLand is open at Mariner Business Center
The Superior Telegram reports that a new indoor play space for kids has opened in the Mariner Business Center, 69 N. 28th St. Superior FunLand had its grand opening on Jan. 14. It’s owned by Paul Bothun and Desiree Hughes.
Big Sky Woody – “#51” and “#53”
Free on Bandcamp.
Holiday Aurora: Lights of Summer
The latest video from Seth Trobec is new to the internet, but was shot last summer over Independence Day and Labor Day weekends — July 2 and Sept. 4 to be precise. The timelapse was created from Trobec’s photos of the northern lights. (more…)
Duluth reconsidering mandated parking minimums
The Duluth News Tribune reports that proposed changes to city code would eliminate requirements for developers to provide a specific number of parking spots.
The Slice / Almanac North: Gunflint Mail Run 2023
The Gunflint Mail Run, an annual sled dog race in Cook County, was held Jan. 7. PBS North Producer Megan McGarvey captured the scenes for the station’s feature The Slice (embedded above) and also for a segment on the weekly show Almanac North (embedded below). (more…)
Low fights for rights to master recordings
I’m surprised I didn’t know about this yet, but the Star Trib just posted a story about the difficulties Low and other mostly indie bands are having with re-releasing and/or getting the rights back for their older recordings. What a goofy system to deal with art! Art belongs to the artist(s)!
Selective Focus: Having a PDD at the start of 2023
Select photos from Instagram spanning the first days of 2023, all hashtagged with the name of a certain website. (more…)
Mystery Photo: The Ritcheys
This cabinet card photo of the “Ritcheys” is listed for sale on eBay. Who were the Ritcheys? Well, that’s our primary mystery. The photo was presumably shot in Duluth, being marked with the logo of the Robinson Studio … although the “and New York” below the address is a little confusing. Anyway, it’s supremely likely the Ritcheys either lived in or near Duluth, or visited Duluth about 125 years ago, and that’s about all there is to go on. (more…)
PDD Quiz: 2023 Coming Attractions
Peek into the future with this week’s quiz about 2023 Duluth area happenings.
The next PDD quiz will review this month’s headlines; it will be published on Jan. 29. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Jan. 26. (more…)