History
Mary Scott Bywater – “America’ll Win the War”
One century ago, as “The War to End All Wars” raged on, Mary Scott Bywater of Duluth wrote and published a forgotten anthem.
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Ruth Hart: “Baby Ruth from Duluth”
The recent PDD posting about the 1960s song “Ruth from Duluth” has led to a potentially related historical sidebar. It turns out that in the 1940s there was a carnival performer promoted as the 750-pound “Ruth from Duluth.”
Very few details are available in the five periodical clippings unearthed so far.
The Billboard, June 30, 1945:
Postcard from the Government Ship Canal During a Storm
Undated postcard.
Postcard from West Third Street in 1908
This postcard was mailed 110 years ago today — Aug. 14, 1908. It depicts a scene looking northeast on Third Street at about 24th Avenue West. The church steeple in the right foreground is Bethany Lutheran Church, built in 1903. (more…)
Shuggy Ray Smith – “Ruth from Duluth”
This little tune, purportedly released in December of 1965, is about a “little pretty girl” from Duluth who “eats corn on the cob through a picket fence.” Enjoy. (more…)
Selective Focus: Duluth and Northern Minnesota Film Photographers
Photo courtesy of Kip Praslowicz
There’s a show currently hanging at Blacklist, photography all shot on film by area photographers. The pieces come from members of the Duluth and Northern Minnesota Film Photographers, a group that meets monthly to discuss the process, challenges and variations of shooting on film. The evening will be both a reception for the show and one of the monthly meet-ups.
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Western Auto Supply Company of Duluth
The fancy booklet above is circa 1930. Western Auto Supply Company once occupied the building that is today known as the Center for Non-violence at 202 E. Superior St. in Duluth. (more…)
Mystery Photo #70: East Superior Street in 1908
This photo from Detroit Publishing Company is dated 1908 — 110 years ago — although some evidence in the comments to this post indicate suggest it could have been shot prior to that year. It depicts a scene on East Superior Street in Duluth. The mysteries: What block? Are the homes in the image still there? Can someone recreate the mystery photo with a modern image from the same spot?
Video Archive: Superstars of Wrestling in Duluth, 1988
Finally unearthed from the PDD video archive, clips from the May 10, 1988 World Wrestling Federation card at the Duluth Arena. The segments available here are matches that were broadcast on the syndicated television program Superstars of Wrestling on May 22 and 29, 1988. Numerous other matches were taped at the same Duluth card and broadcast in subsequent weeks. (more…)
Lincoln Park School Store circa 1968
Left to right: Virginia Wingness, Steve Walli, Gary Logergren, Paul Town and Kathy Wilson.
Photo from The Times ’68, Lincoln Park Junior High School’s yearbook.
Mystery Photo #69: Tall Ship
Based on fashions of the spectators, this photo appears to be circa the 1990s. Throngs have gathered to watch a tall ship sail into the Duluth Harbor. What is the name of the vessel? When precisely did this happen? (more…)
PDD Quiz: Buffalo Bill and Duluth
This month’s quiz looks at Buffalo Bill Cody’s relationship with Duluth. For more information on this topic, check out this Perfect Duluth Day article, this Northland Wilds article, and this The Area Woman article.
The next PDD Quiz, on July happenings, will be published on July 29. Email question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by July 26. (more…)
Mystery Photo #68: Aerial Transfer Bridge
There’s no doubt the subject of this mystery photo is the gondola car on Duluth’s Aerial Bridge, but what year was the photo shot? (more…)
List of Bands that Have Played Head of the Lakes Fair in Superior
The Head of the Lakes Fair is an annual tradition in Superior. The weekend event usually features bands performing on a stage in the center of the Superior Speedway. Often the headliner is a major touring act that is a bit past its prime. Below is a scattered list of bands that have played the festival. Because … nostalgia. (more…)
Silent hero of Boundary Waters blowdown subject of new movie
The heroic story of a man who led one of Minnesota’s largest disaster rescue efforts will be told in a motion picture planned for release in 2019. (more…)
Postcard from Duluth Elks Lodge #133 in 1913
This postcard was mailed 105 years ago — June 8, 1913 — when E.J. Turnbo was “enjoying the cool breeze and having one big time.” (more…)
Mysterious Biz White Song about Duluth
We need to unearth some Duluth-based songwriter history. The current reference librarians at the Duluth Public Library are unable to track down the lyrics to a song about Duluth by Biz White, a female librarian during the 1980s and ’90s.
Here’s the conversation:
I was visiting with friends yesterday and one of them said he had been trying to find the lyrics to a song written about Duluth. It was written by Biz White, who used to work at DPL, and he thought it may have been for a Playhouse production. Some of the lyrics he remembered were, “Oh Duluth, your granite hills rise,” and “Oh Duluth, your heartless hills.” I was hoping you had some ideas.
Thanks,
Kim
Help! Does anyone have these lyrics recorded?
Interview with the Richardson Brothers
Ryan Welles interviewed the Richardson brothers today on his “True Stories and Other Damage” podcast. In it, we detail the history of how we got to Duluth 20 years ago, and provide an overview of the creative projects we have been involved with here, from Gonzo Science to Mr. Nice to Lake Superior Aquaman. Other topics include our perennial concerns of psychedelics, UFOs, Dadaism, and several things in between.
Postcard from the Canal Park Marine Museum
The Lake Superior Marine Museum & Maritime Visitor Center doesn’t look much different today than it did in this postcard, probably from the 1970s. (more…)
WDSE-TV Documentary: “Fires of 1918”
The date October 12, 1918 will forever be remembered in this part of the world as a date that didn’t just make history, but erased history. Now, a century later, WDSE-TV presents a new documentary on the greatest catastrophe ever in northern Minnesota.
Postcards from the Flame excursion boat
The undated postcard above, published by Gallagher’s Studio of Photography, shows the Flame excursion boat entering the Duluth Shipping Canal. (more…)
ViewMaster: Duluth and North Shore Drive
Here they are: “7 three-dimensional pictures in full-color Kodachrome” featuring “Duluth and North Shore Drive: Minnesota U.S.A.,” copyright 1950 by Sawyer’s Inc. of Portland, Ore.
(more…)Part of Wholesale District, Duluth, Minn.
This old postcard from E.C. Kropp Co. has the year 1917 penciled on the front, which seems roughly accurate.