History
Dispatches from the Low/Radiohead tour, Green Man, skinny dipping and other happenings from July 2003
July 2003 is the first complete month of archived posts on Perfect Duluth Day. It was a time when Facebook didn’t exist and the word “blog” was still a year away from being named Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year.
PDD was a pretty different thing back then, both in appearance and attitude. Founders Barrett Chase and Scott “Starfire” Lunt used the Blogger publishing platform initially (until August 2004). If you look at the archive, it’s getting sloppier all the time as many of the images that were hosted on other sites aren’t there anymore and most of the links are dead.
Blogger didn’t support commenting in those days, so Barrett and Scott found some other thing to use, but the company behind it went out of business years ago, so all the comments from the posts on Blogger are long lost.
Since it was pre-Facebook, and was started among a group of friends, PDD initially was used a bit like Facebook, with a lot of inane daily updates — many of which stand the test of time and are cool to revisit, while others … not so much.
So what were the major happenings ten years ago as far as PDD was concerned?
- Starfire was a rock-and-roll nanny in Europe, traveling with Low and Radiohead (photos above).
- The second annual Green Man Festival was held at Spirit Mountain, featuring a giant gob of bands — the Big Wu, Wookiefoot, Shannon Wright, Heiruspecs, the Black-eyed Snakes, Ol’ Yeller, Pleasure Pause, Mark Mallman, White Iron Band, Cry on Cue, Spider John Koerner, Sweet Potato, Charlie Parr, Haley Bonar and so on.
- PDD achieved the number-one ranking on Google for the search term “skinny dipping pics.” Quoth Starfire: “I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of you.”
Listening to Steve O’Neil
More than 15 years ago, Minnesota Public Radio aired a half-hour documentary about Loaves and Fishes here in Duluth. This was not long after Steve O’Neil and Angie Miller had started the first Loaves and Fishes house.
Stephen Smith produced the story. It includes lots of audio from Steve and Angie. You can listen to or download it here.
Found: Warehouse Bar artifact
1988 relic.
Video Archive: Bad Company and Damn Yankees at the DECC Arena in 1991
Bad Company played Grand Casino Hinckley last night with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. Twenty-two years ago, Bad Company toured with Damn Yankees and played the DECC Arena.
The memorable part of the show was that the news came out during the concert that the Gulf War had ended. Ted Nugent celebrated by shooting a cutout of Saddam Hussein with his crossbow. (This seemed spontaneous, but it was actually something he was doing throughout the tour, because he’s Ted Nugent and that’s what he does.)
Casa Motel and Duluth Motel History
In a vein somewhat similar to the Ye Olde Corner Grocery post, I recently saw that the Casa Motel is for sale. That shoebox-looking motel has been a curiosity since I was a kid. It had a certain “stigma” about it, but I’ve always wondered, why there? What made someone build a motel there, in 1965? (more…)
The Economics of Sulfide Mining: Benefits and Costs
This address was given by Dr. Tom Power, Professor Emeritus at the University of Montana about a week ago in Duluth. (more…)
Ye Olde Corner Grocery
The latest posting at the Duluth Public Library’s Reference@Duluth blog is a look at a few of the lost corner grocery stores of Duluth.
Video Archive: Homegrown 2003
Here’s a sloppy VHS version of KDLH-TV’s coverage of the 2003 Homegrown Music Festival, including clips from the only Homegrown Kickball Classic ever held at the Wade softball fields — and the only time a TV news personality was invited to participate in the game.
Starfire’s fabulous mohawk appears near the end, although the quality of the video doesn’t do it justice.
Video Archive: 1989 World Series Earthquake
Duluth sports anchors report on the Oct. 17, 1989, Loma Prieta Earthquake that disrupted the World Series at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Featuring WDIO’s Steve LePage and KBJR’s Paul Guggenheimer.
Guy Lombardo regrets
I don’t know if I was being cheap or just avoiding my hoarding instincts, but I regret not coughing up $8 for this Guy Lombardo record at the Wallace Henkins Estate Sale in May. It appears to be a live recording on Duluth station WEBC from Oct. 14, 1948 — I’m not sure. It was an over-sized record, and I wasn’t sure if it would fit on my turntable. So, who picked it up and how long until it’s shared on the Internet?
Video Archive: Locker Room gets Blastered
The Third Base Bar on Tower Avenue in Superior used to be the Locker Room Lounge and Grill. Here is pro wrestling’s Gary “The Blaster” Lindgren extolling the virtues of the Locker Room, circa 1989.
Curiosity: Mysteries Near Boy Scout Landing
I have a curiosity about the history of our town and the surrounding area, and PDD has been a great source for finding answers and discovering new things. I hope someone can solve these mini mysteries, (at least they’re a mystery to me).
Out by Boy Scout Landing, there is this wedge-shaped foundation, (Search Google Maps for: 46.654688, -92.224903). It looks as if it was some sort of industry long since gone. (more…)
Granada Stage Bar
Here is a photo I took of the Granada Stage Bar during a snow storm in the early 1980s, a few years after moving to town. I don’t know or remember anything about it, including its actual location. In my mind I think it was on Superior St, but that organ has been wrong on a regular basis. Anybody have any knowledge of it?
The Rise and Fall of the Red Herring (the old Rocket Bar)
Regarding the Rocket Bar renovation:
Well, folks, far-be-it from me to talk the talk and not walk the walk, but when a few hundred thousand greenbacks comprise the difference between the “talk” and the “walk,” well, shucks … it was a good run. (more…)
Pruning Time in Duluth
Since this old comic was available for a quarter at the Wallace Hankins Estate Sale, I thought I’d scan and post it, in case anyone finds it interesting or knows specifically what it’s about.
I would guess it’s from the 1930s, when buses began replacing streetcars, which may have resulted in cutting trees to widen roads, or maybe the tree is simply a metaphor for how the streetcar business would be hacked to death by buses.
The headline leads me to believe this was a newspaper editorial comic that the Park Point Community Club had printed on card stock and distributed around town to raise a fuss. The signature on the comic is John Harrison.
The Lark of Duluth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oQmMYkjxH4
Former Perfect Duluth Day intern Jamie Merideth shot and edited this video about the replica of the Lark of Duluth, “The World’s First Airliner,” being built at Sky Harbor.
There will be a Centennial event at Sky Harbor this summer from July 12-14.
Duluth’s Lakewalk That Wasn’t
The comments on the recent post about wine rooms as breeding places of vice in Duluth a century ago delved into the history of prostitution in Canal Park. If only someone had come up with the idea for the Lakewalk back then … (more…)
Chop suey houses recognized by new regime as detrimental
From 100 years ago — April 17, 1913 — Duluth News Tribune:
“The Main” Trailer
In 1982 Bob Jansen was fired from his job as a college professor for being gay. After suing the institution that fired him, he took his settlement money to open the first openly gay bar in the Duluth/Superior region: The Main Club. The Main follows Jansen’s history and the history of the bar while exploring social trends that may threaten the continued existence of historically significant queer spaces like the Main Club.
Directed by Julie Casper Roth.
Blustery out at the Congdon’s today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x12THpgHgg0&feature=youtu.be
Question about the Egyptian Theatre in Downtown Duluth
My students have questions about the Egyptian Theatre of the Duluth Masonic Center, 4 West Second St., Duluth. “The Egyptian Theater is a unique landmark in the city of Duluth, and its Kimball pipe organ has recently been restored.”
If you have info about construction, performances, and other historical information, please share below!
Duluth Preservation Alliance Centennial Homes Recognition
At its annual awards ceremony in May the Duluth Preservation Alliance is recognizing Duluth homes that are turning 100 years old. The DPA is looking for applicants whose homes are turning 100 years old this year and that have retained their historic character.
If you would like to apply, or know someone who might qualify, you can download an application at duluthpreservation.org under the “Centennial Homes Recognition” tab. Applications are due April 18.
If you have any questions, please contact Bob Berg at 218-341-6143 or robert.berg @ duluth.k12.mn.ust.
Low at 20
In yesterday’s story in the DNT, Alan Sparhawk, sound engineer Eric Swanson, musicians Marc Gartman, Amy Abts and Tony Bennett, and Low’s former nanny Scott “Starfire” Lunt all weigh in on the band’s 20 years of music.
It’s a great conversation and it’s one I think is worth continuing here as Low commemorates its second decade in the business and its 10th studio album, which hits the shelves on Tuesday.
What are your favorite Low memories, whether you know the band or you’re just a fan of their music?