History
Dibiki Giizis – The Moon – Seeking local music
Usually I work in early childhood family education but for the summer I am returning to one of my first great loves, radio. I actually wrote about WGZS-FM Dibiki Giizis in this post from several months ago. For the summer anyway I will be hosting and producing some music and public affairs programming on the station mainly during the weekends. Right now the station is still in ramp-up mode, broadcasting at about 70% power and in FM Mono. The schedule is 9-4 pm on weekdays and 9-2 on weekends. Eventually it will be in 100,000 watt FM Stereo and 24 hours a day. (more…)
Indian Country Today: Girls and Women in Duluth Sexually Exploited for Generations
Earlier this month Indian Country Today, a national daily newspaper, featured an historical analysis of the sexual exploitation of Native American girls and women. The story, and the pattern, is chilling enough as it is, but the story is framed in and around Duluth, making it all the more compelling. This is an excellent piece of advocacy journalism by Mary Annette Pember. (more…)
View of Rice’s Point, circa 1961
The above shot of Rice’s Point is from the Cliff’s Barber Shop Collection. It must be from 1961, as the new Blatnik Bridge (highlighted in the below) appears to be not quite completed in the photo.
(more…)Zenith City Online is … online !
I just wanted to drop those PDDers with a taste for local history a reminder that Zenith City Online is up and running at zenithcity.com. I’m hoping you stop by Zenith City after your morning check of PDD for your daily dose of Duluth history with “This Day in Duluth.” This month’s issue also features … (more…)
Homegrown Origin Mythology (part 1 of 3)
Our story begins in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety eight, A.D. in a city built upon a hill, overlooking the greatest of the Great Lakes, the Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas – Duluth!
For those too young to recall, these were dark days in our fair city. The musical landscape was largely barren – a virtual wasteland of yellow beer and cover bands. A dark cloud hung perpetually heavy upon the arts community. A fog of pessimism and oppression obscured the vision of what this city could offer and whispered a sinister, “move to Minneapolis.”
In this darkest hour, a small group of rebels were desperately fighting to establish a foothold for original live music and authentic culture. One dark and dreary night they gathered at Enger Tower. Among the rag-tag group of rebels – Bacigalupo, Monroe, Lindquist, Brewhouse Boys, The SparHawk, and Rick Boo.
Duluth to California $40.22
From the Duluth News Tribune; Sept. 10, 1914 via The Oregonian Blog (pdf).
Duluth Album Releases in 2004
Greg Cougar Conley
For You
HDC Records
Jerree Small
Mobius
Available on CD Baby
Trampled by Turtles
Songs from a Ghost Town
Available on Amazon
‘Where is Duluth?’
I stumbled upon an interesting Duluth factoid, courtesy of the Futility Closet:
In 1871 the House of Representatives was considering subsidizing railroads to serve the Midwest, including tiny Duluth, Minn. Kentucky representative J. Proctor Knott rose, produced a bucket of sarcasm…
Yet, sir, had it not been for this map, kindly furnished me by the Legislature of Minnesota, I might have gone down to my obscure and humble grave in an agony of despair, because I could nowhere find Duluth. Had such been my melancholy fate, I have no doubt that with the last feeble pulsation of my breaking heart, with the last faint exhalation of my fleeting breath I should have whispered, ‘Where is Duluth?’
Little did he know that Duluth was destined for greatness thanks in part to its railroad. Full speech here (along with annotated laugh track): The Kentucky Anthology
Does anybody know the history behind the Homegrown Chicken as a mascot?
Don’t get me wrong, the Chicken is cool, but I still don’t understand how it became the mascot. If anybody has any insight into this historical mystery, let me know.
Old Duluth Homes
My name is Kaitlin. I am a journalism student at UMD and am currently writing a story about old Duluth homes. I am in search of people who own or know someone who owns an older home in the Congdon area or anywhere in Duluth. I am interested in talking with residents about the problems they’ve had in renovating or just general issues they’ve noticed in their older homes.
If you or someone you know have had any sort of issue or is willing to talk about their old home, I’d love to talk!
Thanks so much!
So long, Southgate Bowl
Since the Southgate Bowl in Cloquet is shutting down to make way for a Walgreens, it seems fitting to pay tribute. Best wishes to Gerry and Rose Pollard, who opened the place in the 1970s.
Buffalo Bill Cody, his little sister Helen, and Duluth
There are a lot of rumors and facts about Buffalo Bill Cody and his connection to Duluth. In this post, we examine the subject as deeply as anyone would possibly want to.
In short: Buffalo Bill Cody financed the Duluth Press Building in the friendly West End. There used to be a Cody Hotel in West Duluth named after Buffalo Bill, and he is the namesake behind Cody Street.
Here’s a link to a story I wrote in 2002 about Buffalo Bill’s little sister for the Area Woman magazine, which provides a good general background: Area Women in History: Helen Cody Wetmore (more…)
Helen Cody Wetmore: More Than Just Buffalo Bill’s Little Sister
The reminders are all over the city, but still, few people know that Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody had business interests in Duluth one hundred years ago. His sister, Helen Cody Wetmore, lived in Duluth back then and convinced the famous frontiersman and Wild West showman to invest in the Zenith City. She also made a name for herself as an advocate for women achieving what she called “their rightful spheres in church and state.” (more…)
Duluth-Area BBS
Recently, I stumbled on this website, which lists BBS numbers that existed in the 218 area code in the 80s and 90s. The BBS or bulletin board system was a precursor to web forums. People usually used BBSs that were physically in the same area as they were, since their computer would actually have to call the BBS and would incur long-distance charges just like any other landline phone call.
I never used a BBS, but I remember other kids talking about them furtively in my computer programming class in 8th grade. Sadly, my trusty VIC-20 lacked a modem.
Did anyone here use these or other local BBSs, or better yet did anyone actually run one? If so, please nerd out in the comments.
Question for Local History Buffs
On behalf of four 8th grade boys that I am assisting with National History Day projects I am seeking assistance from anyone who could point them in the right direction. Two boys are making a short ten-minute documentary about the Civilian Conservation Corps in this area and the other two boys are making an exhibit about the Duluth Canal. They are looking for additional pictures for their projects and anyone who may be available for an interview or to answer questions. Please reply here if you can offer any help and I will pass your e-mail information along to the students. If you have any tips for them I could pass on it would also be appreciated as well. They are very motivated and competing to represent our area at the national competition in Washington DC this June.
fountainheadmn @ yahoo.com
What’s the deal with those horns?
If you scroll through this slideshow displaying statues of Leif Erikson you will notice Duluth’s statue has something most of the other statues don’t have. Go ahead, I’ll wait …
So, did you notice? If you read the headline you already know what it is: horns. What’s more, if you read this article by UMD journalist Madiha Mirza, you will learn that Duluthian Stefan Guttormsson, president-elect of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota, believes our statue should not have horns.
Of course, if that’s true, does it also mean the Minnesota Vikings’ logo is, um, wrong?
History detectives: Who was Lester?
UMD journalism student Julie Krienke wrote this great article for LakeVoiceNews.org. Maybe it’s just because I live on Leicester, but I think this article and Mark Atkinson’s search are a perfect candidate for the PBS series, The History Detectives. Maybe if everyone tells them we’d like them to join the search? It worked for TBT on Prairie Home Companion. (more…)
Boreal Bicycle Works
Last week I was tooling around town on my bicycle when I stumbled upon this business. I have never heard any of my cycling friends mention this shop. It opened in 2001, but when did it close? Heck, it might even still be open. There are some Christmas lights on in the window.
Do people have stories/history about this business?
Major Concerts at the DECC: 1966 to 2010
This feature is an ongoing attempt to list all the major concerts at the DECC Arena and Symphony Hall from 1966 to 2010, which of course includes the era when they were known as the Duluth Arena and Duluth Auditorium. (more…)
What’s the matter with Duluth girls?
This clip didn’t make it to my inbox until after Valentine’s Day, but hey, it’s 100 years old anyway, so what’s a few more days? It’s from the Feb. 4, 1912, Duluth News Tribune. A more readable version of the text appears below.
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