History
Duluth’s Ellis Harbor
Here’s an interesting read from the Sept. 25, 1921 Duluth News Tribune.
Hearts of Gold
Today, at Super One Foods in Lakeside, there was an older guy wearing a Marines cap, so I asked him where he served. He said sixty years ago on this day in Korea, December of ’51, they had been in their bunker, which was warmed by an oil stove. Someone mistakenly threw gas on it, and everything went up in a blaze, his Christmas presents under his cot, his camera, some guys died. Another “even got a silver heart.” Probably for running back into the fire to save people.
So when I walk by these modest, quiet homes, and wonder who lives there, I’ll know many of them are old-time Duluthians who served their country in wars people easily forgot. And while I may be angered by the hypocrisy, failure of diplomacy, fear or greed that may cause them, I am equally amazed and humbled by the courage and selflessness of those who serve. Sometimes they just want their stories to be heard.
Denfeld engraving still on MacArthur?
As most people know, the southern wing of the old MacArthur Elementary School was built in 1915 as Denfeld High School. (The modern Denfeld opened in 1926 and the old Denfeld became West Junior; MacArthur was built in 1957; West closed and became part of MacArthur in 1983; MacArthur was replaced with a new building this past fall). The photo above is of the 56th Avenue West entrance to the old MacArthur, which has always been considered the back door. (more…)
R.I.P. West Duluth ICO
The West Duluth ICO on Grand Avenue and 46th Avenue West has been torn down. A CVS pharmacy will be built in its place. I don’t have any ICO memories that are springing to mind, other than that one night in 2010 I decided to shoot a photo of it.
By the way, I think it might have technically been a Spur station, even though everyone called it ICO and there was an ICO sign on it. I’m not really sure how gas-station naming works.
Pearl Harbor Day Reflections
And There Shall Be Wars is a worthy addition to any World War II library.
When the Twin Towers were struck and fell on my birthday ten years ago, 9/11 was immediately being compared to another Day of Infamy sixty years earlier. What’s striking about the two events is how differently the news reached us. In 2001 Americans across the land were glued to their TV sets seeing replays of the horror and hearing commentaries of related unfolding events as they happened, with varying degrees of accuracy but instantly. With Internet access we could also watch reactions from around the world. Information about the 1941 attack came home to us in a far different manner, as this book excerpt shows. (more…)
What will happen to old Washburn school?
Does anybody have any idea what might be in store for the old Washburn Edison Charter School at 201 W. St. Andrews St. now that it is no longer being used as a school? I have a hard time imagining it’s all that cost effective for the Duluth Bible Church to continue there alone.
Video Archive: 14-year-old Paula Shires of Bovey tears it up on Chemielewski Fun Time
It’s ladies’ night and the feeling is right.
House of Donuts
I recently recovered this photo from my attic. It’s dated July 18, 1992. That’s me on the left in my Minnesota Twins championship T-shirt, proudly raising a bag full of what have got to be bear claws. PDD co-founder Barrett Chase is on the right. In the middle, grabbing his junk, is Bob Schulte.
For most of its existence, and at the time of the photo above, House of Donuts was located just east of where the Whole Foods Co-op is now, at 624 E. Fourth St. Ronald and Michele Carter were the owners.
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WEBC — Where you’re hearing things
Another classic Duluth radio jingle from Bob Halverson’s collection:
Vintage Duluth/Superior Flickr Pool
For those of you interested in vintage images of the Twin Ports, I thought I’d share a Flickr group I started to showcase all the vintage postcards, photos, maps and images stored on that site. The vintage postcards from Superior are my personal favorites. Please peruse, join the group and add any images you might have — I’d love to see the pool grow!
Duluth’s Halloween Megastorm of 1991
For those who are too young to remember and/or didn’t live around here 20 years ago, Duluth experienced one of the craziest blizzards in history in 1991. The Halloween Megastorm was part of, or at least coincided with, what became known as The Perfect Storm, “a nor’easter that absorbed Hurricane Grace and ultimately evolved into a small hurricane late in its life cycle.”
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Chester Bowl Historical Photos
So, the brouhaha over the ski jumps reminded me about this project – some historical photos from Chester Bowl. (more…)
Halloween 1911: The Quietest in History?
From the Duluth News Tribune, 100 years ago.
The Old Brewhouse Bar
Anyone have any photos of the Brewhouse’s bar before it got remodeled into its current state? No better reason than that my nostalgia is flaring up.
Radio WAKX 1320: The Twin Ports’ pace-setting leader
Via Bob Halverson, here’s another old Duluth radio jingle.
Hey, someone had to lead at setting the pace.
Related link: Bob’s initial post about local jingles.
Damn kids will make life miserable for older Duluthians
From the Duluth News Tribune, 1895:
Duluth’s old Mathisen Tire Co.
Here’s another photo from the Cliff’s Barber Shop Collection. It’s from the spring or early summer of 1962, and the location is 400 E. Superior St. in Duluth. (PDD all-star points go to the person who can explain what this parade is all about. It might be the Fourth of July, but that’s totally a guess on my part.) (more…)
Park Point Pirates
Hey Duluth history buffs! I heard a rumor that there were once pirates operating on Park Point, preying on ships in the harbor, and they were cleaned out in a big police raid. Does anybody know anything about this?
Looking for WIGL Jingles
WIGL radio was a daytime Top-40 music station covering the Duluth-Superior market from 1961 to 1964. I am a collector of radio jingles, and have many from WEBC and a couple of early WAKX ones. However, WIGL has been elusive. I e-mailed Lew Latto about it (who owned the station for a while), and he regretfully replied that he was unable to help me. I know some people taped the radio back then (I did) — maybe there’s an aircheck out there with a WIGL jingle or two. I remember they had purple promo signs on the backs of the city buses during that era, and their jingles always ended with “Wiggle!!!” Posting this in case somebody is unknowingly sitting on a piece of Duluth-Superior broadcasting history.
Bob Carlson: Businessman, Crusader or Smut-Peddler?
By Dave Hill | Sun Magazine July 15-16, 1970
Will the real Bob Carlson please stand up and identify himself? So far, there are conflicting reports about just who the real Bob Carlson is:
An enterprising St. Paul hustler who has made an opportune bundle as a publicity-wise smut-peddler;
A crusading champion of freedom who has been victimized by the harassment of St. Paul’s self-appointed guardians of public and private morality;
A modest, even earnest small businessman who runs a group of bookstores, putting in long hours of hard work, trying to make an honest dollar just like thousands of other men in the hardware, furniture or used car lines.
When the real Bob Carlson does stand up, the situation gets a little muddled. You see, to one degree or another, all three of those confusing caricatures seem to fit him, at least a little bit.
Duluth – Onigamiinsing
[This post originally included an embedded video that no longer exists at its source.]
I’ve since moved away, but I love coming back to visit my hometown of Duluth. I made this little video one evening this summer at Leif Erikson Park, I thought some of you might enjoy. (more…)
The Perilous Inlet
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqlQXrBMkcM
Finished version composed largely of scenes already posted here, with new material for interested parties.
Posting this here strips the titles and credits off, so please click the Youtube icon to view on Youtube with titles and credits intact. Thank you~
Reception at the Tweed Museum of Art
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2 -4 p.m. Opening reception for new exhibition, “Our Treasures: Highlights from the Minnesota Museum of American Art.”
Free and open to the public. Tweed Museum of Art is located on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth, 1201 Ordean Court.
Organized by the Minnesota Museum of American Art in St. Paul. Features 30 of the top artworks in the MMAA collection including works by artists such as Paul Manship, Robert Henri, Grant Wood, Louise Nevelson, George Morrison, Christo and Wing Young Huie.