History
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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Duluth’s Old Street Signs
Mundane fact of the day: Before Duluth’s street signs were white on green they were black on white. For a while after the switch the old signs were piled up at the spot where Upper and Lower Michigan Street meet. I spent a few minutes browsing them on Jan. 30, 1999, but didn’t take any home as a souvenir.
Congdon Park Elementary Rinks
I’m a journalism student at UMD and I am writing about the history of the Congdon Park Elementary rinks. Today I talked to Bob Mars about the rinks and he mentioned a man that helped a lot there when he was a kid in the 1930s. He said the man’s name was Mr. Swan, but unfortunately could not remember his first name! Does anyone know anything about him? And, hopefully, do you know his first name? Furthermore, does anyone have any old pictures of the rinks with the old warming house?
The Owls Club of Duluth, Minn.
Video from Adam Carr’s “January in Duluth” blog.
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Local History Resources
I’m noticing a number of local history queries here. Don’t forget these local history resources: (more…)
Chester Creek House/ Whole Foods Co-op
I am a journalism student at UMD and I am currently working on a history story regarding the first days of the Whole Foods Co-op. If any of you remember the first days yourself, were somehow involved, or know someone who was involved please let me know. I would love to talk to you to learn more!
Who was Lester?
I’m a student at UMD working on a story about who Lester was. I’m working with Mark Atkinson to trace the history of who this original settler was. Anybody have information on this?
A Fingerprint and a Doorknob
This week’s installment of Robert Hughes, Art Lover, brought to you by the Duluth Art Institute, is centered around ‘provenance.’ We might also touch on the theft of the Mona Lisa…there’s only one way to find out! Read away, Duluthians! And get ready for the first showing of Robert Hughes’ Shock of the New, this Saturday at Zinema 2, starting at 11 a.m. You can find all of the information about the showing of this series at duluthartinstitute.org or on Facebook.
Christmas & New Year’s 2012
Entries into the guest books at lodges tend to be kind of boring, but I like how this group made a comic out of their stay at Heston’s Lodge on Gunflint Lake a month ago. Flipping through the stack of archives reveals this group has been making the trip for at least a dozen years, and they always leave a comic behind.
What happened to the creek at Cascade Park?
When you look at old pictures of Duluth’s Cascade Park there is a creek that runs through it. Whatever happened to it? Why did people change it? (more…)
Duluth Album Releases from the 1900s
Perfect Duluth Day’s attempt to chronical the works of local musicians begins with this list of 20th century recordings. (more…)
Chester Bowl looking for stories
The Chester Bowl Improvement Group wants to hear from people who have been in the ski program.
From Thom Storm:
We are in the process of applying for different grants for our ski program. It was suggested that we have some Chester Bowl stories/testimonials to include with our applications. I would like to take that a step further, and have a Chester Bowl Stories section on our website, chesterbowl.org.
Many parents have told me that the ski program has made a big difference to their families. If you would like to share your story, we would like to post it on our site. Please send any stories/testimonials to:
[email protected]
and include your name for the posting.
If you’ve got any historical stories, photos or artifacts, you could submit them to the Chester Bowl History page.
Another interesting Denfeld image
Just a little something I happened across on the job today.
A Few of Duluth’s 1911 Achievements
To read the story, click here for the PDF.
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…)
