Video Tour of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum
The Depot is closed, but the Lake Superior Railroad Museum is offering daily video tours. The first episode appears above. The short vignettes are hosted by the museum’s executive director Ken Buehler. Watch for future episodes on the North Shore Scenic Railroad YouTube Channel.
Superintendents of Duluth Public Schools, 1870 to 2020
Minnesota’s Independent School District #709 was led by 29 individuals during its first 150 years. For the historical record we list here the superintendents of Duluth Public Schools from 1870 to 2020. (more…)
Selective Focus: Virtual Duluth
Started on Facebook by Matt Dressel, Virtual Duluth is people posting live, streaming arts and music happenings.
Eight winter sunsets over the harbor
Presented in order from my Instagram account @lakesuperioraquaman. These chronicle the freezing over and thawing out of the harbor, from 12/31 to 2/7. Each picture was taken from out behind Vikre Distillery after one Salty Dog.
Duluth Community Partners COVID-19 Update #1
A press conference was held on March 16 at City Hall in response to Governor Walz’s announcement regarding guidance from the state on school closures. The city invited community partners to provide an update on their operations.
Unnecessary Quotation Marks: COVID-19 Edition
Another one for the collection of unnecessary quotation marks in Duluth.
So, are we limited to 2 or “2”?
Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #45
Another trivia card from a board game purchased at Savers. (more…)
Beyondbliss – “WuHan!! Got You All in Check”
Duluth rapper Beyondbliss parodies Busta Rhymes’ 1996 hit “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check” in this new video.
Kip’s Grand Marais Photo Walks
Explore the great northern Minnesota city of Grand Marais with photographer Kip Praslowicz in this video shot in January. Prints from the photographs captured during this video can be purchased at shop.kpraslowicz.com.
PDD Quiz: Prohibition in the Twin Ports
To mark the centennial of the start of nationwide Prohibition, this week’s quiz explores how residents of the Twin Ports adapted to (and circumvented) laws banning alcohol.
The Zenith City website, the Northeast Minnesota Historical Center collections, and the book Naturally Brewed, Naturally Better: The Historic Breweries of Duluth and Superior by Pete Clure and Tony Dierckins were all invaluable sources of research for this quiz.
The next PDD quiz, reviewing headlines from March 2020, will be published on March 29. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by March 26. (more…)
Do you know? Facts about Duluth from 1920
From Feb. 23 to March 25 of 1920 the Duluth Herald newspaper published a daily fact about Duluth on its front page. Some are pretty interesting, some are kind of silly. All in all, it’s a fun snapshot of what Duluth was bragging about a century ago. (more…)
Missing Person: Patrick Lubina
The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office is looking for assistance in locating Patrick Robert Lubina to check his welfare.
Lubina was last seen on March 10 at his residence on Strizich Road in French Township, about 90 miles northwest of Duluth. He is believed to have left his residence on foot.
Lubina is described as 6-foot-4-inches tall, 190 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. He might be wearing a blue jean jacket with a cream-colored collar.
Anyone with information about Lubina’s whereabouts should contact the St. Louis County Sheriff’s office via 911 or 218-742-9825.
Selective Focus: #perfectduluthday
It’s been a tough week – daylight savings, changing seasons and lots of ice and mud, Friday the 13th, not to mention current events. Take a step back from it all, and we’ll enjoy a few recent #perfectduluthdays.
Postcard from Astor Trading Post
This undated postcard depicts a replica of the American Fur Company trading post at Fond du Lac, which opened in 1935 at Chambers Grove Park in Duluth’s Fond du Lac neighborhood and was demolished in the late 1960s.
The original fur post operated from 1817 to 1847 at the present-day site of Historical Park, just a bit downstream from Chambers Grove Park along the St. Louis River. (more…)
PDD Video Lab: Edgewater, the Bellows and S.S. Meteor, 1976
For this edition of the PDD Video Lab we’ve taken yet another silent film from Dominic Chione’s Vimeo account. The clips here are from 1976, and they might make you weepy when you see them accompanied by the intro to the Manhattans’ 1976 hit “Kiss and Say Goodbye.” (more…)
Girl from the North Country … Duluth on Broadway!
The Broadway premiere of Girl from the North Country, set in Duluth and featuring the songs of Duluth native Bob Dylan, was held at the Belasco Theatre on March 5. (more…)
Video Archive: SatAn’s Residence for Sinner Citizens
Ten years ago today, the Colder by the Lake theater group opened “Older by the Lake, or the Colonoscopy Monologues” at the Zeitgeist Teatro. The show was a comedy about aging. The clip above, produced for the show, is a parody of television ads for St. Ann’s, an assisted-living facility in Duluth.
The Slice: The Embassy
For those who missed the Church Bazaar last weekend, here’s a quick look inside the former Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where a Duluth artist collective called the Embassy is envisioning a new space for collaboration and artistic expression.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
Searching for Descendants of the Duluth Tooth-puller Incident
Perfect Duluth Day readers might remember a post featuring an unusual story from 1903 about a crazed Finlander and unwanted dentistry. Minnesota filmmaker Joshua Carlon is exploring a short documentary about the event and is looking for any descendants of the parties involved who would be interested in being interviewed on camera regarding the incident.
The only named parties in the event are the Finlander John Simonson, Police Chief Troyer, Officer O’Neill and one victim, a Mrs. Elaison of 329 St. Croix Avenue.
If any PDD readers are related to this event or have connections to anyone who might be, please reach out to Josh at josh @ jcarlon.com.
Regret
A short film by Blake Lawrence, shot and cut by Manny Villanueva in Duluth, January 2017.
Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #44
Another trivia card from a board game purchased at Savers. (more…)
Mystery Photo #103: Girl with Curls
What’s the deal with this curly haired lass? Was she a Duluthian? (more…)
Minnesota All Hockey Hair Team 2020: The Flow Must Go On
Like a great hair band, John King keeps on goin’ with another edition of the Minnesota All Hockey Hair team.