Cruising the Great Lakes with Dan Kraker, MPR

Minnesota Public Radio’s Dan Kraker talks about the Great Lakes cruise ship industry.

News and Current AffairsVideosLake SuperiorTourism

A nice girl from Duluth on S.W.A.T.

The CBS network television drama S.W.A.T. has a reference to Duluth in its second episode, titled “Cuchillo.” The show aired five years ago today — Nov. 9, 2017.

In the scene, Sergeant “Hondo” pulls over a nice girl from Duluth who has been mixed up with a bad boy.

VideosReferences to Duluth in Film/TV or Other Media
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Wednesday Top it Off
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi

Postcard from a Night Scene of Fire in Superior Milling District

A flour mill fire in Superior caused more than $2.6 million in damage on Nov. 9, 1907 — 115 years ago today. The Duluth News Tribune referred to it as “the most disastrous fire in point of property loss, and probably the most spectacular blaze ever seen at the Head of the Lakes.”

The postcard shown above was mailed nine days after the fire. It was sent by someone named Frank to Master A. Pearson of Spokane, Wash. The photo apparently shows the smoldering remains of the Freeman Flour Mills and Elevator — Franks wrote “Fremon Mill” on the back of the card. (more…)

HistoryFireHuntley Printing CompanyPostcardsSuperior

Duluth 2022 General Election Results

With 4,103 of 4,103 precincts reporting, here are the statewide numbers for races relevant to Duluth.
 
FEDERAL OFFICES

District 8 United States Representative
Pete Stauber | 188,070
Jen Schultz | 140,433
Write in | 325
(more…)

News and Current AffairsPoliticsElection Information
FDLTCC: Hot Summer Nights with Corey Medina
Barrel Room Smokehouse

Chuck Haavik – “I Hung a Cross in My Heart”

The fifth single from Duluth’s Chuck Haavik is a bit more Gospel leaning than his previous songs. “I Hung a Cross in My Heart,” features Dave Mehling keys and Taylor Donskey on string bass.

MusicChuck Haavik

Farewell to Mimi Parker, from Slate

Slate senior editor Sam Adams on the life and death of Mimi Parker and the music of Low.

MusicR.I.P.Low
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

The Slice: Tom Maruska’s 1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser

Duluth’s Tom Maruska restored a 1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser Concept Car.

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. (more…)

VideosThe SliceWDSE-TV - PBS North

Robert Plant pays tribute to Mimi Parker

Legendary rocker Robert Plant and his band Saving Grace, featuring Suzi Dian, paid tribute to recently departed Duluth musician Mimi Parker last night during a performance at King’s Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. (more…)

MusicLow
Ashwabay Alliance / Big Top Chautauqua
Glensheen

Postcard from Minnesota Point Lighthouse

This postcard was mailed 110 years ago today — Nov. 7, 1912. A previous Perfect Duluth Day post featured a different version of the same card, mailed four months earlier. That post includes additional background info on the lighthouse.

Also previously noted on PDD, the remains of the lighthouse have remained in roughly the same condition for more than a century. (more…)

HistoryHugh C. Leighton CompanyMinnesota Point and Park PointPostcards

Lumberjack World Championships: Cut Above the Rest

CBS Sunday Morning reports on Hayward’s Lumberjack World Championships, aka “The Olympics of the forest.”

News and Current AffairsCBSLumberjacking
Vision Pro: Clear Vision
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts

Order from Chaos book trailer

Available Dec. 1.

RandomBooks

Mimi Parker of Low has died of ovarian cancer

Duluth News Tribune: “Mimi Parker, of Duluth band Low, dies of ovarian cancer
Pitchfork: “Low’s Mimi Parker has died
NPR: “Mimi Parker, vocalist and drummer of the minimalist rock band Low, has died
Rolling Stone: “Low’s Mimi Parker, whose otherworldly vocals helped define slowcore, dead at 55 after cancer battle
PDD Calendar: Mimi Park Vigil at Sacred Heart

MusicNews and Current AffairsR.I.P.Low
Ashwabay Alliance / Big Top Chautauqua
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi

The Duluth Strangler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2s72q83VbA

The 1998 satirical comedy Wrongfully Accused, starring Leslie Nielsen, is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube. A reference to “The Duluth Strangler” shows up around the 18-minute mark. (more…)

VideosReferences to Duluth in Film/TV or Other Media

The Fur-bearing Trout of Lake Superior

From the Museum of the Weird in Austin, Texas.

Fur Bearing Trout
Very Rare
Caught while trolling in Lake Superior off Gros Cap, near Sault Ste. Marie, District of Algoma.
It is believed that the great depth and the extreme penetrating coldness of the weather in which these fish live have caused them to grow their dense coat of (usually) white fur.
Mounted by Ross C. Jobe, Taxidermist of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

(more…)

RandomFish and FishingHoaxes - Fake News - Satire - FolkloreLake Superior
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

Remembering the Fitzgerald

Great Lakes Now is a production of Detroit Public Television.

HistoryVideosLake SuperiorSS Edmund Fitzgerald

Duluth in Anarchy: A Journal of Anarchist Ideas

I found reference to Duluth in Anarchy: A Journal of Anarchist Ideas, issue #84, from February 1968, with a feature about something I have never heard of, the Kropotkin House. (more…)

HistoryCentral Hillside
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts

Duluth East Birch Logs of 1970 and 1972

A pair of Duluth East High School yearbooks can be perused on the Internet Archive from the years 1970 and 1972.

HistoryDuluth East High School

Rich Mattson and the Northstars – “Echo Chamber”

Rich Mattson and the Northstars have a new album titled Out There set for release on Nov. 4. “Echo Chamber” is the band’s newest video release. (more…)

MusicVideosRich Mattson
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi

The Slice: Duluth Poet Laureates Reading 2022

A series of readings was held in October celebrating past poet laureates of Duluth and introducing the next generation of the city’s poets.

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.

VideosPoetryThe SliceWDSE-TV - PBS North

Trampled by Turtles – “Starting Over”

Trampled by Turtles released a new album last week, Alpenglow, along with a new music video, shot and edited by Cooper Baumgartner.

MusicVideosTrampled by Turtles
Ashwabay Alliance / Big Top Chautauqua

Explore Wisconsinbly with Mary Mack: Moccasin Bar

Comedian Mary Mack continues her tour of Wisconsin with a stop at Hayward’s Moccasin Bar, about 60 miles southeast of Duluth.

VideosBars / Drinking EstablishmentsHaywardMary Mack

Duluth Central High School Jazz Ensemble

The 1977 album Project Two features music by various high school jazz groups, including a track from the Duluth Central High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by James Stellmaker. The tune “All God’s Children” was composed by Dominic Spera.

HistoryMusicDuluth Central High School
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts

People are Strange

For your Halloween viewing pleasure, a video montage of retro creatures, compiled by Duluth’s Jean Kirwan and set to the Doors’ “People are Strange.”

VideosDave and Jean KirwanHalloween

Duluth Home Products Dinner of 1912

What better night than Halloween for the Duluth Rotary Club and Duluth Chamber of Commerce to hold their Home Products Dinner of 1912? Here’s the program from 110 years ago today. (more…)

History
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi
Barrel Room Smokehouse

Philip Blackburn’s Ghostly Psalms

I hadn’t heard of Philip Blackburn until I found this recording online. Blackburn “was born in Cambridge, England, and studied music there as a Choral Scholar at Clare College (BA, MA). He earned his Ph.D. in Composition from the University of Iowa.” At some point, he relocated to Minnesota. (more…)

MusicHalloween