My Psychic Powers
Keeping in mind that I have no credibility, this is the true story of my psychic powers, which I don’t believe in. The reader may decide if I have psychic powers or not. I’ve already told you I don’t believe in them. I used to but not anymore. However, even though I quit believing, psychic things keep happening, which is profoundly irritating.
In chronological order:
Porky Pig Clairvoyance, 1st-2nd Grade (?)
Family Florida trip. A full-page ad in the back of a comic book transfixed me. I read it on my hotel room bed in a block of sunlight, sounds of the ocean in the distance. The ad was for a book about developing psychic and magic powers. It had fine print about the powers, psychic ways to make money, etc. I read every word, thinking it was real or could be.
Then I remember Dad driving and I was in the front seat with him. It was the just the two of us. Florida seemed particularly packed with road signage. A random thought flitted through my head as stores and restaurants flowed by: a line of Porky Pig dialog. No surprise there. It was fleeting and I paid it no mind. Within a couple minutes we drove past a barbecue place with a Porky Pig knock-off on its signage. I said, “Hey, I just thought about Porky Pig and here we are driving past this sign! That’s psychic!”
“Do you think so?” Dad asked, humoring me.
I did think so. Now I knew: I had psychic powers. (more…)
Duluth Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Plan
Duluth Parks and Recreation has released the draft Essential Spaces: Duluth Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan. The 426-page PDF provides guidance on Duluth’s play spaces for the next decade and offers recommendations on how the city can “continue to support a healthy and vibrant community, enhance inclusion and equity, and advance environmental protection in our park system within a sustainable budget framework.” (more…)
Canal Park souvenir invites tourists to envision a lift bridge over the Mississippi
Some years ago, I had a Duluth nameplate hanging from the back of my bicycle, which I suppose is why I impulsively bought another when I saw it recently in a Canal Park souvenir shop. I vaguely remember the one I had purchased in my younger years having a generic cityscape and not actually showing Duluth.
This one seemed no different, and might even be the same design, but this time I noticed that the building on the far left had a rather specific architecture. Checking with a group of skyscraper-obsessed friends led me to a conclusion that I should have reached myself: this Duluth souvenir depicts the skyline of St. Paul. (more…)
Former Huskies outfielder makes major league debut
Former Duluth Huskies outfielder Cal Stevenson made his Major League Baseball debut for the Oakland Athletics on Aug. 10. He is the 301st former Northwoods League player to reach the majors.
Stevenson played for the Huskies in 2015. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays. (more…)
Northern Pacific Railroad Locomotive #1849
This 1952 photo shows Northern Pacific Railroad Locomotive #1849 in Downtown Duluth, with Duluth’s tallest building — the Alworth — in the background among other structures. NP’s #1849 was built in 1923 and scrapped in 1957.
Duluth 2022 Primary 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, Republican Party
Pete Stauber | 51,404
Harry Robb Welty | 5,074
District 8 United States Representative, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Jen Schultz | 38,536
John Munter | 6,199
(more…)
Jens Flaaten & the Minnesota National Guard 3rd Regt. Band
This postcard from the early 1900s has a pencil-written note on the back: “Jens Flaaten & the Minnesota band from Duluth.” Flaaten’s funeral was held on Aug. 9, 1922. He died on Aug. 5 when he was struck by a motorist while crossing Superior Street at Fifth Avenue West. (more…)
Exploring Buckingham Creek
The latest look at Duluth’s underworld from Duluth Urbex explores Buckingham Creek, which flows through Enger Park and down Observation Hill into the St. Louis River.
The Minnesota Woolen Company Story
The clips above are from the 1959 film The Minnesota Woolen Company, obtained by Perfect Duluth Day via the Kathryn A. Martin Library Archives & Special Collections at the University of Minnesota Duluth and shared with permission from the St. Louis County Historical Society. For those who want to fully nerd out on this, the complete film can be viewed below. (more…)
Monthly Grovel: August 2022
Concerts on the pier, concerts in the park, concerts on the patio, concerts on the porch, bayside concerts, courtside concerts, fireside concerts … we’ve got concerts coming out of and back into our ears at the PDD Calendar.
Each month we reach out with one beggarly blog post to remind everyone that human beings and not machines are at work editing and publishing event listings. So if you appreciate it, drop a few bucks in the PayPal account. (more…)
Selective Focus: Festival of Sail
A smattering of images via Instagram from the weekend’s Festival of Sail in Two Harbors. (more…)
Postcard from the Duluth Folk Festival
This postcard, published by Gallagher’s Studio of Photography, shows a typical scene from the Duluth International Folk Festival at Leif Erikson Park. The postcard was mailed 60 years ago today — Aug. 6, 1962 — by someone named Sara who mentions attending the festival in her message on the back of the card. (more…)
Wisconsin Point at Sunset
Videographer Adam Jagunich flew his Yuneec Typhoon H Plus hexacopter at the Duluth/Superior border to capture sunset scenes at Wisconsin Point.
The “Souvenir of Duluth” decorative pillow cover
It’s certainly no odder than the Pink Aerial Lift Bridge Dollhouse Toilet, but the Duluth pillow cover still qualifies as an oddity. I nabbed the image from an eBay listing circa 2018 and figured it was a one-off thing someone made, but then … (more…)
White Lady Cornrows in Duluth
For the second time, Duluth has been mentioned on the podcast Yo, is this Racist? The show, hosted by Andrew Ti and Tawny Newsome, answers questions from listeners about whether given subjects are an example of racism or not. The Aug. 3 episode was recorded live in Minneapolis, so Newsome’s reference to Duluth was perhaps more carefully selected than random. (more…)
Flame Excursion Boat during Portorama 1962
This photograph by Lyman E. Nylander was shot 60 years ago during the Duluth Seaway Portorama of 1962. The 108-passenger Flame served as a tourist excursion boat in Duluth from 1961 to 1973. It was replaced by the 256-passenger Vista Queen.
The Flame is now operating in Buffalo, N.Y.
Digital Marketing Job Opening
Hey fellow PDD’ers and Duluthians, my company has a job opening for a digital marketer. So if you, or anyone you know, has some digital marketing chops we have a great opportunity. I wanted to give a shot to finding some local talent, before casting the net further.
The ideal candidate would have a background in some aspects of digital marketing. Pay will be based on experience and skills, the ideal candidate could expect $35 – $60 per hour with wage growth based on quality of work, motivation and performance. Training and improving digital marketing skill sets will be a large aspect of this position and we will send the right candidate to educational trainings and conferences each year.
This is a remote work position, with occasional onsite working sessions when needed. Hours are flexible 20 – 40 per week and candidate must be available during the day Mon – Fri.
Selective Focus: Dirtbike Boyfriend
Photo by Gary Walton
Bret Holland, or “Dirtbike Boyfriend,” is a multimedia artist based in Duluth. His art — encompassing doodles, denim painted clothing, music and more — explores themes both personal and political. And yes, he does ride dirt bikes. (more…)
How to Slice Watermelon
Apparently there is a watermelon surplus on Minnesota’s Iron Range. In this video, Steve Solkela and friends have some fun with the sweet fruit of summer.
Charlie Parr – “Preachin’ Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)”
Duluth’s Charlie Parr performs the song “Preachin’ Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)” in this recently-uploaded-to-YouTube video from PoleCat Productions. The song was originally recorded by Robert Johnson in 1936. This video of the Charlie Parr version was shot on Feb. 22, 2021, during a performance in Slab City in California’s Sonoran Desert.
PDD Quiz: July 2022
Test your memory of this month’s headlines with the PDD current events quiz!
The next PDD quiz heads your way on Aug. 14; it will look at the Tall Ships festival. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Aug. 11. (more…)
Last issue of the Duluth Herald
Forty years ago today — July 30, 1982 — the Duluth Herald newspaper was published for the last time. The first issue was published April 9, 1883, and its cover appeared as artwork on the final edition. (more…)
Exploring Lower Brewery Creek Tunnel
Seven months ago Duluth Urbex published a winter video from the icy underground of the Brewery Creek drain tunnel. A new video, embedded above, explores the tunnel in summer conditions.
Mystery Photo: 1962 State and Sectional Champs
This photo was acquired at the Ellefson Estate Sale in the Upper Cody part of West Duluth in 2019. It shows a youth baseball team with players wearing different jerseys, suggesting perhaps it’s an all-star squad or the team had multiple sponsors. The sponsor names on the shirts are: Kelley Duluth, City Bottling, YOT (Young Old Timers), Gately’s, West Arrow Chevrolet, Moose 1478 … and one looks like it might be M&J Super Value (the bottom word is blocked by the players forearms). Two jerseys are plain white; those players have an M on their caps while the other players have caps with no lettering.
The writing on the back of the photo gives the biggest clue: “1962 State & Sectional Champs.” But the names of the players and coaches are lost to history unless a nerd or two step up and solve the mysteries. (more…)