Mike Watt at the NorShor Theater: “Eyegifts From Minnesota”
The documentary Eyegifts From Minnesota, by Bill Draheim, follows Mike Watt and his band at the time, the Jom and Terry Show, as they drive into Duluth and load in for a performance at the NorShor Theater on May 28, 2002. They tour the old R. O. Carlson’s bookstore, do some sightseeing in Canal Park and spend the night at Shaky Ray Records before heading south for shows at the Turf Club in St. Paul and the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.
Watt wrote extensively about the tour, and the Duluth stop, on his “Our Oars Became Wings” Tour 2002 Diary. He marvels in the diary and in the film about seeing Lake Superior for the first time. He also mentions in the diary getting a tour of “the secret tunnels” under the NorShor and how it “feels haunted down there.” (more…)
Mit Best Wishes from Duluth
Of the same sort as the “Vilkome to our city of Duluth” and “Iff you vill come to Duluth ve vill lock up all de cops” versions, this is another “Dutch Kid” pennant postcard, popular from about 1900 to 1920. The same cards were produced for various cities across the country. (more…)
Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #2
I scored a box of Duluth Trivia cards at Savers.
Some of the questions include:
The first vessel to pass through the Duluth Ship Canal was named:
- The Fero
- The Ishpeming
- The Handy
Postcard from Lake Superior
This postcard of Lake Superior was postmarked July 25, 1947 — 70 years ago today. (more…)
Two Duluthians were guests at Chapel Con in Albert Lea
This past weekend was Chapel Con, a comics and pop culture convention in Albert Lea, Minn. Two Duluthians were guests — two of our favorite comics creators. (more…)
Ezra’s Bike Fund
So our friend Ezra had his bike stolen last week. I created a Go Fund Me page to help him replace it. He saved for a long time to buy that bike and it’s not possible for him to replace it on his own. Help out if you can. Thanks.
Einstürzende alt bauten!
Photo from the Facebooks by James Gittemeier.
Goodbye old building. Say hi for me to House of Donuts when you get to old-building heaven.
Pattison State Park workout area
Does anyone have any info about the workout area at Pattison State Park near the swings? I remember that it used to have a sign posted that showed how to use all the equipment but that sign is now gone. Anyone know any background about it or have a photo of the sign when it was still posted?
Wheel of Duluth
We don’t have a video clip, and the specific air date isn’t known, but at some point in mid-July 2007 — ten years ago — Duluth was the answer to a final puzzle on Wheel of Fortune.
A post in the PDD archives notes the clue was “on the map.” The contestant had just two letters to guess with, making it pretty much impossible, but anyone from Duluth could figure it out instantly.
_ _ L _ T _
Downtown Duluth lands big museum-style art gallery
Joe Nease will open a gallery space in the 101-year-old building at 23 W. First St. in October.
A fire-damaged former formal-wear store in a historic downtown building is being remodeled and will open this fall as one of the largest art gallery spaces in Duluth.
Joseph Nease purchased the former Arthur’s Formal Wear building at 23 W. First St. in December and has launched a major renovation of the two-story, nearly 10,000-square-foot property. A contemporary visual art gallery will open on street level in October. (more…)
Time Travel
Have you ever wanted to travel back in time? Not to brag or anything, but I have figured out a way to time travel. I can usually manage to go back a few decades, maybe a couple hundred years at most. I can’t stay for long, and I’ve yet to taste or actually touch a cup of tea from 1915, despite a fervent desire. I’m more like a traveler passing through, a tourist in a world different than mine, peering in from the side, presuming to understand what is going on around me.
This world can only be reached through research and imagination, and with the determination of a detective piecing together scraps of evidence. It also depends on helpful archivists, online databases and the support of public grant money and fellow dedicated history nerds. The path is sometimes long and slow, a little bit dusty, but sometimes it pulls us along with the thrill of the hunt and a spectacular find, like a full-on glimpse of faces, journals, conversations and the insides of shops. Tracking down history mysteries is an addicting little hobby.
The recent purchase of a 102-year-old building at 1917 W. Superior St. by the Duluth Folk School led to an off-hand request for more information about the building’s history. I found myself drawn into this request, spending free time browsing 1915 online editions of the Duluth Herald from the comfort of my computer desk, no dusty pages required courtesy of public access grants and diligent scanners. The new owners and I knew some facts, and now we wanted to see what that place had looked like when it was built. I had a hunch some pretty good time travel was possible. (more…)
Missing Person: Kenneth Gordon
The Duluth Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Kenneth Jay Gordon. He was last seen on July 18 at approximately 9 p.m. in a small red or brown vehicle leaving the area of the 2500 block of Rice Lake Road in Duluth’s Kenwood neighborhood.
Gordon is described as a 63-year-old Native American male, 5-foot 10-inches tall, 180 lbs., black hair in a pony-tail, facial hair and no teeth. He has a tattoo on his left forearm, uses a two-handed silver walker, and was last seen wearing a cream-colored long-sleeve shirt, grey sweatpants and a worn out baseball cap.
The Duluth Police Department would like to check Gordon’S health and welfare based upon medical health concerns. Anyone having information as to his whereabouts is asked to contact the Duluth Police Department by calling 911.
Perfect New Restaurant: OMC Smokehouse
OMC Smokehouse is the winner of Perfect Duluth Day’s best new restaurant poll. The popular barbecue joint smoked the competition, garnering 82 percent of the vote among the two finalists. The Boat Club Restaurant and Bar was runner up with 18 percent; 14 other nominees were eliminated in early voting.
OMC (which stands for oink, moo, cluck) opened in February. For more than two years, area residents eagerly anticipated the restaurant’s arrival. (more…)
Selective Focus: Atelier & Stone
Louise Payjack-Guillou came to Duluth via London, where she studied jewelry making. She currently works in a studio in the Duluth Maker Space, and sells her work through an elegant e-commerce website.
L. P. G.: I’m a jeweler working primarily in sterling silver and gold. My current work picks up on intricate and ornate details from found and collected objects. Often choosing antiques which have been beautifully worked with fine engraving, embossing etc. and distilling elements of these into modern clean forms to be worn as everyday luxury. Recently I’ve been having fun playing with larger precious and semi-precious stones such as natural emeralds, sapphires, turquoise and labradorite. The inclusion of more stone setting in my work has really opened new creative outlets for me, plus it’s a lot of fun sourcing colourful stones; they’re like candy to me! (more…)
Sweat Equity – “Hot Shower”
Duluth’s Paul Broman and Kevin Craig started reviving the Minneapolis funk, soul and synth-pop sound with their band Sweat Equity in 2013. Finally, the video for their single “Hot Shower” has arrived.
Inside the old Duluth Central High School bell tower
In this video, Kenneth Newhams of Duluth Shipping News visits the bell tower of the old Duluth Central High School, now the Duluth School District’s Central Administration Building.
Park Point Fairfield Inn Construction
I’ve been watching the new hotel go up at the marina on about 10th Street and Minnesota Ave. and have noticed that a few weeks ago all construction suddenly stopped! Rumor has it that the city building inspector has put a stop to the construction. Anybody know what has really happened?
Human Fabric of Duluth
Trudy Vrieze has started a fascinating project documenting what it means to live in Duluth, who we are and why we are here. The Human Fabric of Duluth is a street-photography and storytelling project. (more…)
Martha’s Daughter to transform Original Coney Island
Duluth’s Original Coney Island restaurant. Image via Trip Advisor.
After several years of pleasing late-night palates with her pop-up restaurant, chef Nyanyika Banda is opening Martha’s Daughter, a brick and mortar eatery. She hopes to have the Original Coney Island space at 107 E. Superior St. transformed to fit her vision by summer’s end. (more…)
RoofTop Fable – “It’s All So Complicated”
Duluth band Rooftop Fable will be hosting a release party for their album “Nuanced” on Saturday, July 22 at Blacklist Brewing. The event will also feature Emily Jayne & The Blue Plate Fella’s, Honest Maude, The True Malarkey and cabaret performances by The Duluth Dolls.
The video above is from the album and features aerial acrobat and contortionist, Cheryl Birch, and was filmed at Ignite Studio in downtown Duluth by Brian Barber.
Duluth 2017 Primary Election Primer
Below are the offices up for grabs this fall and the names of those who filed to run before the July 18 deadline. The Primary Election will be held Sept. 12. The General Election is Nov. 7. (more…)
Actual Wolf – “Baby Please”
“Baby Please” is the first single off the Actual Wolf album Faded Days, available now digitally and on cassette. The record release is scheduled for Sept. 15.
Eric Pollard, aka Actual Wolf, splits time between Duluth, Grand Rapids, Nashville and so on.
The video is directed by Erik Nelson.
Joni Jurek – Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen
The Duluth Art Institute‘s Plein Air Duluth Paint du Nord exhibition opening last week featured a first-prize painting of the Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen storefront in Knife River. In the video above, Frank Sander interviews painter Joni Jurek while she works on the piece.
Jurek has exhibited work throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota, including at the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota in St. Paul and at the Red Wing plein air event. She has also shown statewide in Texas, Vermont, Colorado and New Mexico, and abroad in Italy. (more…)