Postcards
Postcard Greetings from Duluth
This undated postcard looks to be from the early 1960s. It shows a panoramic view of the Duluth harbor and downtown area, and a ship passing under the Aerial Lift Bridge.
Postcard from Duluth’s Zoological Gardens
This undated postcard, published by Arrowhead Trading Post of Duluth, shows the zoological gardens and main zoo building of what is now known as Lake Superior Zoo. (more…)
Postcard from the Aerial Bridge Over Ship Canal in Duluth
Duluth’s Aerial Bridge was but a year old when this postcard was mailed on July 12, 1906 — 120 years ago today. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Arcade Trio
This postcard photo is likely from around 1915. The only solid clue is on the back, where the photo is attributed to Arcade studio, 110 W. Superior St., Duluth. The studio had previously been known as the Penny Arcade. (more…)
Postcard from the Boulevard in Duluth
This undated postcard shows a scene from Duluth’s Skyline Parkway before it was called Skyline Parkway. The visual might feel familiar, because it’s the same scene depicted in a different postcard recently published on Perfect Duluth Day.
Postcard from Somewhere on Skyline Parkway
This postcard depicts a scene at one of the many creeks that intersect Skyline Parkway, aka “The Bouvelard,” in Duluth. The postmark is not completely legible, but it shows the card was mailed on June 8 of some year prior to 1917, when the postal rate for postcards was increased from one cent to two cents. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Somewhere in the Duluth Area
This image is from a real-photo postcard that was never mailed. It shows an industrial scene but doesn’t seem to offer a lot of clues about the specific whereabouts. The vague location, if we trust the words penciled on the back of the card, is “Duluth Minn area.” (more…)
Postcard from Duluth’s Waterfront in 1916
This postcard of Duluth’s waterfront and manufacturing district was mailed May 25, 1916 — 110 years ago today. Among the fuzzy buildings on the shoreline is F. A. Patrick Woolen Mills at 302 S. Fifth Ave. W., which is on the left and is the only building with readable lettering on it. (more…)
Postcard from Enger Tower
This undated postcard, published by Erickson Post Cards & Souvenirs, shows the five-story lookout tower at Duluth’s Enger Park circa the early 1970s. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Guns, Booze and Cards
Cowboy outfits featuring furry chaps were a favorite costume of photo subjects at G. E. Sackett’s Owl Studio in Duluth during the early 1900s. Several Mystery Photos on Perfect Duluth Day feature unnamed dudes dressed as buckaroos. This is the first time we’ve seen a lawman in one of these old postcards, however. (more…)
Postcard from Somebody’s House
This undated postcard shows Somebody’s House, a restaurant at Duluth’s Mt. Royal Shopping Center operated by noted cookbook author Beatrice Ojakangas. It opened in February 1966. (more…)
Postcard from the National Guard Armory in Duluth
This undated postcard shows the Duluth Armory at 1305 London Road. It was built in 1915 and served as a center for military training and an entertainment venue until 1978. During the 1980s and ’90s, the city of Duluth used the building to store fleet vehicles. The Armory Arts and Music Center, in partnership with Sherman Associates, is in the process of redeveloping the building, with plans for a public marketplace and community kitchen, office and business space, and arts and music programming.
Postcards from Superior Street at Fifth Avenue West
The intersection of Fifth Avenue West and Superior Street — featuring the Lyceum Theatre and Spalding Hotel — is near the top of the list of Duluth scenes featured most frequently in early 20th century Duluth postcards. Many have been featured on Perfect Duluth Day in the past, but we’re pretty sure the six in this post have not appeared on this website previously. (more…)
Postcard from a Giant Freighter in Duluth Ship Canal
At the top of the postcard pile today is an undated image from Gallagher’s Studio of Photography. The caption on the back reads: “Giant Freighter entering Canal of Duluth Superior Harbor, Westerly Terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway.”
Postcard from the John A. Blatnik Bridge
This undated postcard, circa the mid 1990s, shows the Blatnik Bridge connecting Duluth and Superior. The card was published by Erickson Post Cards & Souvenirs and the photo is credited to Grandmaison Photography. (more…)
Postcard from the Court House at Duluth
This undated postcard, created by the V.O. Hammon Publishing Company, shows the St. Louis County Courthouse in Downtown Duluth, which opened in 1909.
Men in Suits by Gust Landin
These two unknown men were photographed in suits by Gust Landin, a photographer based in “Duluth’s Scandinavian West End” at 24 21st Ave. W. According to the memories referenced here, Mr. Landin provided suits to his subjects if they wanted to look more affluent. That perhaps explains the ill-fitting suit on the younger man. (more…)
Postcard from the Duluth/Superior Interstate Bridge
This undated postcard, published by the Illustrated Postal Card Company of New York, shows the Duluth/Superior Interstate Bridge, referred to on the front of the card simply as the “Duluth and Superior Bridge.” (more…)
Six Century-old Postcards from Duluth
Not much is known about the six postcards featured here, but they all have appeared in recent eBay sales by LL Vintage Antiques of St. Paul. They are collected in this post simply because they are of a similar style and are cards that haven’t appeared on Perfect Duluth Day before. (more…)
Duluth looked best on paper in 1906
Some harsh criticism from a postcard sender 120 years ago.
Postcard from a Bird’s-eye View of the Duluth Post Office in 1916
This postcard was mailed Feb. 23, 1916 — 110 years ago today. It shows the beginnings of the Duluth Civic Center, with the old Duluth Post Office at the center. (more…)
Postcard from Lincoln Park in 1916
This postcard showing a scene from Lincoln Park in Duluth has a handwritten message on the back dated Feb. 13, 1916 — 110 years ago today. It is postmarked on Valentine’s Day. (more…)
Ektachrome Postcard from the Aerial Lift Bridge
This undated postcard, perhaps circa the 1960s, offers a view of the Aerial Lift Bridge from across the Duluth Harbor. The card was published by the H.C. Wick Company and features an Ektachrome photo by Rod Peterson. (more…)
Souvenir Folder of Duluth circa 1923
The Duluth Photo Engraving Company published a “souvenir folder” in the early 1920s featuring images previously published by the company as postcards. (more…)
Postcard from Superior Street at Fourth Avenue West
This undated postcard shows buildings on the 300 block of West Superior Street in Downtown Duluth. The building in the foreground is the St. Louis Hotel, which was demolished in the early 1930s and replaced by the Medical Arts Building. The trio of buildings to its left — the Torrey, Alworth and Lonsdale buildings — are all still standing.
The postcard was published by the Duluth Photo Engraving Company with an image from McKenzie Photo Company.