Queries Posts

Sexy 1938 Denfeld Beanie

Beanies are not likely to make any back-to-school fashion lists in 2022, but at some point in time Denfeld High School had a line of round, brimless, snug-fitting, maroon-and-gold skullcaps.

Creating Duluth-Themed Art with AI

A Van Gogh style painting of a 1920s cargo train traveling on a winter night though an evergreen forest next to a huge blue lake with the aurora borealis in the night sky.

DALL-E is an online tool that uses machine learning to generate digital images from plain English text descriptions. You type a description of something real or imaginary and the program does its best to create a unique image based on that description. After some time on a waitlist, I recently received an invite that allows me to create and download a limited number of artificial intelligence generated images per month. This came at a good time, as I recently found a watercolor print of the Duluth hillside in a Lincoln Park shop that I liked quite a bit but could not afford. I decided to use some of my AI image credits to see if I could get the automated system to produce Duluth art of at least somewhat comparable quality. In the examples that follow, I describe this process, showing what worked and what did not. The captions of each picture show the text query that generated the image.

Seeking information on late local musician Lew Orsoni

I recently opened up an old binder of burned CDs and came across a much loved recording I had forgotten about attributed to Lew Orsoni. It sounds like a live recording. Wonderful ballad about Lake Superior, among other great tunes. I believe I got it from Lew’s son, who used to bartend at the old Twin Ports Brewing Company (predecessor of Thirty Pagan) 20 years ago. I recall Lew had passed away recently at that time. Just looking for info on the CD, Lew Orsoni’s music, and if others have memories of his performances around here.

Pączki!

Every year, for a week, Super One Foods sells pączki, pronounced poonch-key, a specialty Polish donut. But they never do my favorite flavor, prune.

What does a man have to do to get a prune donut in time for Mardi Gras?

Historic Floorplans

I recently bought an older home in Congdon. Nothing special, but I like it. The previous owner made many changes to the interior in a misguided attempt to modernize the home. I am thinking about restoring it to its former layout, but I’m not finding much historic information about the home. Does anyone have any ideas on where I might get some information? The home is likely an American Foursquare that had some arts and crafts touches. Thanks for any help!

German restaurant in Miller Hill area circa the 1960s

What was the name of the German restaurant located on Miller Trunk Highway in the 1960s?

Old Morgan Park Apartment Houses

Former Duluthian Ina Wesenberg contacted Perfect Duluth Day with the hope that someone can provide information about an old apartment complex she lived in as a child in the 1950s. She recalls it was on the western edge of the Morgan Park neighborhood, away from the concrete homes of the planned community.

How did the city of Cloquet get its name?

As mentioned in the “Northeastern Minnesota Nomenclature” post on Perfect Duluth Day last summer, the city of Cloquet gets its name from the Cloquet River. But how did the river get its name?

City Bottling Company?

Found this bottle while cleaning out the old dump by our house. It’s an annual event where I commune with our forbears — white folks scratching out a living decades ago on stolen land and tossing all their garbage into the wetland.*

Duluth Concert Archive: Blue Oyster Cult in 1977

From the archives. Were you in attendance? Also, does anyone know where/what Samahdi Sound was in Ashland?

Need help with finding old newscast

I need help finding an old July 4 news segment from a Duluth TV station. It aired in the 1980s and it had a segment about Superior’s Fourth of July parade. I was interviewed on camera and would like to see if anyone knows where I can find a copy of it or direct me to a website that might have it. I’d love to see young me again. Thanks for any help anyone could provide.

What’s the deal with the stairway at Birchwood Park that leads down into a ravine?

On the edge of Birchwood Park, a small playground park at 222 W. Heard St. in the New Duluth neighborhood, is an old stairway down to a ravine that I’m guessing runs into Sargent Creek. The existence of this stairway is probably common knowledge in New Duluth, but it is kind of tucked away so that others visiting the park are unlikely to notice. And it raises the question of what used to be down there.

Abrahamson’s Tree Farm

Just wondering if anyone knows if Abrahamson’s Tree Farm is still selling cut-your-own trees? Also what they charge?

Searching for Oreck

My name is Steve Oreck and I am the great grandson of Louis Oreck. I am seeking information and items from my great grandfather’s store. Any help would be tremendously appreciated.

Corner Stores on West Third Street in Duluth

Does anyone remember the two corner stores that were across from Bryant School on West Third Street? What were the names?

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