Then and Now Posts

Mystery Photo #76: 400 block of West Superior Street

The above photo, submitted by Jay Sonnenburg, shows businesses on the 400 block of West Superior Street. At right is the WEBC Radio studio. At left are the Fargusson Building, Manhattan Building and Spalding Hotel.

Postcard from West Superior Street in 1908

This postcard depicts a scene looking east from the 500 block of West Superior Street, where the Radisson Hotel and Duluth Public Library stand today. It was mailed 110 years ago — Aug. 29, 1908.

“The Glen” at Garfield Park in Duluth

This 1897 issue of Duluth’s Labor World shows the waterfall and cauldron of “the Glen” in Chester Park. From 1894 to 1902 the area was named Garfield Park.

Postcard from West Third Street in 1908

This postcard was mailed 110 years ago today — Aug. 14, 1908. It depicts a scene looking northeast on Third Street at about 24th Avenue West. The church steeple in the right foreground is Bethany Lutheran Church, built in 1903.

Northwestern Oil Company Filling Station

The Northwestern Oil Company filling station was built in 1921 at 716 E. Superior St. This photo from Jay Sonnenburg’s family collection is likely from the very early days of the gas station’s existence. The building is now home to the Portland Malt Shoppe.

Then and Now: Grand Avenue at Knowlton Creek

The image above shows Grand Avenue at Knowlton Creek, looking from Duluth’s Norton Park neighborhood toward the Riverside neighborhood. It’s dated Feb. 16, 1918. At the time, Grand Avenue was named Third Street. What does it look like today?

The Fisk Rubber Company, 1920

Fisk Rubber Company had retail stores in 40 states during the 1920s. The Duluth sales and service station was at 749 E. Superior St. The photo above was shot by Hugh McKenzie and dated Oct. 23, 1920. Below, the same location at Eighth Avenue East and Superior St., shot Nov. 7, 2017.

Postcard from Central Avenue and Ramsey Street

The undated postcard above depicts the long-ago view facing south on Central Avenue from Ramsey Street. The modern image below references the same location, showing the Gopher Lounge parking lot, Denton Law Office, Beaner’s Central, Zenith Bookstore and Central Sales, along with a pair of obscured vacant buildings on the east side, and Pioneer National Bank and several other obscured buildings on the west side. Happy Spirit Valley Days!

Postcards from the Viking Motel

The Viking Motel operated at 2511 London Road from 1961 to 2000, and was demolished in 2001. The two-story, 30-room motel overlooking Lake Superior listed these amenities on its postcard: “Room Phones. Free Color TV. Coffee. Air Conditioned. Bridal Suites. Water Beds.”

Postcard from Brindos’ London Road Court

Marketed as “Duluth’s finest auto court,” located “on the shore of beautiful Lake Superior,” Brindos’ London Road Court boasted 14 “all modern” units. Amenities included housekeeping facilities, electric refrigeration, gas range, shower baths, lavatories, automatic gas heat and hot water.

Postcard from the Bellows restaurant in Duluth

The Bellows was a fine dining restaurant and cocktail lounge that operated at 2230 London Road from 1969 to 1997. It was founded by Don M. and Verna Bellows, and the round-shaped design came from architect Robert W. Prestidge.

Costello Block rubble of 2007; Wieland Block of 2017

Costello Block Demolition 2007

Weiland Block 2017

The top photo is from April 5, 2007; the bottom is from the same spot on April 5, 2017.

Ten years ago the Costello Block was a pile of bricks, brownstone and timber at 22-24 E. Superior St. It was demolished to make way for A&L Properties’ redevelopment and expansion of the Wieland Block, which incorporated two century-old structures to the east of the Costello Block — the Hayes Block and the Wieland Block, shown in both images above.

Then and Now: St. Louis County Courthouse

Duluth Civic Center

There is no date on the above postcard image, but it appears to be 1960s-ish. The photo below is a modern-day view.

Duluth Civic Center 2016

Looking down Fifth Avenue West in Duluth

Fifth Avenue West 2015

The image above is from two weeks ago; the image below is from about 100 years ago.

Fifth Avenue West - Duluth

View of Rice’s Point, 1962

Rices-Point-Duluth-1962

bridgesThe above shot of Rice’s Point is from the Cliff’s Barber Shop Collection. It must be from early 1962, as the new Blatnik Bridge (highlighted in the smaller image at left) appears to be not quite completed in the photo, and the old swing-span Interstate Bridge seems to still be in use.