Month: August 2025
PDD Quiz: August 2025
Close out summer with this edition of the PDD Quiz, which reviews the month’s headlines and happenings.
A quiz about repurposed school buildings comes your way on Sept. 14. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at alisonlinnaemoffat@gmail.com by Sept. 10. (more…)
Adrift in the Duluth Triangle
[Author’s note: This originally ran in the 2024 Boubville zine. My title does not refer to the “Bar-muda Triangle” promotions of the West Duluth bar scene. This story was intended to be the start of a novella, a roman-à-clef about a barfly surviving depression. Each chapter was going to take place in a different establishment and be based on actual events, a “hero’s journey” bar crawl through the underworld one night. But after writing this first chapter, it seemed complete in itself as a short story, so I am calling it done. Borges wrote, “It is a laborious madness and an impoverishing one, the madness of composing vast books — setting out in 500 pages an idea that can be perfectly related in five minutes.” That said, this story of life before Covid could be a prequel to this essay about when Covid hit.]
2019. From Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake, to Vikre Distillery, to the Pizza Lucé bar, then back to Sir Ben’s: This is the Duluth Triangle. Stranded in its vortex for five years, between myself and my hillside home lies a gauntlet of the finest distilleries, tap rooms, and bars in the world. It is a puzzle solved differently every night. Like the doctor in Nightwood said to Djuna Barnes: “The night is not premeditated.” (more…)
Postcard from the North Shore Motel and Restaurant
The North Shore Motel and Restaurant was located at 2621 London Road, and was part of Duluth’s “Motel Row.” It later became the Flamette Motel and Restaurant. It’s now the location of a Circle K convenience store and a city-owned parking lot providing Duluth Lakewalk access. (more…)
Looking for info on 1960s motorcycle dealer
I’m looking for the name of the motorcycle dealer that had a shop at the intersections of West Superior Street, Garfield Avenue and Piedmont Avenue in Duluth in the 1960s.
I think his first name was Bill. He used to race motorcycles at Proctor back then.
Buckthorn Jersey
An obvious challenge when hauling buckthorn branches is that they are pokey. The word “thorn” is right there in the name. Protecting your flesh with a thick canvas jacket is a wise tactic, but what if the temperature demands a more breathable garment? One option is wearing an old hockey jersey, which provides moderate thorn protection while being considerably cooler than a work coat.
Matching the jersey colors to the wildflowers is a potential happy accident.
Ripped at the North Pole Bar in 2000
[Editor’s note: For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the archive of Slim Goodbuzz, who served as Duluth’s “booze connoisseur” from 1999 to 2009. Twenty-five years ago the Sultan of Sot paid a visit to the North Pole Bar in West Duluth, and composed this article for the Aug. 23, 2000 edition of the Ripsaw newspaper. The North Pole Bar went out of business in 2014.]
Reeking of Kentucky bourbon and tuna-fish sandwiches, Walter stepped out of the fog and into my life. “I’ve been drinking since 4:30,” he told me. “My old lady passed out already, but I’m still goin’ strong. I’m heading to the North Pole.”
“So am I,” I said.
I had not heard of the North Pole Bar until I got an email tip from the commander of the West Duluth VFW. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been down on Raleigh Street,” he wrote, “but my main hang out is the North Pole Bar.” When the commander of the West Duluth VFW talks, I listen. (more…)
Postcard from a Duluth House in 1910
This postcard was mailed on Aug. 22, 1910 — 115 years ago today. The photo on the front shows a house that presumably was located in Duluth and might still be standing. (more…)
Video: Great Republic arriving in Duluth, unloading in Superior
The 634-foot Great Republic thundered out a salute as it passed under the Aerial Lift Bridge on Aug. 12. This aerial video follows the self-unloading bulk carrier to Graymont Dock in Superior, where it unloads limestone via a 250-foot boom.
Postcard from a Giant Freighter Entering Duluth-Superior Harbor
This postcard was mailed 70 years ago today — Aug. 20, 1955. The caption on the card refers to the image as a “picture,” which likely means the illustration is based on a photograph. (more…)
Honey Pie
Some deliciously in-your-face humor from Duluth’s Jean Kirwan, featuring music by The Beatles and scenes from classic films.
PDD Quiz: Soccer
Test your soccer smarts with this edition of the PDD Quiz.
The next PDD quiz, reviewing the month’s headlines, will be published on Aug. 31. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at alisonlinnaemoffat@gmail.com by Aug. 26. (more…)
Postcard from the Scenery at Fond du Lac
This postcard shows scenes from the Duluth neighborhood of Fond du Lac, along the St. Louis River.
PDD Shop Talk: Failure
Perfect Duluth Day attempted to launch an update to its WordPress theme this week. It failed. So we are continuing with the old theme and attempting to regroup. (more…)
Duluth artist on view in Fergus Falls
I was in Fergus Falls at Kaddatz Galleries. There, nestled amongst the regional artists with increasingly national reputation, was an exhibition of student work. And nestled therein was a Duluthian, Reagan Cheshire. (more…)
Duluth 2025 Primary Election Results
With 34 of 34 precincts reporting, here are the vote totals.
Duluth At-large City Councilor
Top four candidates advance to General Election; two will be elected
Terese Tomanek – 3,192
Jordan Johnson – 2,468
Derek Medved – 2,129
Asher Estrin Haire – 811
Zachary Davis Moder – 721
Duluth Second District City Councilor
Diane Desotelle – 1,055
Christopher Adatte – 224
Pierre Tournier – 41
Duluth At-large School Board Member
Top four candidates advance to General Election; two will be elected
Amber Sadowski – 3,036
Kelly Durick Eder – 2,680
Harry Welty – 1,477
Loren Martell – 1.027
Jane Hoffman – 970
JamesG – “Tired”
Like most people, JamesG could sleep for one whole week, but it wouldn’t be enough.
National Fraternal Congress met in Duluth in 1925
Representatives of 100 American and Canadian fraternal organizations gathered in Duluth one century ago for the National Fraternal Congress of America convention. The event was held at the Hotel Duluth from Aug. 11-13, 1925, with sectional and committee meetings held Aug. 10. (more…)
Postcard from Scenes in Duluth, Minn.
This undated postcard shows prominent buildings in Downtown Duluth — the Alworth Building, Medical Arts Building and Hotel Duluth — along with a panorama of area.
ZXTv – “See How Much We Can Love”
“See How Much We Can Love” from ZXTv is from the band’s debut album, Snake Mother, now on all streaming platforms and Bandcamp. Members include former members of Duluth bands Ballyhoo, Hobo Alley, Sloe Loris and Chartreuse: Fitty on vocals and guitars/bass and his two sons on drums and synth.
Trail Camera Highlights from Summer 2024
The Voyageurs Wolf Project recently released a pair of montage videos with footage from the roughly 350 cameras set up in Voyageurs National Park last summer. In addition to the great wolf footage, there are lynx, bobcats, fox, bears, badgers, moose and more.
Part one is above, part two is below. (more…)
Grand Portage Ferry Terminal Flag Raising Ceremony
A redevelopment of the ferry terminal at Grand Portage, where vessels shuttle passengers to Isle Royale, was recently completed. Among the changes are a rebuilt ferry dock and public docks, a new ticketing and restroom building, and parking lot improvements. The project at Hat Point Marina and Ferry Terminal was 10 years in the making.
A flag raising ceremony was held there on Aug. 1. This video was produced by M. Baxley for WTIP North Shore Community Radio.
Alan Sparhawk’s full set at Primavera Sound Porto 2025
Duluth’s Alan Sparhawk performed at the Primavera Sound Porto music festival in Porto, Portugal on June 12. A video of the full set just hit YouTube. (more…)