History
The 100 Block of East First Street in Duluth Circa 1928
All of the buildings in the foreground of this century-old photo are still standing, though at least one of them is likely to be demolished soon.
The image is estimated to be from the year 1928 because it features the Duluth Costume House at the center of the frame, and newspaper archives indicate the business moved to the other side of the street in March 1929. The business had been at its original location since 1923, but the vehicles in the image suggest 1928 or later. (more…)
How Julann Griffin invented Jeopardy! on a flight out of Duluth
A trip to Duluth led to the development of the television game show Jeopardy! A recent episode of the podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz recounts the music and sound effects of the show and includes the historic tidbit about the role Duluth played in its creation story.
The mention comes around the 2-minute mark of the episode titled “The Music of Jeopardy! From a Lullaby to $100,000,000,” which is embedded above. (more…)
Duluth Deep Dive #9: The Third Largest City in Minnesota
The population of Duluth, Bloomington, and Rochester over time (Source: U.S. Census Data)
A recent YouTube video on Duluth restaurants described Duluth as the third-largest city in Minnesota — a statement that has been true at various points in the state’s history. Since Minnesota became the 32nd state in 1858, Minneapolis and St. Paul have consistently been its two largest cities. Third place, however, has been considerably less stable. This Duluth Deep Dive takes a closer look at the cities that have held the #3 spot, using aerial images to show how these cities have developed over time. (more…)
Postcard from the Duluth Children’s Museum and Art Center
This undated postcard shows the Duluth Children’s Museum at 1832 E. Second St., its home from 1936 to 1975. The house was built in 1902 for Archibald Mark Chisholm, the namesake of the city of Chisholm. He discovered the mine there at the turn of the 20th century and laid out the townsite. (more…)
Minnesota Historia: The Laurentian Divide
The Laurentian Divide is a continental divide that crosses some of Minnesota’s most stunning landscapes. But what does one do with such a geographical gem? Mine it? Ski it? Or build a tourist attraction on top of it? (The answer is all three.)
Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink-Ziebol and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.
Leta Powell Drake Compilation: The Notorious L.P.D.
Duluth native Leta Powell Drake began her broadcasting career at KDAL-TV after graduating from Morgan Park High School in 1956. She went on to host and produce more than 10,000 TV shows at KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska.
She could be … shall we say … a little bit blunt. As a result, clips of her celebrity interviews have become popular on the internet in recent years. And for a double-dose of Duluth, the montage above includes an exchange with Telly Savalas, star of the classic “Duluth, who loves ya baby?” TV spot of 1984. (more…)
Minnesota Historia: The Leif Erikson Viking Ship
Minnesota Historia talks to 107-year-old Lilly Haldorson, who remembers the day the Leif Erikson sailed into Duluth’s Harbor in 1927. The ship was named for the famous Viking explorer, but its captain, Gerhard Folgero, was an unforgettable character in his own right.
Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink-Ziebol and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.
Postcard from St. Mary’s Hospital
This undated postcard, circa the turn of the 20th century, shows St. Mary’s Hospital at 404 E. Third St. This was Duluth’s second St. Mary’s building; the first was in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The Third Street building opened in 1898. It was demolished in 1967 and replaced by a new wing of the expanding hospital.
Later known as St. Mary’s Medical Center, it merged with the Duluth Clinic in 1997 to form the SMDC Health System. Miller-Dwan Medical Center joined in 2001. The system became Essentia Health in 2004. Its network now includes hospitals, clinics and other health-care facilities throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
Original Hibbing Memorial Building opened in 1925
The Hibbing Memorial Building opened 100 years ago today — Sept. 18, 1925 — as a memorial to veterans of World War I. It included a hockey rink, eight curling rinks, a bowling alley, an auditorium and veterans’ club quarters. It was destroyed by fire in 1933 and rebuilt in 1935. (more…)
Minnesota Historia: Judy Garland’s Minnesota
Judy Garland is known around the world for her role in The Wizard of Oz. But few know about her life in Minnesota. Minnesota Historia visits the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids to explore her childhood and return visits to the state.
Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink-Ziebol and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.
PDD Quiz: Back to School
Hit the books for this edition of the PDD Quiz, which tests your knowledge of Duluth school buildings that have been adaptively reused as dwellings. For more information on historic Duluth schools, check out this PDD post and the Minnesota Digital Library, both of which were invaluable resources for this quiz.
The next PDD Quiz, on Sept. 28, will cover this month’s headlines. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at alisonlinnaemoffat@gmail.com by Sept. 24. (more…)
Postcard from the Lyceum Theatre in 1915
This postcard was mailed 110 years ago today — Sept. 14, 1915. The Lyceum Theater opened for performances at 423 W. Superior St. in 1891 and became a movie house in 1921. It was demolished in 1966 and replaced by the KDLH-TV studio. The KDLH building was demolished in 2015 and replaced by the Maurices headquarters. (more…)
Duluth 75 Years Later
[Editor’s note: Duluth was featured in The Saturday Evening Post in a 1949 article written by Arthur W. Baum. Seventy-five years later, in 2024, Baum’s great-great nephew, Jordan Haedtler, began gathering his thoughts for an update, which appears below. Haedtler has recently printed both essays, as well as another essay about Duluth and climate change, in a book that can be ordered through Google Forms.]
The citizens of nearly every hub city or port city or twin city must look at this moment of rapid planetary warming ponderously. Many seaside cities worry anxiously at their fate amidst rising oceans, while tourist destinations fret about the damage to their core infrastructure, and bustling business hubs nervously eye the economic forecasts. This makes the case of gritty and resilient Duluth — with its aging housing stock dotting a hillside overlooking the western terminus of the Great Lakes — unique.
For Duluth has not had to wonder about its role in the climate crisis or desire outside attention on the subject since April 15, 2019. That was the day Harvard professor Jesse Keenan came to the city to deliver a lecture called “Destination Duluth,” in which Keenan emphasized the potential for Duluth, sitting as it does on the edge of all that fresh water, to rebrand itself as “Climate Proof,” attracting new residents after decades of economic stagnation. (more…)
Minnesota Historia: Minnesota’s Deep Connection to Bigfoot
From the Seven Grandfathers Teachings to the She-Squatchers, Minnesota’s love for Bigfoot runs deep.
Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink-Ziebol and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.
Duluth Deep Dive #8: The Duluth Herald, Sept. 7, 1925
A classified ad from the Duluth Herald on Sept. 7, 1925. It’s not clear if anyone took up the offer on the grocery store.
Perfect Duluth Day often features individual stories from historical newspapers. This Duluth Deep Dive looks at the whole paper, adding context where necessary to the notable stories from a single edition of the Duluth Herald published one hundred years ago today, including a massive Klan rally in southern Minnesota, arrests by the Duluth Purity Squad, and highlights from the film, sports and classifieds listings. (more…)
Minnesota Historia: Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski is celebrated in International Falls with his own museum and a giant statue. He’s considered one of the greatest football players who ever lived. And the Car Talk guys mentioned his mellifluous name every chance they got. But what did he think about all this attention?
Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.
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.
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…)
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…)
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.
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.
Duluth Deep Dive #7: The Duluth Garage
Artwork on a Duluth garage. (Photo by Matthew James)
A friend of mine is putting her childhood home up for sale<, a house in one of Duluth's older neighborhoods with an attached garage. She realized that she wanted her next home to be a similar-style house with that same convenience of not having to go outside to start the car in the winter, but the options in Duluth were very limited. This post places the changing role of the home garage in the context of Duluth history to explain why. (more…)