History
Video Archive: KDLH-TV Evening Edition from Sept. 28, 1990
Get ready for some “News for the Nineties.” Courtesy of an old VHS tape in the PDD basement archive, we present the complete KDLH-TV evening newscast from 30 years ago today — Sept. 28, 1990. And yes, the commercials are included. (more…)
Postcard from Downtown Duluth circa 1975
This undated postcard of Downtown Duluth shows off three buildings that were somewhat new at the time of the photo. In the foreground is the Gateway Tower apartment building at 600 W. Superior St., built in 1972. Shown most prominently at left is the Radisson Hotel at 505 W. Superior St., built in 1970. The Ordean Building, at 424 W. Superior St., was built in 1973. (more…)
Potato and molasses home brew odor vile
According to an article in the Sept. 22, 1920 Duluth Herald, the combination of potatoes and molasses in a home brew can be “quite potent.” The paper notes that Anthony Fiskett, Duluth’s acting chief of police at the time, might have needed to have his headquarters fumigated after hauling in an evidential keg of the pungent concoction. (more…)
The History All Around Us
The Duluth Library Foundation has made a video history tour available as part of its virtual “Learning & Libations” event.
The video features authors Tom Peacock and Tony Dierckins telling stories of life at the western tip of Lake Superior before the city existed and how it came to be 150 years ago.
Bulk Freighter Maricopa, circa 1900-1910
This Detroit Publishing Company photo of the bulk freighter Maricopa comes with little information. The Library of Congress dates it as “between 1900 and 1910.” There’s no photographer name and no location. It’s even filed as “S.S. Merick [sic] of Duluth,” for some reason. (more…)
Postcard from the Duluth Auditorium
The Duluth Auditorium — now known as the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center‘s Symphony Hall — opened in 1966. It has hosted an extensive variety of musicians, comedians, theatrical companies and other entertainers over the years and is the home stage of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota Ballet. Seating capacity is 2,221. (more…)
Mystery Photo #122: La La
Yes, it’s another car-prop photo from either the Post Card Shop in Minneapolis or the Penny Arcade in Duluth. (more…)
PDD Quiz: Railroads, Trains and Depots
Photo courtesy of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Kathryn A. Martin Library, University of Minnesota Duluth.
All aboard for this week’s PDD quiz! Test your knowledge of local railroads, depots, and other train-related trivia.
The next PDD quiz will review this month’s headlines; it will be published on Sept. 27. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Sept. 27. (more…)
Stewart Shoe Company of West Duluth
One hundred years ago the Stewart Shoe Company was on its way out and American Bakery Company was on its way in at 324 N. Central Ave. in West Duluth. The building there was constructed in 1894 and today is occupied by Wussow’s Concert Cafe, which opened under the name Beaner’s Central in 1999. (more…)
Selective Focus: Creating Apart
The Tweed Museum of Art will be hosting an exhibition, “Creating Apart: Local Artists Respond to a Global Pandemic” with work by Ivy Vainio, Moira Villiard, Sarah Brokke Erickson, Karen Savage-Blue, Joe Klander and Brian Barber. Annie Dugan curated the exhibition and worked with local documentary filmmaker Mike Scholtz to create a series of short films about each of the artists involved.
The exhibition was originally scheduled to open on Aug. 31 in the Court Gallery of the Tweed. Shifting plans for colleges and gatherings have already affected the actual schedule. In the meantime, the Tweed has released the brief teaser above featuring the artists who were interviewed. Profiles of each artist will be released on a regular schedule in the coming days and weeks, and we will be posting them here on Perfect Duluth Day as they are available. (more…)
Minnesota Point Lighthouse has been old for a long time
This ad appeared in the Duluth Herald newspaper on Sept. 4, 1920. The Minnesota Point Lighthouse was built in 1858, and it seems its deterioration happened largely in its first 62 years. (more…)
Postcard from a Beautiful Lake Superior Shore Line
This postcard was mailed Sept. 2, 1935 — 85 years ago today. “Lois and Ben” sent the card from Duluth to Mr. & Mrs. Lewis Jones of Highland Park, Mich. (more…)
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.
Postcard from Central High School in 1910
This postcard of Duluth Central High School is postmarked Aug. 29, 1910 — 110 years ago today.
The message on the back is to Miss Nevada Simpson of Crookston, Minn. (more…)
Kresge Girls’ Baseball Team of 1920
From the Aug. 28, 1920 Duluth Herald.
Duluth’s North Star Festival and Golden Jubilee of 1920
The Duluth Public Library’s Vintage Duluth blog has published a feature on Duluth’s North Star Festival and Golden Jubilee, which took place 100 years ago. The events marked Duluth’s 50th year as a city. (more…)
Postcard from Jay Cooke State Park
This undated postcard from Gallagher’s Studio of Photography shows a waterfall and the famous swinging bridge on the St. Louis River at Jay Cooke State Park. (more…)
Mystery Photo #121: Buggy Boys
A recurring source of confusion in the Mystery Photo series is whether particular images that share the stamp of the Post Card Shop in Minneapolis and the Penny Arcade in Duluth were shot in Minneapolis or Duluth. Here is another such image.
Three Minnesota women who paved way for women suffrage
To mark a century of women voting, Minnesota Public Radio took a look back at the work of three Minnesota women who helped break down barriers and paved the way for women’s suffrage. The trio includes Duluthian Sarah Burger Stearns. (more…)
Postcard from the Duluth Civic Center
This early 1970s postcard shows Duluth’s Civic Center, which includes the St. Louis County Courthouse, Duluth City Hall, Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building, St. Louis County Jail and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Another from Cook Ely
This image from the Ely Studio of Duluth comes to Perfect Duluth Day via Neal Eisenberg, a native Duluthian. (more…)
PDD Quiz: Street Namesakes
All map images retrieved from Google Maps.
Howard Gnesen, Morris Thomas, Jean Duluth … how much do you know about the namesakes of the region’s double-named roads? Take this week’s PDD quiz to find out!
The next PDD quiz, on August’s headlines and happenings, will be published on Aug. 30. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Aug. 26. (more…)
Steamer Christopher Columbus at Duluth
The Library of Congress captions this image “Steamer Christopher Columbus from Duluth passing industrial buildings,” and dates it “between 1900 and 1915.”
The SS Christopher Columbus was the longest whaleback ship ever built and the only one outfitted to serve as a passenger steamer — the rest were cargo barges. It was built by American Steel Barge Company in Superior and was in service from 1893 to 1933. (more…)
Postcard from American Steel and Wire Works
This undated postcard was published by H. C. Wick Company of Duluth, and features an Ektachrome photograph by Rod Peterson.
The caption on the back of the card reads:
American Steel & Wire plant at Morgan Park, Duluth, Minn. View from Skyline Boulevard.
Dwight Woodbridge’s 1920 Sub-Arctic Exploration
One century ago, Duluth’s Dwight Woodbridge returned from a trip exploring “uncharted islands” in Hudson Bay in northeastern Canada. His story appears in the Aug. 10, 1920 Duluth Herald. (more…)