History
Today’s vocabulary word: Varicocele
A varicocele is an enlargement of the veins of the scrotum, frequently causing a knotted or swollen appearance.
Fortunately, Duluth’s Progressive Medical Association had a “master specialist” back in the day. He considered the cause of a varicocele to be “often indiscretion” and listed as references some of “the leading businessmen of the city.”
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Duluth Street Scene, 1909
Street scene, Lake & Superior Streets 21 July 1909 (Minnesota Reflections)
I ran across this photo last year on Minnesota Reflections.
It was the people who caught my interest though. Looking into the faces of people caught in a random freezeframe of Superior Street traffic from 101 years ago grabbed me for whatever reason. I guess the fact that they’re gawking at a ruined street gives it a timeless quality. (more…)
Old Duluth Rock Shows/Posters?
A coworker recently left this poster in her office so I:
1) Pounced all over it.
2) Wondered if others in Duluth have old posters from big name (whatever that means) rock shows that took place here.
Does anybody else have posters they can upload a picture of … or just knowledge of other big acts that have come through Duluth?
West Duluth 100 Years Ago
The photo above is from 1910. It was almost certainly shot from North 59th Avenue West, near where Tacony Street intersects it. I tried to replicate it with the modern shot below, but trees, fences and houses kept me from shooting at the same spot, and the view is much more limited.
Behind all the trees across the street is a rock outcropping that matches the one in the 1910 photo.
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You would like it in the Northern Plains: Duluth, Minnesota
This ad for Northern Natural Gas Company ran in Time magazine on Sept. 17, 1965. Hats off to Susie LeGarde Menz for the find. (more…)
Denfeld vs. Central: The Pranks
Now that the Denfeld and Central High School student bodies have been united, it seems like a good time to look back at some of the pranks students played on each other.
The most infamous, of course, was during the 1974-75 school year. Denfeld kids somehow managed to hoist a Volkswagon to the top of Central High School. The car had “Hunters” painted on the side.
The statute of limitations is probably up, so anyone willing to come forward, admit participation and explain how it was done will surely be held harmless. (Although I can’t promise some middle-aged Central grad won’t toilet paper your house. And I suppose administrators could still revoke your diploma. Better keep quiet.)
One rumor I heard was that the whole prank was based on a lesson from a physics class at Denfeld.
Another prank I remember hearing about, I think also from the 1970s, involved Denfeld kids setting a greased pig loose at Central. Again, anyone with details should chime in on the comments.
And, of course, there was the fall of 1979, when Central kids threw eggs at the Denfeld marching band before the Homecoming game, which prompted Denfeld kids to throw eggs at Central’s band during halftime. I think that was the last significant prank before Duluth Public Schools entered an era of civility and brotherhood and whatnot.
Certainly there were some other good pranks not mentioned here. Let the discussion begin. Hell, we’ll even let cake eaters participate.
Laurie Hertzel book launch in Duluth on Thursday, Sept. 16
Laurie Hertzel, author of News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist, is going to be in Duluth launching her new book, Thursday evening, Sept. 16, at 7 pm, in Fitgers’ Spirit of the North theater.
News to Me tells the story of the 18 years Laurie spent working for the Duluth News Tribune, including her accompanying a group of Duluthians to what was then the Soviet Union in 1986, when they went to talk to the city officials in Petrozavodsk about setting up a sister city relationship. It’s a compelling read, and there’s some fabulous stories about what Duluth was like in the ’70s and ’80s. And to sweeten the deal, there’s going to be a cash bar, free meatballs, and I am introducing Laurie!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OUQoMUYez8
United States Steel Duluth Works
It’s amusing to me that the soundtrack to this slideshow is by Dokken. You might think that’s a poor choice, but I remember 20 years ago the only Duluth kids into Dokken were from Morgan Park, so it makes sense.
Also, tragically, the one sentence of text in the video contains multiple errors, but oh well. (more…)
Best of the Twin Cities: Duluth winners from 1999 to 2011
A collection of Duluth-related stuff from City Pages’ Best of the Twin Cities issues over the years.
2011
Best Blues Artist
Charlie Parr
Charlie Parr is the real deal. A Duluthian through and through, he’s about as unpretentious as they come. Climbing up on stage dressed in a flannel shirt, carpenter’s pants, and work boots, he wields his steel-stringed guitar like it’s an extension of his body, effortlessly gliding over the frets with a slide and letting it reverberate before trading it for a banjo or a 12-string. Sometimes when he plays he’s accompanied by an unassuming young lad who looks like he’s been plucked straight from the ore mines on the Iron Range, who clangs on train spikes and steel bars while Parr sings and strums. And while Parr’s guitar playing is technically complex and seemlingly effortless, it’s his voice-a blues howl with a soft side, which can climb up from a sweet moan into a loud bellow at a moment’s notice-that accentuates the stark, sad nature of his songs, painting vivid portraits through lyrics about loneliness, the devil, and making things right with the Lord. (more…)
Wooden arch from Duluth’s Spalding Hotel at State Fair
I didn’t ask around, with the crowd as thick as it was, but I’m assuming this big wooden arch must be the one from the Spalding Hotel that was retrofitted into O’Gara’s fairgrounds restaurant in St. Paul.
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Duluth’s Goat Hill Neighborhood
Does anyone know about the history of West Duluth’s “Goat Hill” area or how it got that name?
Cormier Dry Goods of West Duluth
Left:
Cormier Dry Goods, 6227 Grand Ave., West Duluth, in 1907.
(Northeast Minnesota Historical Center photo.)
Right:
The same building in 2010, now entirely apartments.
(Perfect Duluth Day photo.)
Cormier Dry Goods stayed in business well into the 1930s. Gustave Cormier was the proprietor and lived upstairs. By the mid-1930s, J.A. Lundeen’s shoe store shared the building.
Park Point Amusement Park
My mom, who was born in Duluth in 1935, was re-telling me stories about the amusement park at the end of Park Point. She recalled bumper cars (she called them “dodge-em carts”), a penny arcade, a carousel, spinning swings, a candy shop (Fritz’s) and various other amusements. I know the canopy for the carousel is in the Sports Garden, but I have never seen any pictures of this park and don’t know if the topic has been addressed here. Just wondering if anyone has any insight as to whether my mom’s recollections are accurate.
Lost Superior: St. Joseph Orphan Home
I found some amazing pictures of the chapel in St. Joseph Orphan Home. It was mostly referred to as “the orphanage” and was located just to the east of the Mariner Mall in Superior.
See the photos at the Badger Catholic blog.
Duluth flag?
I’ve lived in Duluth for 21 years and have only recently discovered that we’ve got a flag — one that actually looks kind of cool (for a flag).
My questions are:
1) Why doesn’t this flag get used more often?
2) Where can I get one?
Rick Boo, Hot Rod and Hung at the NorShor
(Note: This post originally linked to a slideshow about the NorShor’s history, which is why comments to the post rave about time travel.)
The NorShor Theatre’s Mighty Tower
In preparation for the events this week honoring the Orpheum Theatre’s centennial at the NorShor, Tony Dierckins put together a slide show with some fantastic historical photographs. You can see the whole thing on Saturday — it’ll be looping in the NorShor’s balcony theater — but here’s one of my favorite images:
This is the tower that used to be part of the theater’s marquee. You’ve probably seen photos of it from the other direction, but this one uniquely looks out over the lake. The tower stood 65 feet above the theater, weighed over 300 tons, and was completely sheathed in porcelain. It used 3,000 lights and was said to be visible from 60 miles away.
Fishing for Fossils – Sneak Peek Exhibit!
Did you know prehistoric sharks once swam Northland waters and crocodiles roamed our region? These are just two surprising facts revealed in “Fishing for Fossils,” a special month-long exhibit opening Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Great Lakes Aquarium. It will run through Labor Day Weekend.
The exhibit features numerous fossils of ancient fish and creatures that once inhabited what is now the Great Lakes Basin. Some fossil artifacts are part of the Aquarium’s in-house collection, and others are on loan from outside sources, including Hill Annex Mine State Park in Calumet, Minn.
Hill Annex Mine State Park is rich with fossils, dating back to before the glaciers. The iron ore deposit that spans the Iron Range is the shoreline of a vast, ancient inland sea. It is riddled with fossil deposits from prehistoric times, including teeth from sharks and crocodiles, plus evidence of ancient invertebrates. Fossil finds in other areas covered by this ancient sea include the remains of plesiosaurs and other giant aquatic reptiles from the age of dinosaurs.
The Life and Brawls of Thomas Madden — former chief of West Duluth Police, saloon keeper and old fashioned thug
This post is a follow up to the post requesting information about Duluth’s old bowery district. The focus here is on Tom Madden, who managed to find himself in the news a lot. Set the Wayback Machine for 1891 and we’ll go in chronological order from there.
Dec. 13, 1891 | Duluth News Tribune
WILL IT BE MURDER?
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Patrick Mulligan May Die From Injuries Received From Chief Madden.
Patrick Mulligan, who runs the “Little Diamond saloon on Central avenue, and who had his jaw broken a few days ago at the brickyard bagnio by a blow from ex Chief of Police Madden, was taken yesterday to St. Mary’s hospital, where he is now hovering between life and death. His jaw was set by Dr. Magie a day or two ago, but serious inflammation has set in, and the doctor said yesterday it would probably be necessary to put a silver tube in his throat to enable him to breathe. His case is a very serious one and the chances are even between life and death. (more…)
Were you there?
Duluth Protest
These photos were taken by the late Mark Arvilla. Can you guess where and when these protest photos were taken and were you there?
Bowery Bros. Bowery District?
The old bowery district is a part of Duluth’s history that seems to be forgotten, or at least not talked about too often. Bowery Bros. (new pub with delicious food I might add) is located where Duluth’s bowery district used to be. Kinda cool. Anyone have any old stories about this?
Does anyone have pictures or stories from when the Ripsaw was housed in the Temple Opera Building?
I rent and work out of Room 208 in the Temple Opera Building. Legend has it that the Ripsaw was once published out of this office. I’d love to see some photos and hear some stories about those days in this space.
Spirit Mountain’s Alpine Roller Coaster is pretty neat, but the old Duluth Skyride looks a bit more intimidating
Originally called the Incline Plane Railway, this tram system started service in 1891, carrying passengers up Seventh Avenue West from Superior Street to Ninth Street. The photo above makes it look downright terrifying.
And, of course, there was one day in which it was indeed a terrifying ride, though no one was on it.
On May 28, 1901, a fire started in a coal bin in the engine room of the powerhouse. Wind carried the fire to the pavilion at the top of the incline. The heat of the fire melted the tram cables, and a burning trolley raced down to Superior Street, where it crashed into Superior Street Station. No one was injured.
Hot!