History
Good Ol’ Random History
I stopped by Amazing Alonzo the other day and picked this beauty up for a cheap 6 bucks. Packed full of weird facts and stories of history dating back to Moses. Topics range from how we used to treat the mentally ill, crime and punishment (including mass executions of heretics and misconceptions of the guillotine), cocaine cough drops, and did you know that the French had a fascination with enemas well through the 19th century?! Seriously good read. Pretty certain they don’t have another copy, but search for it.
Duluth Milk Bottle Mystery
I was out on a walk with the dog yesterday evening on a country road north of Duluth, the same road I’ve walked literally hundreds of times the past few years.
Video Archive: A Sunday Afternoon Walk on Central Avenue in West Duluth, circa 1940
This is the Helgeson family after church services on a Sunday in roughly 1940. They lived at 911 Central Ave. The parents are George and Rose. Their sons are G. Lewis, Robert, John and Paul.
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History Question About the North Shore
I was up the Shore today and turned left on Homestead Road, by the Lighthouse Restaurant. I’m always scouting in the woods and seem to come across signs of the past everywhere. On the left side, I saw a large concrete piece, with electrical parts. It looked like it was once a base for a huge lighted sign. Snooping some more, I came across broken dishes, a couple of rusted chairs, and much more.
I went and asked the owners of the Lighthouse if they knew what was there. All they said was that there was a motel there years ago. Does anyone know the name of it and when it was there?
Duluth home-movie footage from 1938
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCKkFZFya_M
This 8mm home-movie depicts a 1938 fishing trip to Duluth.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WomRBtHElFM&feature=related
Historic Photos of Duluth
LakesnWoods.com: A Guide to Minnesota Communities
Old time post cards and photos of Duluth. Cool site!
P.O.W. David Wheat’s return to Duluth
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U60XKjmiQw0&feature=player_embedded
A tip of the hat to Andrew Krueger at the News Tribune Attic for spotting this Feb. 7, 1973, WDIO-TV broadcast on YouTube. Nice to have you back in the attic, Andrew.
David Wheat, many of you may remember, was a prison mate of John McCain’s in North Vietnam and campaigned for him in 2008.
This video includes cameos by pre-toupée Dennis Anderson and Mayor Ben Boo, among others. An hilarious ad for “Pringle’s Newfangled Potato Chips” is at the end.
Tea Party
Add to earlier Bedrock Bar post, from Oct. 4, 1922 Duluth Tribune.
Bedrock Bar / Tom’s Junkyard / Roby’s Bar & Lounge / Slippery Saloon / The Amber Flow — Timeline of a West End Bar
The post “Minnow Swallowing Contest in Duluth” led to a discussion about where the Amber Flow Bar was located. The answer quickly emerged … 2023 W. Superior St.
Time for a little tavern genealogy … (more…)
1961-1968 racing in Hartley Park
Twelve-year-old Harold “Bo” Conrad won the 1963 Duluth race where Hartley Nature Center is today and went on to win the All-American Soap Box Derby Race in Akron, Ohio, where there were 75,000 people watching.
Minnow Swallowing Contest in Duluth
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3LePItHnuo
St. Patrick’s Day, 1980. Quite a party in the West End.
From the Ripsaw Archive: April 5, 2000
Ten years ago today, the first weekly issue of the Ripsaw came out. Looking it over this morning, the thing that surprised me is there was a localized crossword puzzle. I had forgotten about that. It only lasted a few months because the guy who did it, Israel Malachi, either got tired of putting it together or left town for a while, I can’t remember which.
Anyway, the puzzle is below. It’s pretty easy, but I’ll follow up with the answer key in the comments tomorrow.
Sen Al Franken Resurrects “Duluth Answer Man” to Support Twin Ports Google Fiber
MARCH 10, 2010 – Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has joined The Google Twin Ports Fiber Initiative by resurrecting his Duluth Answer Man clips.
Duluth’s campaign combines a fun and creative grassroots campaign with a very serious effort to build a strong business case for bringing Google Fiber to the Twin Ports.
The Duluth Answer Man campaign was produced in the mid 80s by the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, known today as Visit Duluth. The series ran in the Twin Cites market as the summer tourism campaign for Duluth.
Duluth’s Oneota Football Squad – 1915
I’m not sure if these are junior high students from Oneota School or if they are high school kids and this is a community team for the Oneota neighborhood (part of West Duluth). Denfeld didn’t have an official football team until 1917.
I don’t know the names of any of the players, except the guy sitting cross-legged in the middle — he’s my great uncle, Sam Brassard. (Yep, Uncle Sam.)
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Going Through Old Files
Circa 2003.
Could any of these gals still be around?
As you can see, this picture is dated 1919. The girls look to be of elementary school age, so maybe one of them is still around today.
The location of the picture is the old Denfeld High School on Central Avenue, which is now Laura MacArthur Elementary School. There must have been elementary classes in the old Denfeld, or these are just random kids from the neighborhood, because none of them look old enough to be in high school.
The old Denfeld/MacArthur building will be torn down after the new MacArthur is built, but hopefully the old house in the background will keep on keepin’ on.
Derby racing in Hartley
Anyone remember when they had Soap Box Derby races in Hartley back in 1961-1968? I’m writing an article on it for a class and would love any help, information or photos that anyone may know or have!
Thanks!
Lauren
NorShor Centennial
A post from Feb. 3 about the Ripsaw’s history featured some comments about the NorShor Theatre’s history, which led to an interesting point:
The NorShor Theater turns 100 this year.
And so I put this question to PDD’s history detectives: What is the exact date the NorShor–then the Orpheum Theatre–first opened its doors?
UPDATE: As Gea reports, the magic date is Aug. 22, 1910.
Panoramas of Duluth over time
Check out more at the Library of Congress site.
Adams School in Duluth’s West End
School faculty must have thought this was a major pain, but I think in the long run it proves worthwhile to drag an entire student body out to pose for a photo in front of the building.
Adams School was built in 1885 at 1721 W. Superior St., serving children in Duluth’s West End neighborhood. Architects of the building were McMillen and Stebbins.
The school closed in 1951, and was demolished in 1960.
Remembering the Ripsaw’s Transition
It’s been 10 years since the Ripsaw published the last of its monthly scandal sheets and converted to an “alternative newsweekly” format. Here’s a look back at the old monthly editions of Duluth’s most infamous rag.
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That’s Trouble of Some Kind, George
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMfXAVM4Bl8
Previously unseen amateur video of Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
Ski Jumping at Chester Bowl
You know you’ve always wanted to see somebody go off those jumps at Chester Bowl, now you can.
Just in time for the Olympics, learn about Duluth’s world-class ski jumping history, and support both Chester Bowl and WDSE public television at the same time. Come take in a movie and hear some stories from Chester’s ski jumping legends. Kid-friendly early and late showings, conveniently overlapping the Paul Lundgren Happy Hour right upstairs.
The Ski Flyers: a Jumping Tradition, including additional archival footage of ski jumpers
Wed Feb 10, 5:30 and 7:00 pm Zinema2
Tickets: $3 for 5:30 show, $5 for 7:00 show. Seating is limited; advance tickets and more info are available at this link. Remaining tickets will be available at the door.