History
Brewhouse Triathlon, 1927
Well …
So, when do we bring back the Winter Frolic?
I found this on the now-defunct Duluth Public Library Reference Blog. You think skijoring is fun? Try motorcycle skijoring on the lake ice.
Traditional Ojibwe Opening Ceremony for UMD Library Exhibit
“Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country,” a national traveling exhibition, is on display in the UMD Library fourth floor rotunda reading room. The public is invited to a traditional Ojibwe opening ceremony in UMD’s Weber Music Hall at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 15. The ceremony will include drumming, prayer, and welcome statements at the Weber, followed by a reception and viewing of the exhibit on the fourth floor of the UMD Library. Refreshments will be provided by Friends of the Duluth Public Library. Call 218-726-8130 for more information.
The exhibit, which tells the story of the explorers’ historic 1804-1806 expedition from the point of view of the Indians who lived along the route, is available for viewing during all hours when the UMD Library is open. You can learn more about the exhibit and check the library hours by going to the UMD Library web site:
Duluth Quarterback Club?
Does anyone have info on or remember a place called the Quarterback Club? It was up by where the mall is now during the 1960s, I think.
Park Point Park cabin?
On the hiking trail at the end of Park Point, there’s an old cabin on the harbor side. Does anyone know the story behind this cabin? I read that there used to be several “settlers cabins,” perhaps this is the one remaining settler cabin? I can also of course speculate about blacklisted Finnish bachelors, but I suspect folk on PDD know the real story.
Coal Train (Soultrane?)
Parked (?) train blocks view of Lake Superior from https://duluthdailyphoto.vox.com/
I thought this was intended as a temporary winter seawall.
But Duluth Daily photo (above) and later the Duluth News Tribune had some good coverage of this that straightened me out, apparently these coal cars are just being stored on those tracks, even though they do sit in a storm prone spot. Now, DNT’s Brandon Stahl writes that the train will be moved to Leif Ericson Park. (more…)
Suburbs Memories
If anyone has fun memories of going to a Suburbs show especially in Duluth please post them in the comments. I want to read them on my radio show today between sets of awesome Suburbs music.
R.I.P. Bruce Allen.
Holy X-Comm! Holiday Book Sale and Author Signing!
Duluth Publishers Holy Cow! Press and X-communication have teamed up for this very special sale and author signings
Date: Sunday, December 6, 2009; noon to 4 p.m.
Location: Spiritual Deli, 3 West Superior Street, Duluth
Details:
– 10% of proceeds go to the Duluth chapter of C.H.U.M.
– All prices greatly reduced-up to 66% off!
– Refreshments will be served
Special: Spend $20 on X-Comm titles and receive a free book or historic art print of the Aerial Transfer Bridge, Incline Railway, Enger Tower, or Old Central and Minnesota Point from the top of the hillside (scroll down to see examples on flyer).
(Note: We do not have credit card capability at these events, so please bring cash or checks.)
Author Signing Schedule:
Chuck Frederick – Leatherheads of the North: The Duluth Eskimos – 12 – 1 pm
Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson – Dovetailed Corners – 1 – 2 pm
Denny Anderson – Good Night, Everybody…and Be Kind – 2 – 3 pm
Jim Heffernan – Cooler Near the Lake: Collected Columns – 2:30 – 4 pm
Anthony Bukoski – Twelve Below Zero – 3 – 4 pm
Jim Perlman – Beloved on the Earth – 12 – 4 pm
Tony Dierckins – Crossing the Canal: Duluth’s Aerial Bridge – 12 – 4 pm
Zayre Shoppers’ City Discount Department Store in West Duluth
The West Duluth Memories page on Facebook has a bunch of old West Duluth photos, including some of Shoppers’ City, posted by Roger Nesje.
Duluth Arena Pro Wrestling Photos from the 1980s — Killer Khan and so on
Killer Khan wrestled at the Duluth Arena on Aug. 8, 1987. The infamous Mr. Fuji is in the background of the top photo.
Nick Bockwinkel was special guest referee on a different card.
Duluth TV ads from 1970
Eight classic TV spots from 1970, in all their sexiness. (more…)
More retro Duluth TV
Someone just posted a bunch of old WDIO news, sports and weather promos on YouTube. Here is an assortment of 1970s-era holiday spots — lots of glimpses of old TV news sets and technology … and a brief appearance by Dennis Anderson. (more…)
Wrestling at UMD
As a former wrestler I found this article quite interesting. I remember visiting UMD and looking at the conference Champ Pennants up at the fieldhouse.
Denfeld vs. Central: Bookends to a Rivalry
Duluth Denfeld played Duluth Central tonight in high school football for what will very likely be the last time. Denfeld won 20-6 in front of a crowd of maybe 500 at Public Schools Stadium. (more…)
Glensheen Living Literature Presents: The Monkey’s Paw
Gather ’round for a spooky reading of “The Monkey’s Paw” at Glensheen on October 22, October 23, and October 24 at 7 p.m. A special flashlight tour of the mansion is included, and the evening concludes with refreshments and a guided discussion of W.W. Jacob’s 1902 tale. $25 – $33. Reservations online or by calling 726-8910.
Famous Beaver Bay Invention: Sexual Armor
The Green Door, a liquor store and bar in Beaver Bay, has a framed tribute to Ellen E. Perkins. She was the inventor of “certain new and useful Improvements in Sexual Armor.”
The account on the wall of the bar reads:
Surprisingly enough, the sexual armor invented by Ellen E. Perkins of Beaver Bay, Minnesota is not for defense against assault but to keep the wearer from playing with himself. In her 1908 patent she calls the practice that the garment is designed to prevent one of the most common causes of insanity, imbecility and feeblemindedness – especially in youth – and equally true of both sexes. Her profession, by implication nursing, had made her very familiar with the subject. (more…)
Happy Leif Erikson Day
I just thought it would be good to pay some respect to Mr. Leif Erikson on his day. Or is it Ericson?
I will stick with his nickname “Leif the Lucky” that’s catchier anyway. Either way he was a great explorer and discovered this great continent 500 years before Mr. Columbus and was way cooler. Get out and celebrate and have a beer for your favorite Norse explorer.
And screw you Google, why no respect for Leif the Lucky? O’well we will give him the Google love he deserves here.
Send your love to Leif and comment how much he means to you on this Leif Erikson Day 2009.
Grab a beer, it’s on you.
Ten years ago this weekend, music history was made.
Missing promo photos, Homegrown 2003
With the likes of Ricky Martin, Lou Bega and Sixpence None The Richer dominating the charts, backlash was inevitable. The world clamored for a band which did not suck; did not dance on stage [at least, with choreography]; and had the good sense to combine the best parts of Guns N’ Roses, the Misfits and Mötley Crüe into one girlfriend-thieving package.
This band, of course, was Bone Appetit.
Remember this old PDD logo?
Was this Perfect Duluth Day’s first logo?
Circa 2003
More Vintage Photos of Duluth
I’m not sure if we’ve ever discussed photos from this site on PDD before, but the vintage photography blog Shorpy just posted some new old shots of Duluth from 1905. There are a few more Duluth photos back in the archives as well, which I dug out for you. Check ’em out:
- Duluth Incline Railway: 1905 (pictured above)
- Duluth, 1905
- Duluth, cont’d 1905
- Strange Span: 1905 (construction of the Aerial Lift Bridge opening of the Aerial Transfer Bridge)
- Fitger Conetops (circa 1960. This shot is upside-down for some reason)
- Mom, 1956
- When Men Were Men and Moose Were Dead
Brian Olson’s mural of the Palace Theater
Two blocks from the site of the old Palace Theater in Superior is the new Palace Theater, a painting of the old one. Brian Olson created this mural on the back side of the Douglas County Historical Society building.
Pretty sweet.
From the Ripsaw Archive | September 1999
Ten years later, I wonder if anyone noticed that instead of using an image of a dreadlocked rastafarian for this reggae concert ad we just clipped a bunch of clothespins on Barrett.
Old Cemetery
One of the oldest and prettiest cemeteries in the area is also one of the most obscure. This one is on Cemetery Road off County Road Z, near County Road A, just south of Superior.