Mystery Photo #70: East Superior Street in 1908
This photo from Detroit Publishing Company is dated 1908 — 110 years ago — although some evidence in the comments to this post indicate suggest it could have been shot prior to that year. It depicts a scene on East Superior Street in Duluth. The mysteries: What block? Are the homes in the image still there? Can someone recreate the mystery photo with a modern image from the same spot?
“7 Generations” Kickstarter launched to support documentary about proposed sulfide-ore copper mines
Outdoor filmmakers Tom Deschenes and Andrew Bydlon have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund completion of their documentary entitled 7 Generations. The movie aims to bring awareness to two proposed sulfide-ore copper mines that opponents say would threaten Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Postcard from the College of St. Scholastica, 1948
This postcard was mailed Aug. 4, 1948. (more…)
Lake Superior Wants to Kill You
Pardon the alarmist headline. Lake Superior doesn’t really want to kill you, but you should know all bodies of water are oblivious to your tiny existence and will absolutely steal you away any time you make the slightest error in judgement. So I’m not apprehensive about issuing stern warnings as if I’m your mom.
I know how seductive that big lake can be. And I know how much fun it is to dive off various bridges, rocks, swinging ropes or whatever it is you can propel yourself from into whichever refreshing river or stream awaits. I’ve done it, and I’ve lived through it. I’ve also seen it go wrong over and over and over again.
I’ll be the first to say when it goes right it’s a thing of beauty. You can’t let danger keep you off the water; we all know water absolutely gives so much more life than it takes. Just sitting on the shore looking at it, whether it’s perfectly calm or violently raging, is the easiest way to put yourself into your place on this planet. But it’s natural to want more than that. You have to at least put your toes in. And that sets you on the path to all manner of thrill seeking. Your ability to pick which point along the way to show some self control will determine whether you have the maximum good time or utterly wreck yourself. (more…)
Poll: Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant
We developed a list of contenders for the Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant poll by using a carefully crafted methodology — we asked people to nominate their favorites.
We started with 25 nominees and whittled it down to the top three.
The poll is now closed. The results were:
BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill, Eveleth | 36 percent
Vi’s Pizza, Biwabik | 36 percent
The Whistling Bird, Gilbert | 28 percent
By virtue of the tie, there will be a new poll between BoomTown and Vi’s to determine a winner.
Jeffrey T. Larson
Joe Hawkins of Raleigh, N.C. traveled to Duluth in June to shoot this profile of Duluth artist Jeffrey T. Larson.
Selective Focus: The Big Lake
This week we hear from Abby Tofte who recently opened the Big Lake, a store in Grand Marais selling “approachable” regional art — screenprints, cards, pottery, prints and more. Abby tells the origin story of the Big Lake and how her shop fits in with the mix of other shops in Grand Marais.
AT: The Big Lake is an approachable art gallery and gift shop with products that reflect the unique culture, lifestyle and beauty of the North Shore or Lake Superior. We carry regional and locally made jewelry, pottery, paintings, prints, cards, books and more, all within an affordable price range. (more…)
Video Archive: Superstars of Wrestling in Duluth, 1988
Finally unearthed from the PDD video archive, clips from the May 10, 1988 World Wrestling Federation card at the Duluth Arena. The segments available here are matches that were broadcast on the syndicated television program Superstars of Wrestling on May 22 and 29, 1988. Numerous other matches were taped at the same Duluth card and broadcast in subsequent weeks. (more…)
New sign celebrates Snively Monument
A new informational sign will be installed at the recently refurbished Snively Monument on West Skyline Parkway. The Duluth Preservation Alliance will hold a sign dedication ceremony on Monday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m., at the Snively Monument, located just east of the Stewart Creek Bridge on the scenic roadway. (more…)
Nominees for Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant Poll
Left: Photo by Sheldon Schwartz. Right: Google map manipulated by PDD.
It’s time the Iron Range got some credit. Summertime up north is spectacular. The abundant forests, lakes and trails offer the quintessential “up north” Minnesota experience. In past polls we’ve named the Perfect Duluth Restaurant, Perfect North Shore Restaurant and Perfect South Shore-area Restaurant. Now it’s time to look to the northwest and give some props to eateries in and around Minnesota’s Iron Range. (more…)
Lincoln Park School Store circa 1968
Left to right: Virginia Wingness, Steve Walli, Gary Logergren, Paul Town and Kathy Wilson.
Photo from The Times ’68, Lincoln Park Junior High School’s yearbook.
Lake Superior Road Trip
Dan Fourness put together this travelogue video of adventures in the Apostle Islands, Duluth, Sleeping Giant, Isle Royale and various places along the way.
Video Archive: Fred Tyson – “Free Man”
Circa 2007, Fred Tyson performs “I’m a Free Man” at the Red Lion Lounge … and forgets most of the words.
PDD Quiz: July 2018 in Review
As another month of summer comes to a close, we look back at the events that made headlines. Quiz on to test your knowledge of July happenings!
The next PDD Quiz, on Duluth murals, will be published on Aug. 12. Email question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Aug. 9. (more…)
My People
If I walk west there are mansions along my way, with lawns most green and lovely. As I cross a certain avenue things start to get shaggy, and if on a corner lot there’s a for-sale sign on a cairn of truck tires my diaphragm expands with the deep breath of belonging, and I think to myself — my people!
America, so it’s said, is the land of meritocracy, social mobility, and a playing field both level and just. Here any child can grow up to inherit a hundred million dollars, pump it through Manhattan real-estate, fluff it in the casinos of Atlantic City and Wall Street, and end up leveraged to the balls with the Russian mob.
But the most accurate predictor of where you’ll wind up socio-economically — in America more so than any other wealthy country — is where your parents wound up. Social mobility exists, and was expanded by the GI Bill after WW ll, and cheap (even free) college through the ’70s, but the ladders have been withdrawn over starter-castle walls, and rising stars belie the rule. (more…)
Urban Cabin
My spouse and I were sitting on the back porch of our big house on a small lot in south Minneapolis dreaming of buying a getaway out of the city. We are not, however, cabin people we decided. The thought of doing nothing for an entire weekend, while appealing to our parents, is depressing to us. It was then that we came up with the idea, what about an urban cabin? We have always loved Duluth, and what better lake to get a weekend place at than the largest fresh water lake in the world? So, a year ago we bought a place in Central Hillside and became part-time Duluth residents. Our companies agreed to let us work remotely on Fridays so we are able to spend half of each week in Duluth. (more…)
Selective Focus: Ashley Wereley
Tonight (Friday, July 27) is the opening of Peter Pan, Jr. at the Depot Family Theater, and next week, the Toxic Avenger opens at the Underground on Thursday, August 2. This week’s Selective Focus subject is the scenic designer for both productions.
AW: My name is Ashley, of Ashley Wereley Design, and I am a scenic designer, exhibit designer, scenic painter, exhibit painter, muralist and commissioned artist.
I stumbled into scenic painting while in art school when a friend at a local church asked me to paint some scenery they were building for a youth camp. I was immediately enthralled, and decided to stay on for a year at the Oaks Fellowship in Red Oak, Texas, as scenic charge and an assistant scenic designer. (more…)
Video Archive: Wabasha Books moves to First Street in 1998
It was July 1998 when Wabasha Books, longtime purveyor of adult paperbacks and other products, made plans to move from 13 E. Superior St. to 114 E. First St. (more…)
Duluth, Two Harbors and Silver Bay
Whitney Scott and friends cruise the North Shore of Lake Superior in this summer travelogue.
PDD Job Opening: Sell square boxes for fun and profit
Two seasoned professionals are about to leave the Perfect Duluth Day Media Empire. Brianna Hall-Nelson is moving to Denver to further her education; Brian Timm is giving up his PDD side-hustle to focus more on his work as a kitchen and bath designer.
That means Duluth’s Duluthiest website is looking for a new person to join its crew selling the advertisements that so handsomely stack on the right column of pages on this website (or in between the content if you are looking at PDD on a smartphone).
Click here to read the full job description and find out how to apply.
Brianna has been with PDD for three years, and Brian for eight. We’ll miss having them on the precipice of our tabernacle, tickling our 50 and sharing in other inside jokes that make no sense outside the PDD siblinghood. And we look forward to meeting the newbie and developing a whole new “slanguage.”
Kip’s Memory Card Dump #14
Duluth photographer Kip Praslowicz‘s latest memory-card dump video covers April 2017 to April 2018, minus the Homegrown Music Festival.
Saving the Brays
This past weekend I met Kym Garvey, who has been rescuing donkeys for about 10 years, now as part of the larger mission of Save the Brays Donkey Rescue. (more…)
Mystery Photo #69: Tall Ship
Based on fashions of the spectators, this photo appears to be circa the 1990s. Throngs have gathered to watch a tall ship sail into the Duluth Harbor. What is the name of the vessel? When precisely did this happen? (more…)