Victims of the Wreck of the Wilson Should Have a Memorial
A recent push to place a memorial to the Edmund Fitzgerald on Barker’s Island got me thinking about the local oft-forgotten wreck of the Thomas Wilson. My 1995 edition of the book Shipwrecks of Lake Superior (edited by James R. Marshall) calls the Wilson “Duluth’s doorstep shipwreck.” The author of the Wilson chapter is legendary local scuba diver Paul von Goertz, who says on page 75 that “The Thomas Wilson ‘sails the bottom’ less than a mile from the ship canal.” A 308-foot whaleback steamer loaded with ore, the Wilson got T-boned in 1902 and sank within three minutes.
What bothers me about the wreck is that it may hold the remains of seven crew members:
“Of the 20 men that comprised the Wilson’s crew, nine were lost. Only two of the nine bodies were recovered. The remaining seven are entombed to this day in the hull of the Wilson … [the wreck] remains in pretty good shape …. To the best of my knowledge, entry has not been gained into the turret housing the boiler room. A safe guess would be that the men entombed in the wreck might be found in the boiler room, as this was the compartment nearest the actual point of collision. The preservation qualities of ice cold Lake Superior have protected the old wreck well … On one dive, I examined some wooden planking near the stern. The wood was not in the least rotted and even the putty in the seams was intact … One could safely speculate that the cold water would also preserve the remains of the seven sailors entombed in her belly.” (Lake Superior Shipwrecks, pp. 76-77) (more…)
Big Into – “Getaway Aston”
Who can save Curtis Kraft Mattson from villains of the highest order? Only Graham Hakala in a classy car. It’s all in the latest music video from Big Into.
Local poet talks absurdities with morning television audience
The secret to becoming a Canada goose - WDIO.com
The Good Morning Northland crew get a look into the absurd idea of becoming a Canada Goose. Local author Henry Kneiszel showcases their new book of poems and tells how to catch a reading of "It's All Too Much and I'm Ready to Become a Canada Goose."
wdio.com
I love Henry’s taste in the quirky and just plain odd. All of that is made visible in this WDIO interview with the local poet, who offers to teach us to become Canada Gooses.
Foxes & Fireflies bookstore coming soon to Superior Entrepreneurship Center
Foxes & Fireflies begins to take shape as tables and bookshelves are set up in the space on Tower Avenue in Superior. (Photo via Foxes & Fireflies Facebook page)
A new independent bookstore will soon be part of a business incubation facility in Superior.
Foxes & Fireflies will be Superior’s only bookstore carrying an inventory of new books. The city does not have a chain bookstore and hasn’t had a notable outlet for new books since the locally owned JW Beecroft store closed in 2007. (more…)
The state fair begins tomorrow
The Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 2, and local artist Holly Rose has been counting down to the State Fair on her Instagram feed. Check it out and nerd out with me.
You can buy Sweet Martha’s cookies at Aldi and Cub, at least — maybe Super One too, I don’t know. They taste pretty good. And the line is shorter, and my god, I am old.
Alan Sparhawk – “Get Still”
“Get Still” is the second release from Alan Sparhawk‘s upcoming album White Roses, My God, scheduled for release Sept. 27 on Sub Pop Records. The video was directed by Ingrid Weise.
Postcard from Coal Docks in the Duluth Harbor
This undated postcard, published by Zenith Interstate News Company, shows coal docks in the Duluth Harbor. There is no caption on the back identifying the name of the docks, and the image is an illustration that might not exactly depict reality, but it is likely meant to represent the Clarkson Coal & Dock Company.
PDD Geoguessr #24: Indigenous Land
A gas station on the Fond du Lac Reservation (Photo by Matthew James)
In 2019, the University of Minnesota Duluth became the first in the University of Minnesota system to adopt a land acknowledgment, a formal statement recognizing that UMD “is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous people.” The land acknowledgement references the 1854 treaty in which representatives of the Anishinaabe ceded some of their land to settlement (while retaining certain rights on that land) and came to an agreement about which areas would be governed under tribal sovereignty. This Geoguessr challenge briefly examines the significance of the 1854 treaty and includes significant sites from reservations throughout Northern Minnesota. (more…)
Three Seconds to Escape a Pillowing
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to discover a pillow is being pushed down over your face. Just like in the movies. How would you react?
Well, perhaps you can learn from me. I recently woke up to find myself being smothered, and I survived. How I escaped is less interesting than what went through my head in the first three seconds.
The human brain can perform quickly in these situations. It can sort through dozens of scenarios instantly. This is partly because our thoughts can be morbid at times, leading us to plan ahead for how to respond to things that are very unlikely to happen. We are also influenced by movies, television, books and other forms of storytelling that warn us there really are people who, randomly or premeditatedly, are stabbed, shot, strangled or otherwise rubbed out. If it happened to them, it can happen to you, right?
Being suffocated by someone pushing a pillow into your face should rank pretty low on the list of ways you might think you could be killed, even though it’s something that frequently happens on TV. It just seems so stupid. Why would someone planning a murder choose such a potentially flawed option? And why would anyone acting impulsively choose a pillow as the best available murder weapon? Are there really no blunt objects in the room? Is it really possible in the United States of America to enter a bedroom without passing a gun rack or a kitchen with a vast array of knives? Or is the murderer really limited to seeking out an extra pillow, decorative and fluffy, near the one under the head of the victim? (more…)
Cloud Cult – “One Human Being”
The fourth video release from Cloud Cult‘s new album Alchemy Creek is for the song “One Human Being.” The video and artwork are by Annabelle Poppa.
Finding Minnesota: Taconite Harbor
WCCO-TV‘s John Lauritsen examines the rise and fall of Taconite Harbor in Cook County.
Indecent Proposal – “The Cage”
The latest video from Duluth band Indecent Proposal was shot on the S.S. William A. Irvin ore boat museum. The featured actors are Kelly Killorin, Stuart Gordon and Danielle Thralow.
Duluth 2024 Primary Election Results
With 4,102 of 4,102 precincts reporting, here are statewide primary election results for races relevant to Duluth. (more…)
The Slice: 114 Years of Split Rock Lighthouse
Split Rock Lighthouse‘s 114th anniversary was celebrated on July 26 with special tours and a lighting of the beacon. The annual anniversary event commemorates the first lighting of the lighthouse’s beacon, which took place on July 31, 1910.
In its series The Slice, PBS North presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
Counting Down to the State Fair with Fellow Duluthians
I am always excited by the Minnesota State Fair. At one point I had attended every year for a 20-year stretch. I attended six days in one year; another year, I returned home from England early just so I could squeeze one day in. (more…)
Dan Bern with Jane’s Great Dane – “Cowboy”
Here’s a little ditty for all the young cowboys who “rustled cattle in Missouri and brought them up to Duluth.”
The 350th Anniversary of the Battle of Seneffe
A monument to the battle at the Castle of Seneffe. (Photo by Matthew James)
Three hundred and fifty years ago, Daniel Greysolon Sieur du Luth first met Father Louis Hennepin in the aftermath of the Battle of Seneffe. While this battle is often listed as a footnote in the history of French colonialism in Minnesota, it was one of the most significant battles of the Franco-Dutch War. On Aug. 11, 1674, French troops fought in southern Belgium against an allied army of Dutch, German and Spanish soldiers. The battle shaped European history and the meeting of Du Luth and Hennepin at the site of that battle led to a story that, while almost certainly false, endures as one the foundational tales of Minnesota history. (more…)
PDD Quiz: Mascots
This week’s quiz tests your knowledge of local mascots (some affiliated with sports teams, some not). Step up to the plate and see how many you can identify!
The next PDD quiz, reviewing current events, will be published on Aug. 25. Please submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Aug. 22. (more…)
Hidden Hunters Park mansion up for sale
Duluth grain magnate W.J. McCabe and his wife Jane Chidlaw McCabe built this Georgian-style colonial mansion in 1914. It is located in Hunters Park, about two miles uphill from Glensheen Mansion. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)
Duluth is famous for its turn-of-the-century mansions proudly showcased in busy, well-touristed east-side neighborhoods, but a few historic homes are tucked away in unexpected places far from the grand Lake Superior shoreline.
One of those hidden gems is up for sale. (more…)
Suggestions for a Minnesota Authors Class: Song Lyricists
I’m teaching a Minnesota authors class for the first time this year, and I want to make sure it’s hip and current and that it’s Duluthy. So I’m asking for help.
I want to do a brief (two-week) unit on song lyrics. I’m looking for Minnesota’s best song lyricists and their best lyrics. (more…)
Streets of Duluth: Classic Street Photography from 1968 to 1972
The Duluth street photography of D. M. Martin recently became available on YouTube in slideshow format. The images were shot between 1968 and 1972, and have appeared in several art shows in recent decades, including two in Duluth: Chasing Cartier-Bresson: Duluth, Superior & Minneapolis 1968-1972, at the Tweed Museum of Art in 2000, and D. R. Martin: Duluth Street Photographer at the Red Herring Lounge in 2016. (more…)
Teague Alexy and Woodblind – “5 Foot”
Teague Alexy teams up with the nine-piece Duluth ska band Woodblind in this rocksteady reworking of “5 Foot.” The song is a Teague Alexy original that first appeared on the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank album Number One Contender. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Two Dudes in Duluth
From G. E. Sackett’s Owl Studio at 6 E. Superior St. in Duluth circa 1915 comes this photo of two unknown men.
The Slice: Vinyl Vault
The Vinyl Vault is a record store housed in a bank vault at the Washburn Cultural Center, about 60 miles east of Duluth. It opened in 2017.
In its series The Slice, PBS North presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.
PDD Geoguessr #23: World Cities and Their Northern Minnesota Namesakes
The city center of Groningen, The Netherlands, not to be confused with Groningen Township, 70 miles south of Duluth (Photo by Matthew James)
There’s a lot of Minnesota history to be found in the names on a map. Some places, like Iron Junction, reflect the industry that created the town. Many names come from Anishinaabemowin, like Mahnomen, derived from manoomin, meaning wild rice. And some city names both reflect their primary industry and come from Anishinaabemowin, like Biwabik, which comes from the Ojibwe word for iron. This Geoguessr challenge looks specifically at places in Minnesota that took their names from locations from around the world. (more…)