Ore Boat Cribbage Board
This mighty ore-boat cribbage board, acquired at a rummage sale, is not quite as buoyant as one might expect. Though the peg-holed deck quickly floods, the vessel remains afloat. This cherished antique has all the signs of having been someone’s high-school shop project, so we salute the mysterious nameless craftsperson for the worthwhile contribution to society. It looks like a name may have been penciled on the bottom at one point, but it’s far from legible now.
Summer of ’65: Griggs Hall opens at UMD
Fifty years ago — Aug. 19, 1965 — the DNT reports a new, unnamed residence hall, designed to house 202 students, will be dedicated on Aug. 20. (more…)
Grassy Point Trail closed?
Does anyone know why the Grassy Point trail is blocked off about halfway down and what the time frame is for reopening? My daughters and I were bummed when we couldn’t get down to the water this morning.
Toasty’s is coming to Downtown
Walking along Superior Street today I noticed several Toasty’s menus conspicuously leaning in the window of the former Farley’s (among others) location.
A quick Facebook search reveals a post which includes:
“Here is a sneak peek of Toasty’s Sandwich Shop. Located downtown on Superior Street. Scheduled to open Fall of 2015”
Will Toasty’s succeed where so many others have failed? Is the location in fact cursed? What caused the most recent downfall of Farley’s? Discuss!
Shredded tire mulch: Soft and safe or dirty and dangerous?
This Eyewitness News report from July covers the controversy of shredded tire mulch on playgrounds in Duluth. Cory Kirsling, father of a Lester Park Elementary School student, has started a GoFundMe page to raise money to have the mulch tested “for heavy metals, VOCs, off-gassing and leaching, toxins and carcinogens.” His page notes, “a local lab will collect the samples from our school’s playground, and we will share the research with everyone.”
Summer of ’65: New TV station in the works for Duluth
Fifty years ago — Aug. 18, 1965 — the DNT reports the Duluth Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on a proposal to grant a special permit to Channel 10, Inc., to operate a television station. (more…)
We Need Nice
Follow Mr. nice on Twitter @mrnicerules and like Mr. Nice on Facebook here.
Summer of ’65: Arenas planned for Two Harbors and Silver Bay
Fifty years ago — Aug. 17, 1965 — the DNT reports plans are in the works for community arenas to be built in Two Harbors and Silver Bay. (more…)
This Week: mini-golf, nerds, dragon boats and a Celebration of Life
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Play a round of putt-putt to support Superior’s Old Firehouse, Vivielle releases their new album at the Red Herring, kids can make foil art at the Duluth Public Library, the latest episode of Take It With You is going down at the Underground, the Nerds are having another Nite at Teatro Zuccone and people with antiques can get them appraised at the Depot.
Kids 7 to 17 can get involved in sports activities at the Heritage Center, the comedy Over the River and Through the Woods opens at StageNorth in Washburn, the dragon boats are back at Barker’s Island in Superior and local DJ Edgewood Smith is remembered in a concert that will feature Low and more.
Crushing the Outer Harbor with Canoe Support Crew
Contains excerpts of the recent buoy-diving and swimming the hole at Uncle’s Harvey’s videos. Here you see them in context of the epic day crushing the best dive sites of the outer harbor. Canoe support crew was Jeff Greensmith and Sean MacManus. Dove the buoy and looked at railyard artifacts, ruins of the old breakwater wall, swam the hole at Uncle Harvey’s, and goofed around at its collapsed pillar. All the ruins are around 125 years old I believe. Topped it off with brews at Endion Station.
Summer of ’65: Bob Magie wins big one, ends Leo Spooner’s reign
Fifty years ago — Aug. 16, 1965 — the DNT reports Leo Spooner’s four-year domination of local golf had ended at the hands of two youngsters. (more…)
Diving the Buoy
Depth: 30 feet. This is the red buoy in the outer harbor within sight of the Vietnam Memorial and Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum. Thanks to my canoe-based support team, Jeff Greensmith and Sean MacManus, who towed me out there on my floaty raft. At the 1:18 mark you can see the concrete block the buoy is tethered to but the shot is brief as I didn’t want to dally.
Invasion Plant Reduction
A small group of us will be removing wild parsnip from the ditches of Fond Du Lac at 121st Ave. and Evergreen Memorial Drive (aka Commonwealth Ave.) near Perch Lake on Sunday, Aug. 16 from 10:00-1:00. If you would like to help, show up with long sleeves, long pants, and gloves. If you have sensitive skin, it would be best for you to sit this one out. If it is raining, disregard this date and time.
Duluth Huskies make best decision ever
“The Duluth Huskies would like to announce that Greg Culver will be the new General Manager, effective immediately. Congratulations Greg!” (more…)
Summer of ’65: USS Duluth Christened by Humphrey’s Daughter
Fifty years ago — Aug. 15, 1965 — the DNT reports (via AP wire out of New York) several top-ranking Minnesota officials were among the 300 persons at a ceremony to christen the USS Duluth. (more…)
“Hey, where is your lawn chair, and can you bring me a Hamms?”
The Proctor Police Department received this picture today from the Proctor Journal of a bear standing on someone’s porch. “Be safe out there,” the PPD warns. “It’s that time of year when they are out forging around for food so they can hibernate this winter.” (more…)
Free fix-it clinic Saturday, volunteers needed!
I know this is a bit late for it, but we’re seeking volunteers for our fix-it clinic! We’ve been holding the fix-it clinics monthly on the third Saturday of each month, and we’ve been getting a decent turnout of fixees. Unfortunately, even our most regular volunteers can’t make it every month, and it would be great if we could add some talent to our pool of lovely helpers. We’ve only got two people fixing tomorrow, and people all over Duluth with broken stuff could really use your help! (more…)
Summer of ’65: UFO Sightings Reported Over Duluth
Fifty years ago — Aug. 14, 1965 — the DNT reports sightings of unidentified flying objects over Duluth. The article’s title, by the way is …
… which leads one to believe there was another story on the subject in previous days, but careful eyes couldn’t find one in the Aug. 1-13 editions. (more…)
Gas mileage in Duluth
In the first episode of Season Two of Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001), Larry David is trying to sell cars for the first time in his life. Duluth comes up in his spiel.
Customer: What kind of gas mileage am I going to get?
Larry David: Fifty-two.
Customer: Fifty-two in the city.
David: Depending on the city, of course. Duluth is a city, it’s considered a city, but it’s not as big as Brooklyn or whatever.
Customer: Okay.
Selective Focus: Impermanence
Aaron Reichow, untitled
My grandpa Mohrbacher moved to Duluth in 1928 and was a tenant at the Traphagen home, which was gutted by arson the week before I arrived here. I was lamenting this loss to a sauerkraut maker I’d met at a cider pressing who told me he’d lived there in the 70s when the home became the Redstone Apartments, and that he had some interior photos. They were beautiful. I could picture my grandpa in the same sun room, occupied by a new friend over 50 years later. (more…)
Duluth Windshield Replacement Recommendation
Does anyone have recommendations for a good, honest, reliable windshield replacement place in Duluth/Superior? Recommendations as to who to stay away from would be helpful, and appreciated, too. Thanks!
Summer of ’65: Car Crashes into Hank’s Grocery
The Duluth News Tribune’s Aug. 13, 1965 edition reports three persons sustained minor injuries when a 71-year-old Duluth woman crashed into the front of Hank’s Grocery at 2332 W. Third St. in the friendly West End neighborhood. The location is the present-day site of Bark Avenue Pet Grooming. (more…)
Video of ceiling collapse at First Avenue in Minneapolis
Below is video of the ceiling collapsing at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. The incident occurred at the famous music venue around 10:15 p.m. during a set by the band Theory of a Deadman. Early reports say a leaky pipe and vibrations from music may have caused the collapse. No serious injuries are being reported, two people were taken to hospital without life threatening injuries.