Duluth 2023 Primary Election Sample Ballot
Duluth’s Municipal Primary Election is on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The first two races on this sample ballot — mayor and at-large city council — appear on ballots citywide. The fourth-district council race is pertinent to the Lincoln Park, Piedmont Heights and Duluth Heights neighborhoods. The third-district school board race is pertinent to Duluth Heights, Piedmont Heights, Central Hillside, Central Business District and Park Point. (more…)
Duluth Waterfront Aerial Photo Circa 1903
This image from the Minnesota Digital Library, contributed from the Kathryn A. Martin Library Archives & Special Collections is estimated to be from the year 1903 — 120 years ago. It shows the Duluth Shipping Canal prior to construction of the Aerial Bridge, along with views of Canal Park, Rice’s Point and the old West End. (more…)
PDD Quiz: July 2023
As we close out another month of summer, take this week’s PDD quiz to see how many July 2023 headlines you remember.
The next PDD quiz will be published on Aug. 13. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Aug. 9. (more…)
State fast-tracks funds for I-35 pedestrian bridge in Lincoln Park
A cyclist travels over I-35 on the Lincoln Park pedestrian bridge last week. The bridge has been targeted for replacement by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)
A longstanding I-35 pedestrian bridge that connects Lincoln Park to its working waterfront and serves two well-traveled trail systems through the city has been fast tracked for replacement by state officials. (more…)
What AI thinks “Lake Superior fish” look like
I used stablediffusionweb.com to make these, using prompts like: “Lake Superior fish,” sometimes including “angler” and phrases like “catch of the day” or “look what I caught.” Then I switched to “a meal of Lake Superior fish,” “Lake Superior fish on a plate,” and so on. You will see some “breaded fried Lake Superior lampreys.” Bon appétit!
West Duluth before the Interstate
1939 aerial photo from the UM
MnDOT’s John Bray wrote in The Will and the Way: “Approximately 700 homes were razed or moved in West Duluth” to make way for Interstate 35. (more…)
Rob Harvilla gets “heavy into Low”
Though the July 26 episode of the podcast 60 Songs that Explain the ’90s is about the Mazzy Star track “Fade Into You,” music critic Rob Harvilla spends the first 20 minutes of the show gushing over another song and band entirely.
“My new favorite song is ‘Cue the Strings’ by the Duluth, Minn. band Low from their 2005 album The Great Destroyer,” he states at the start of the show, before launching into a deep dive into the music of Alan Sparhawk and the late Mimi Parker. (more…)
The Black Labels at the Red Lion Lounge in 2004
Gomez takes lead guitar on this ditty during the Winter Riot at the Red Lion Lounge — Dec. 18, 2004. This show featured a mix of surf, rock ‘n’ roll, and reggae tunes. If anyone still has a Winter Riot T-shirt, I’d be interested in obtaining it.
Video Archive: Miller Hill Mall Grand Opening in 1973
From the WDIO film archive, raw footage of Miller Hill Mall’s grand opening on July 25, 1973 — 50 years ago today. A crowd is seen gathered in the center court near the Flagg Bros store as Duluth Mayor Ben Boo and other luminaries pull apart the ceremonial ship’s chain. (more…)
JamesG – “Lawnmower”
In his latest music video, former Duluthian James Geisler, aka JamesG, takes the ol’ John Deere for a spin.
Duluth’s historic Wirth building gets facelift
The historic Wirth building, 13 W. Superior St., at left, received a major facelift this month. Owners said more than 30 splaying limestone blocks were replaced or repaired. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske).
A historic architectural gem in Duluth received a major facelift this month as crews repaired the aging facade of the city’s first pharmacy — a building that now serves as home to a couple that pioneered downtown living in the 1990s. (more…)
Explore Wisconsinbly with Mary Mack: Musky Fest 2023
Comedian Mary Mack was back in Hayward in June, visiting a favorite summer event: the 73rd annual Musky Fest.
Rachael Kilgour – “Heart on Fire”
The video for the second single from Duluth native Rachael Kilgour‘s upcoming album, My Father Loved Me, is a self-made production with editing help from Sara Pajunen. It features the heart of some of the places Kilgour has called home.
“I did not fall through the rafters, not even once, while recording,” Kilgour notes.
Postcard from the Babes on Park Point
This undated postcard features a trio of sunbathing beauties on Park Point circa the 1960s.
Selective Focus: Full-on PDDs
Select photos from Instagram spanning mid-June to mid-July 2023, all hashtagged with the name of a certain website. #perfectduluthday (more…)
Lovehouse – “Alone Right Now”
The second video release from Duluth band Lovehouse includes scenes from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. It was directed by Parker Majerus. The song is from the band’s 2022 EP Shades of Red.
The Acceleratii – “Seven Nights to Rock”
Some time after Steve “Gomez” Mahlberg and Ben Marsen played in the Hadjis and the Black Labels, they created some great rock and roll with the Acceleratii. This is from their 2011 self-titled CD.
Love and Kisses from Duluth in 1903
This Detroit Publishing Company postcard of Duluth is copyright 1902 and was mailed July 16, 1903 — 120 years ago today. The writing at the left indicates the temperature that day was 71 degrees.
Beyondbliss – “Bipolar Kangaroo”
In this new lyric video, Beyondbliss raps about the extreme highs and lows of life. The song “Bipolar Kangaroo” is from the recently released album Born Deaf.
At the Rex? – Aug. 17, 2014?
Can anyone refresh my memory if this was a Hadjis or a Black Labels reunion show?
Big Manitou Falls at Pattison Park
The tallest waterfall in Wisconsin — and fourth-highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains — is just outside the city of Superior. Big Manitou Falls at Pattison State Park sends water plunging 165 feet into the Black River.
Video by Douglas Feltman.
Duluth Boat Club racers trained on Shredded Wheat Biscuit
The Duluth Boat Club Eight Oared Crew won the Senior Eight Oared Race in the Northwestern International Regatta at St. Paul in July 1913 — 110 years ago — according to this Shredded Wheat Company advertisement. (more…)
Watson Silver and Lift Bridge Spoons
Ad for Watson Silver
As I read some of the magazines I purchased from the Duluth Public Library, I am impressed by a sense that the library bought magazines to suit the aspirations of the Zenith city. Magazines celebrating the fancy life might feel a little out of place in a public library today, but Duluth in the 1920s was a city that had some millionaires and wanted the world to think it had more.
We can see that in the ad above, taken from an interior design magazine, for Watson Silverware. (more…)
Duluth Mail Bag: What does a city councilor do?
As a two-time Duluth city councilor, now in my final year of service, one of my goals is to make city government more accessible, or at least help citizens become more informed. I figure there are many Duluthians who would like some simple answers to some simple questions. I learned in school that if there is something you don’t understand it’s likely there are many others who feel the same way. Hence the idea of the Duluth Mailbag column.
I won’t divulge who is asking the questions, but I’ll answer them in this format about once a month. Feel free to put a question in the comments for next month’s “Duluth Mailbag” or tweet me via @Hobbs_Duluth or email me at hobbsforduluth @ gmail.com.
Also, if you want to have a longer conversation, you can sign up for a 45-minute cup of coffee through my 100 Cups of Coffee project.
OK, here we go! (more…)