Last Chance Liquor and the Pawnbroker, 2011/2021
Here’s a look at a pair of East Fourth Street buildings — one soon to be demolished, another already lost to history. The photos on the left in the side-by-sides above are from Oct. 22, 2011. The ones on the right are from Oct. 22, 2021. (more…)
David Dondero – “Oh Minnesota”
Duluth-born troubadour David Dondero performed at Wussow’s Concert Cafe on Tuesday. One of his new songs mentions the Zenith City and a variety of Minnesota locations. The song was penned in 2019 and hasn’t appeared on any official releases, but the demo track linked here was posted to Patreon. (more…)
More Literary History of Duluth: Lake Superior Writers
I’m still working on my literary history of Duluth. Lake Superior Writers has published or co-published several volumes. If you were involved in some of these collections and have stories to share, message me or comment below. (more…)
How a Superior librarian hired and fired Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright: How one low-income client tried, and failed, to work with the architect on a house.
“I wonder how many bathrooms Mr. Wright has cleaned,” she wrote.
slate.com
An article published this week in the online magazine Slate explores the letters exchanged circa 1940 between a Superior librarian, Edith Carlson, and the staff of Frank Lloyd Wright. She wanted the famed architect to design her modest home. It got as far as preliminary sketches and building instructions. (more…)
Meredith from Duluth
The neo-noir film Lonely Hearts was released 15 years ago today — Oct. 21, 2006. In the clip above, John Travolta and James Gandolfini — as detectives Elmer Robinson and Charles Hilderbrandt, respectively — disregard a letter from “Meredith from Duluth.”
Charlie Parr – “817 Oakland Avenue”
Duluth’s Charlie Parr released a new album in July — Last of the Better Days Ahead. The video for “817 Oakland Avenue” features animation by Drew Christie.
Time Capsule Needed
What’s the proper endgame for this shirt? In my practice, bleach spillage (as is the case here) would usually qualify this shirt for a move from my Saturday pile to the rag bin. But with this being such a noteworthy piece of early Perfect Duluth Day, and for that matter Duluth history, it seems like there should be a more proper retirement. (more…)
The Scandia Fisheries, Duluth, Minn.
A friend of mine from Seattle was eating at Jimmy Mac’s Roadhouse in Renton, just south of “the Emerald City,” and sent the above photo to me. At first it seemed like a manufactured novelty sign because searches only returned other copies of the same sign. But then I found a Minnesota Historical Society listing for a paper crate label from the same company from around the 1950s, so it appears to have been a real business. (more…)
Reconstructing a literary history of Duluth: Calyx Press
I’m trying to build a history of literature in Duluth, and I’ve decided that one useful heuristic would be publishers. So, what can you tell me about Calyx Press and Cecilia Lieder? (more…)
The Slice: Oh My Gourdness!
Lake Superior Zoo‘s colossal pumpkin arrived Oct. 6. Danny Tanner of Duluth Township provides the zoo with the symbolic Halloween squash each year ahead of the annual Boo at the Zoo events, this year held Oct. 16, 23 and 30.
In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV 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.
Philosophy of Love, Sex and Relationships
Sarah LaChance Adams and Rob Adams and their family no longer live in Duluth, but Sarah can be heard talking about the philosophy of love, sex and relationships in the October episode of Why? Philosophical Discussions About Everyday Life. The episode is titled: “How do philosophers talk about sex, love, and desire?“
PDD Quiz: Halloween Happenings 2021
The spooky season is upon us! Test your knowledge of local Halloween-themed happenings with this week’s quiz (and check out more Halloween hoopla on the PDD calendar).
The next PDD quiz, reviewing the month’s headlines, will be published on Oct. 31. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Oct. 27. (more…)
Mystery Photo: Ekstrom Wedding
Here they are, Berger and Hilda Ekstrom, in their wedding duds. We know their names thanks to the scribbling on the back of the photo. And we know from the cardboard frame that the photographer is Lars Linden, the fiery Swede who had a studio at 1619 W. Superior St. in Duluth. What’s the mystery? Well, everything else. What became of ol’ Berger and Hilda? (more…)
Selective Focus: Mushrooms
Instagram
151 likes, 24 comments - girlkitty on October 11, 2021: "Mushroom Monday!🍄 We found a variety of fungi at the lake this weekend. This one was particularly pretty.
#fungi #mushroommonday #fungilove #fungifanatic #busashutterbug #bestoftheusa_nature #bestoftheusa_macro #tnh_USA #USA_naturehippys #hiyapapayaphotoaday #dof_of_our_world #allkindsofnature #rebel_macro #macrophotography #macro_brilliance #macrophoto #minnesota_macro".
instagram.com
Because, well, everything gets its day, Oct. 15 is National Mushroom Day. And, as naturalist Larry Weber noted a few weeks back, there’s been a “shroom boom” this year, so we’ve selected a few images of local fungal growths via Instagram to highlight here. (more…)
Exploring Haddad’s Cave
Where is Haddad’s Cave? What is Haddad’s Cave? Well, in the world of urban exploration, such details are sometimes closely held. This video hit YouTube yesterday on the Duluth Urbex channel.
Halloween spookiness awaits at the Icebox Radio Theater
Recently, a post appeared on my Facebook feed announcing the Halloween season of the Icebox Radio Theater in a creepy way. Jeff Adams, artistic director of the community theatre company that records in International Falls but is heard around the world, wrote:
We’re finally ready to tell this story. Years ago when my daughter was still at home, we worked together on a photography project taking pictures of our century-old Minnesota home. When we exported the photos to a computer for editing, this image was among them. (more…)
Tap on Tower opening Oct. 15
Self-pour taproom set to open in Superior - Superior Telegram | News, weather, sports from Superior Wisconsin
The owner of Duluth Tap Exchange will launch Tap on Tower, expanding the self-pour concept across the Twin Ports
superiortelegram.com
Jordan DeCaro, the entrepreneur who opened Duluth Tap Exchange in 2020, is poised to launch his second self-pour drinking establishment. The Superior Telegram reports that Tap on Tower is slated to open Friday, Oct. 15, at 1106 Tower Ave.
The location is the Schiller Building, formerly the home of Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant & Bar, which opened and closed three times between 2009 and 2018.
Selective Focus: Geomagnetic Glory
Instagram
201 likes, 16 comments - flowstate_photography on October 12, 2021: "“The sky’s awake so I’m awake” Anna (Frozen)
Oh man, I was tired BEFORE I went out last night. I’m straight up exhausted today! I was thinking of calling it a night at about 11:15 when it just blew up! Honestly it was the best display I’ve seen since the June 2015 display.
Worth it? ABSOLUTELY.
#minnesotaexposure #wildlycreative #landscapephotography #slowphotographymovement #adventure #flowstate
#outside_project
#sharethestoke #wanderlust #opt_outside #ipulledoverforthis #petapixel #fstoppers #getoutside #exploretocreate #hiking
#natgeoyourshot #travelphotographer #chasinglight #ourwild #wildernessculture #findyouradventure #publiclandowner #outsidemagazine #opt_outside #52WeeksofNature #NaturePhotographyCollective #ShareTheOutdoors #northernlights #aurora #cuyuna".
instagram.com
A geomagnetic storm brought vibrant auroras across Minnesota and beyond last night and early this morning. Collected here are images via Instagram of northern lights across the region. (more…)
Reading Sinclair Lewis: Country, Critiques, City Satires
The Minnesota Historical Society produced this video dramatizing excerpts from two of novelist and social critic Sinclair Lewis’ breakthrough works — Babbitt and Main Street. Lewis, of course, went on to become a Duluthian and even kind of almost coined the phrase “perfect Duluth day.”
The program is created and hosted by Craig Johnson and features actors David Beukema, Anna Leverett, Damian Leverett and Melanie Wehrmacher. It was filmed on location in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sauk Centre.
Moors & McCumber – “There’s Always Something”
Moors & McCumber have a new album coming out Oct. 15 titled Survival. The Moors half of the duo is Superior’s James Moors, who has been performing with Colorado native Kort McCumber since 2005.
The video was produced and directed by Travis Bush.
Postcard from the Jorgensons on Minnesota Point
Remember the Pettersen gals photo on Point of Rocks? Well, they’ve turned up in another old Duluth pic, this time on the beach at Minnesota Point. (more…)
Things I saw on Park Point
I woke up this morning and said to myself, “I’m going to Park Point to take pictures of mushrooms in sunbeams,” and indeed I did (some sunbeams not included). Along the way I saw many strange and wondrous things, it was like The Odyssey. Pics below the fold: (more…)
Bob Dylan’s Last Hit
“Bob Dylan got away with murder.” —John Lennon
October 1960. Nineteen-year-old Bob Dylan takes the bus from Minneapolis to Duluth under a cloudless sun. With a head full of songs, he steps off the Greyhound carrying a backpack and two guitar cases. One case has a sticker saying “Ten O’clock Scholar Coffeehouse.” The other has blue words painted on it, “the Tombstone Blues.” A cab drops him at the Kozy, a desolate shithole even then. He rents a room. Placing the backpack and Ten O’clock Scholar on the bed, he leaves with the Tombstone Blues.
Bob walks a few blocks to his childhood home in the faded warmth of dim memories. Then he heads toward the Owls Club. He tries not to look at St. Mary’s Hospital, where he was born, as if he holds a grudge. Entering the club he walks past the bar to the pool room. Cigar smoke fills the air. He is greeted by the Scaletta family: Louie the King, Frankie Mineshaft, Mack the Finger, and Sammy Gaspipe. Several other made men and tough guys haunt the shadows. The King shakes his hand. “Good to see you, Bobby. After this, your debt is paid. But it’s too bad we gotta lose you. Sure we can’t convince you…?” Bob feels the menace of the question but he knows the King respects him — and maybe even fears him a little bit. “No thanks Louie, I got something else in mind for myself.” “Well I tell ya kid, it’s been a pleasure to watch you work.” (more…)
Heely Tricks with JamesG: September 2021
Time once again to look back on the previous month’s wheeled-sneaker stunts with former Duluthian James Geisler, also known as the hip-hop artist JamesG.