Mystery Photos
Mystery Photo: Fourth of July Parade in West Duluth
The written caption on this postcard tells us pretty much everything we need to know, except for one critical thing: What year was this? (more…)
Mystery Photos: Wide Awake Studios
The same pair of gentlemen appear in the photos above from the Wide Awake Studio in Duluth. In addition to the mystery of who the subjects of these photos might be is the question of why the particular studio they are standing in was open seven days a week until midnight. Why would people at the turn of the 20th Century want to, for example, get their photos taken at 11 p.m. on a Sunday? Was that normal? (more…)
Mystery Photos #106-112: Ely Studio
It’s a nearly impossible challenge to put names on people in century-old cabinet card photos, but we occasionally try nonetheless. At least in most cases we know the photographer’s name, which can lead in all sorts of directions. (more…)
Mystery Photo #105: October House
These two buildings still exist in Duluth, in slightly altered form. They are significant for different reasons. One of them is one of the oldest standing buildings in Duluth.
What are they currently used for? What was the October House? Hint: A baker named Bergetta Moe was involved at one point.
Mystery Photo #104: Mustached Dude with Fat Tie
Who is this handsome Duluthian? Was he actually a Duluthian at all or just passing through and feeling photogenic? (more…)
Mystery Photo #103: Girl with Curls
What’s the deal with this curly haired lass? Was she a Duluthian? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Three Dudes in Fake Car
A recurring source of confusion in the Mystery Photo series is whether particular images that share the stamp of the Post Card Shop in Minneapolis and the Penny Arcade in Duluth were shot in Minneapolis or Duluth. Here is another such image. (more…)
Mystery Photo #101: Forest Service Office at Grand Marais
This photo seems to be of a forest service office on the southern part of Cook County Road 12, aka the Gunflint Trail, in or near Grand Marais. Or does it show a private residence and the arrow on the forest service sign indicates the office is up the road? Who is the gal posing the photo? What year is was this picture taken? Mysteries abound.
Mystery Photo #100: Early Settler
This photo is labeled “Early Settler Duluth MN.” And that’s all we know. Who is this dude? (more…)
Mystery Photo #99: Duluthian in uniform
Who is this guy and what’s his deal? His hat bears the number 581. The photo is from Christensen Photography of Duluth, Minn. (more…)
Mystery Photos: Howorth Photography
These two cabinet cards presumably feature two different women, although they look a touch similar. The mystery isn’t just who they are, but also what the deal was with Howorth. (more…)
Mystery Photo #96: Unknown Building
This image landed in Perfect Duluth Day’s files under “unknown building.” Anyone recognize it?
Mystery Photo #95: Mr. Earl Askew
A recurring source of confusion in the Mystery Photo series is whether particular images that share the stamp of the Post Card Shop in Minneapolis and the Penny Arcade in Duluth were shot in Minneapolis or Duluth. Here is another such image. (more…)
Mystery Photo #94: Postcard of Bizarro Duluth
So … what we’ve got here is … um … an image that seems completely unrelated to Duluth, labeled upside down as Duluth. Can anyone speculate on what the folks at V.O. Hammon Publishing Company were thinking? What is this image actually depicting?
While it’s not technically a photo, it needs to be categorized as a PDD Mystery Photo nonetheless.
Mystery Photo #93: A Hard Day
With some Mystery Photos, we know a lot going in. With this one, we know very little. Who is this little girl and why was this photo shot on such a hard day? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Minnesota Slip Drawbridge
This old slide image shows a cabin cruiser passing under the Minnesota Slip Drawbridge, a pedestrian bridge spanning the Minnesota Slip on the Duluth waterfront. When was this photo taken? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Duluth Grocers
This old photo shows two men standing in a grocery store. The back of the photo indicates it’s in Duluth, Minn. and gives the names of the men. Unfortunately, the photo of the back side of this photo is blurry and difficult to read, but it looks like Gust Hjelm is one of the names. (more…)
Mystery Photo #90: Duluth Photo Engraving Company
This old photo is from the Duluth Photo Engraving Company. Is that stage recognizable? Is this the cast of a play? What’s the deal with this image?
Mystery Photos #88-89: Hardware Store Women
I recently came across two photos of a couple strong Duluth women in an unidentified Duluth hardware store on Minnesota Reflections. There is no accurate date or known specific location (there is a guesstimate year span on this one of 1918-1925, which seems quite unlikely due to their stylish high-collar/big sleeve clothing). Who were they? What year was this? And would they tolerate any nonsense? Unlikely. (more…)
Mystery Photos #85-87: Probably Skyline Parkway in the 1920s
An early 20th Century family photo album was recently unearthed in the Nicklawske archive room and I discovered some old Duluth photographs. I pulled three pictures from the book that included images of an automobile trip my grandfather and his sister made to Duluth in the 1920s. My grandfather, Jim Nicklawske, lived in St. Paul at the time and his sister Mae was visiting from her home in Great Falls, Mont. It appears they traveled to Duluth with a third, unidentified person who made pictures of the event. (more…)
Mystery Photo #84: Building near Duluth Arena
Sitting awkwardly between the Duluth Arena and the Radisson Hotel in this photo by Perry Gallagher is a seven-story building that can’t be far from demolition. What was it? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Stokes or Dalgarno Family?
This mystery photo is another cabinet card from Duluth’s Zweifel Studio. Ann Ramage posted the image on Facebook, tagging Perfect Duluth Day with this message:
‘Turnip’ Found! Oh, I mean to say a family mystery photo. Perhaps Stokes family from Petrolia, Ontario, Canada — Gordon and/or Dalgarno family from Tenney, Minn? Not dated. Any feedback most appreciated!
Mystery Photo: Miss Edna May Boyle
Here she is, Edna May Boyle, 120 years ago. Who was she? Why did she get her photo shot on Christmas Day 1898? Well, if we knew that it wouldn’t be a mystery photo, would it? (more…)
Mystery Photo: Markus Family, Christmas 1893
Some mystery photos are less mysterious than others. Often cabinet card photos have nothing written on the back, but this particular card comes with info suggesting the subjects are William Frederick Markus and his family. The photo was likely shot 125 years ago, around Christmas of 1893. (more…)
Mystery Photo #80: Rust-Parker and its neighbors
Lars Waldner posted this circa 1916 image to Facebook, tagging PDD. It’s kind of a bizarre angle on Duluth, and for some reason identifying buildings in the photo is exceptionally challenging. The only cheater we’re given is the big sign on the side of Rust-Parker Wholesale Grocery Company, which was at 217 S. Lake Ave. (more…)