In Search of a Legend

Mike Scholtz Mar 23, 2010 8 Comments

I’m working on a documentary that will explain, once and for all, how awesome Duluth is. (In case our friends at Google didn’t already know.) But I need one last thing.

I’ve heard from many reliable sources that an anonymous jokester posted a billboard on the edge of town that read: “Will the last person to leave Duluth please turn out the lights?” But I’ve never seen a photo that documents this.

If anyone has a photo of this important piece of Duluth history, please let me know. The future of our entire city depends on it. (Not really. But it would be nice to have.)

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8 Comments

Sue Stromquist

about 15 years ago 

Remember it but don't have a picture, sorry. It was on I-35 right past where the lottery billboard is now.

rediguana

about 15 years ago 

I heard the same legend about San Diego or some such place.

B Reistad

about 15 years ago 

Found this in NewsBank database of DNT articles:
18 YEARS OF LIFETIME WHAT THE CLASS OF '96 HAS SEEN
Duluth News-Tribune (MN) Duluth News-Tribune(MN) - Sunday, June 2, 1996
Author: Beth Krodel/News-Tribune staff writer
1982 "In honor of Duluth's bad economy, Skoglund Advertising erects a billboard along Interstate 35 asking, `` Will  the  last  person  to  leave  Duluth  please  turn  out  the  lights  ?'' Hope  this helps!

zra

about 15 years ago 

Seattle had a similar sign circa the mid 1980s.

jest me

about 15 years ago 

Doesn't this billboard speak to problems with Duluth and its economy?  If you're trying to lure Google, I'd think you'd want to highlight Duluth's strengths...

Barrett Chase

about 15 years ago 

@jest me: The billboard in question stood at around 25-35 years ago. It really has nothing to do with the Duluth of today.

Mike Scholtz

about 15 years ago 

Exactly. We want the photo of that billboard to help illustrate Duluth's larger narrative, of a city that pulled itself out of a deep depression and reinvented itself, which would be attractive to Google (or just about anyone else).

Claire

about 15 years ago 

I like that idea Mike, wouldn't the DNT archives have a photo, you could check them out -- or ask the reference librarians at the Duluth public library. If it exists, they'll find it. Maybe include shots of some dire headlines from the 80s as well, juxtaposed with more recent (positive) headlines? Good luck with it!

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