PDD Video Lab: Starbelle and the Aerial Lift Bridge

In this edition of the PDD Video Lab we watch the bulk carrier Starbelle pass through the Duluth Ship Canal and under the Aerial Lift Bridge via footage from Richter Home Movies. The final 15 seconds features a nice look at Canal Park circa the early 1960s.

The undated film clip must be from between 1953 and 1964. Prior to 1953 the Starbelle had the name Imperial Cobourg. It’s original name was the Imperoyal. According to Bowling Green State University’s Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, the Starbelle was “scrapped by Lakehead Scrap Metal Co., Ltd., at Fort William, Ontario, in winter, 1964-1965.”

Are there other clues in there to help date this footage?

The music bed added in the PDD Video Lab is “Space Kay” from the 2003 Daniel Lanois album Shine.

1 Comment

Paul Lundgren

about 5 years ago

The timeframe on this video might be more in the range of 1953 to '56. Glenn Blaszkiewicz mentioned on Facebook that in 1956 "the old-fashioned light posts on the piers were replaced."

Leave a Comment

Only registered members can post a comment , Login / Register Here