September 2021 Posts

Duluth Electric Fetus merchandise up for auction

What’s left of the Duluth Electric Fetus? Sadly, only nostalgia. And just like when the store was open, it’s all for sale. Auction Masters of Osseo launched the Electric Fetus (Duluth, MN) online auction this week. Bidding ends at 6 p.m. on Oct. 11.

Oliver Bridge and St. Louis River at Sunset

Videographer Adam Jagunich flies his Yuneec Typhoon H Plus hexacopter over the St. Louis River just before sunset, capturing scenes of the double-decker Oliver Bridge with trains passing over auto traffic.

Great Gray Owl Tightrope Walking

Birder Richard Hoeg was in Sax-Zim Bog last week and observed an interesting tightrope act. He assembled 95 photos into this clip, showing a great grey owl training for the circus.

Selective Focus: Fall Colors 2021

The Arrowhead region is awash with color once again. Track the progression of fall and peak color with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Fall Color Finder.

Featured here are select images from Instagram showcasing this year’s fall color display.

Postcard from the Incline Railway with View of Minnesota Point

This postcard was mailed from Superior on Sept. 27, 1906 — 115 years ago today — by W. F. McMannis. The recipient was Miss Mabelle Reed of West Dover, Ohio. The image depicts the Duluth Incline Railway, showing the view from the top of the Duluth harbor and waterfront district, and of course Minnesota Point.

PDD Quiz: September 2021 in Review

Fall into this month’s quiz of local-ish headlines and happenings!

The next PDD quiz will celebrate the season by exploring local spookiness; it will be published on Oct. 17. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Oct. 14.

Minnesota’s Mountain-biking Trail Boom

Minnesota Public Radio reports that professional builders have constructed more than 100 miles of mountain-biking trails in northeastern Minnesota in the past five years.

Duluth’s Ten Most Endangered Properties in 2021

The Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway Dock #5 has not been used since 1985. The Duluth Preservation Alliance has listed it as an endangered property. (Photos by Mark Nicklawske)

A slowly disappearing neighborhood rich in Native American history, a large building once home to a radical labor college and an iconic, unused iron ore dock are included in a list of places historians fear may disappear from the Duluth landscape.

The Duluth Preservation Alliance released a Top 10 Most Endangered Places list during an event outside the soon-to-be demolished Esmond Building in Lincoln Park Saturday, Sept. 25. The list, regularly compiled by the group, is designed to raise preservation awareness and encourage the reuse of historic properties.

MN Moder featuring Q – “4/20”

Duluth-based hip-hop artist Zachary Moder, aka MN Moder, has a new video for a not-so-new song. “4/20” is from his 2019 album Modervation.

Meryl Streep: HACK

THIS IS A JOKE WE ACTUALLY LOVE MERYL STREEP. One night I dreamed my step-brother Martin in Kansas City called Meryl Streep a hack. When I told him about it, we both thought it was so funny, and cracked jokes about it for days. The result is this probably misguided video making fun of Meryl Streep WHOM WE ADORE

The Pettersen Gals at Point of Rocks

And the award for best Duluth photo of 1911 pretty much has to go to this postcard image of three gals on Point of Rocks looking out over the city. And someone was smart enought to write their names on the back. Nora, Emma and Inga Pettersen posed for this shot 110 years ago.

Anthony Bennett – “Damn Duluth”

Duluth’s Anthony Bennett presents this cover of the classic A.J McLean song “Damn, Duluth,” from the forthcoming compilation album Duluth Does Damn Duluth.

If you don’t understand, see “AJ Mclean praises and damns Duluth on TikTok.”

9/11, on the 20th Anniversary of ten days after the events

It’s a week or so since 9/11, and the special issues of magazines unsold in the checkout lane are being reported unsold, stripped of their covers and reported destroyed. The television guide on my Roku is no longer choked with 9/11 documentaries and “looks back.” In fact, I can barely tell it happened.

I remember how difficult it was to return to normal after 9/11 — how many days it took before the late night shows could broadcast, for example. It feels like we snapped back awful fast this time.

Well, I didn’t. Here’s my last post on 9/11 for Perfect Duluth Day, looking at some writings, some poetry, after 9/11, talking about what life is like after.

Postcard from the Central Motel in West Duluth

This postcard of the Central Motel was mailed Sept. 20, 1956 — 65 years ago today. The address, 24 N. Central Ave., is now greenspace across Main Street from Irving Park. The land is controlled by the idled Duluth paper mill, which was sold by Verso Corporation in May to ST Paper.

AJ Mclean praises and damns Duluth on TikTok

@ajmcleanofficial

I have never seen something so serene and beautiful in all my life and quiet a little taste of heaven before I go to bed. Big day tomorrow!

♬ original sound – AJ McLean

AJ Mclean, the singer, actor, dancer and model best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys, was in Duluth this weekend for a wedding, according to videos on TicTok. In his first Duluth post, from the edge of Lake Superior, he notes he has “never seen something so serene and beautiful” in all his life and calls it “a little taste of heaven.” In the second post, however, he’s a bit miffed that there are no Ubers available. There is also a third post with some wedding-day fun.