Paul Lundgren Posts

Duluth, the City of Electric Lights

Duluth the City of Electric Lights

Circa 1907.

Mystery Photo #34: UMD Majorette June Feick

June Feick UMD Majorette

This mystery photo comes from the folks at UMD’s Kathryn A. Martin Library. The majorette featured front and center is June Feick, leading her fellow majorettes and the UMD Marching Band during the 1952 Homecoming Parade on Superior Street in Duluth.

The mystery? “June doesn’t appear to have enrolled at UMD for the 1953-54 (school year),” reads the caption on the Kathryn A. Martin Library Facebook page. “We are curious about what happened in her life after she left UMD. Can anyone help us find more information?”
 

Three guys leaving Duluth 100 years ago

Also Leaving Duluth

Who are they? W.M. Matheny, A.F. Vance and J.W.A. Abb. When were they leaving Duluth? One hundred years ago — June 2, 1916, at 1:45 p.m. Did they plan to return? Yes. Two days later. It’s all written in pencil on the back of the postcard.

Cross City Trail section on DWP line almost done

DWP trail paved

Last week the pavement went down on a new section of the Cross City Trail that runs on the former Duluth, Winnipeg, and Pacific Railroad line behind the Lake Superior Zoo — part of the DWP Trail. The paved section runs from Greene Street to the zoo, a distance of about one mile.

Clyde Iron Works ad from 1927

1927 Clyde Iron Works Duluth Ad 1

From pages 162 and 163 of The Road Builders Catalog Directory, 1927.

Thanks, Telly

Telly Savalas Duluth

Clip from an advertising supplement in the May 29, 1984 Duluth News Tribune, referring to the classic “Duluth, who loves ya baby?” TV spot.

Zenith Quartette circa 1908

Zenith Quartette Duluth

The Zenith Quartette was a Dutch vocal group based in Duluth. Members shown in this old flier are Carl Hvaal, first tenor; J. Olsen, second bass; O.A. Gronseth, baritone and O.O. Hovday, second tenor.

The NorShor Experience: A Strip Club Retrospective

NorShor Experience NorShor Adult Club

The NorShor Theatre first hosted exotic dancers on May 24, 2006, with two simple words on the marquee: “Live Girls.” Later, the words “Adult Club” would appear above the theater’s new business name: the NorShor Experience.

Maria Bamford: Lady Dynamite of Duluth

Maria Bamford Duluth Maria Bamford - Lady Dynamite

With all the posts on PDD about References to Duluth in TV and Film we shouldn’t neglect to mention the newest and most obvious example. Lady Dynamite, starring Duluth’s Maria Bamford, premiered Friday on Netflix.

Lake Aire Motel and Bottle Shop

Lake Aire Motel Bottle Shop exterior

Johnson Appliance and TV Center Ghost Sign

Johnson Appliance and TV

Remodeling for the future home of Boreal, a coffee shop, farm-to-table cafe and smoothie and juice bar with intentions of opening in Spring 2017, has revealed the old sign for Johnson Appliance and TV Center.

First Tick of the Year — 2016 Edition

2016FirstTickSince 2005 I’ve been posting on PDD about the first tick of the season to crawl up into my business. There’s probably no reason for it, other than to let you feel my pain and generally announce that it’s the time of year to check yourself after you’ve been in the woods.

I picked up this year’s inaugural tick at Ely’s Peak, where I never left the trail, so don’t chalk it up to bushwhacking.

Moose Lake Forest Fire of 1918

Moose Lake Star Gazette Fire of 1918

The subject of the 1918 forest fire in Carlton County came up in the “Postcards from the Swinging Bridge at Jay Cooke State Park” post a few weeks ago. Since I have kin from that area it wasn’t terribly surprising to find a fire retrospective from the Oct. 14, 1979 Moose Lake Star-Gazette in the family archive.

Mystery Photo #33: Champions 1913

Girls Champions 1913 by Louis Dworshak 1911

Who are these girls? What basketball team were they on? Why were they in a photo shot in 1911 on a postcard mailed in 1911 with “Champions 1913” written on the ball?

What we do know, based on the signature on the image, is the photo was taken by Duluth photographer Louis Dworshak, owner of the Dworshak Studio at 8 N. Second Ave. W.

Video Archive: The Psychic 8-Ball Hotline

Magic 8-ballIn early 1996, under the assignment of the late-great UW-Superior Professor John D. Munsell, I was tasked with creating a 60-second television commercial for a Direction of Talent in Media class. Since psychic hotline ads were common on cable TV, and I grew up in a house with a rec room and a Magic 8-ball, I opted to produce this spoof.