December 1977 North Pole Bar Robbery
Karen Barta has the story for NewsCenter 6.
There are a lot of rumors and facts about Buffalo Bill Cody and his connection to Duluth. In this post, we examine the subject as deeply as anyone would possibly want to.
In short: Buffalo Bill Cody financed the Duluth Press Building in the friendly West End. There used to be a Cody Hotel in West Duluth named after Buffalo Bill, and he is the namesake behind Cody Street.
Here’s a link to a story I wrote in 2002 about Buffalo Bill’s little sister for the Area Woman magazine, which provides a good general background: Area Women in History: Helen Cody Wetmore
The reminders are all over the city, but still, few people know that Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody had business interests in Duluth one hundred years ago. His sister, Helen Cody Wetmore, lived in Duluth back then and convinced the famous frontiersman and Wild West showman to invest in the Zenith City. She also made a name for herself as an advocate for women achieving what she called “their rightful spheres in church and state.”
Recently, I stumbled on this website, which lists BBS numbers that existed in the 218 area code in the 80s and 90s. The BBS or bulletin board system was a precursor to web forums. People usually used BBSs that were physically in the same area as they were, since their computer would actually have to call the BBS and would incur long-distance charges just like any other landline phone call.
I never used a BBS, but I remember other kids talking about them furtively in my computer programming class in 8th grade. Sadly, my trusty VIC-20 lacked a modem.
Did anyone here use these or other local BBSs, or better yet did anyone actually run one? If so, please nerd out in the comments.
On behalf of four 8th grade boys that I am assisting with National History Day projects I am seeking assistance from anyone who could point them in the right direction. Two boys are making a short ten-minute documentary about the Civilian Conservation Corps in this area and the other two boys are making an exhibit about the Duluth Canal. They are looking for additional pictures for their projects and anyone who may be available for an interview or to answer questions. Please reply here if you can offer any help and I will pass your e-mail information along to the students. If you have any tips for them I could pass on it would also be appreciated as well. They are very motivated and competing to represent our area at the national competition in Washington DC this June.
fountainheadmn @ yahoo.com
If you scroll through this slideshow displaying statues of Leif Erikson you will notice Duluth’s statue has something most of the other statues don’t have. Go ahead, I’ll wait …
So, did you notice? If you read the headline you already know what it is: horns. What’s more, if you read this article by UMD journalist Madiha Mirza, you will learn that Duluthian Stefan Guttormsson, president-elect of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota, believes our statue should not have horns.
Of course, if that’s true, does it also mean the Minnesota Vikings’ logo is, um, wrong?
UMD journalism student Julie Krienke wrote this great article for LakeVoiceNews.org. Maybe it’s just because I live on Leicester, but I think this article and Mark Atkinson’s search are a perfect candidate for the PBS series, The History Detectives. Maybe if everyone tells them we’d like them to join the search? It worked for TBT on Prairie Home Companion.
Last week I was tooling around town on my bicycle when I stumbled upon this business. I have never heard any of my cycling friends mention this shop. It opened in 2001, but when did it close? Heck, it might even still be open. There are some Christmas lights on in the window.
Do people have stories/history about this business?
This feature is an ongoing attempt to list all the major concerts at the DECC Arena and Symphony Hall from 1966 to 2010, which of course includes the era when they were known as the Duluth Arena and Duluth Auditorium.
This clip didn’t make it to my inbox until after Valentine’s Day, but hey, it’s 100 years old anyway, so what’s a few more days? It’s from the Feb. 4, 1912, Duluth News Tribune. A more readable version of the text appears below.
Mundane fact of the day: Before Duluth’s street signs were white on green they were black on white. For a while after the switch the old signs were piled up at the spot where Upper and Lower Michigan Street meet. I spent a few minutes browsing them on Jan. 30, 1999, but didn’t take any home as a souvenir.
I’m a journalism student at UMD and I am writing about the history of the Congdon Park Elementary rinks. Today I talked to Bob Mars about the rinks and he mentioned a man that helped a lot there when he was a kid in the 1930s. He said the man’s name was Mr. Swan, but unfortunately could not remember his first name! Does anyone know anything about him? And, hopefully, do you know his first name? Furthermore, does anyone have any old pictures of the rinks with the old warming house?
I’m noticing a number of local history queries here. Don’t forget these local history resources:
I am a journalism student at UMD and I am currently working on a history story regarding the first days of the Whole Foods Co-op. If any of you remember the first days yourself, were somehow involved, or know someone who was involved please let me know. I would love to talk to you to learn more!
