Photos Posts

Lost Superior: St. Joseph Orphan Home

ChapelSt.Joseph

I found some amazing pictures of the chapel in St. Joseph Orphan Home. It was mostly referred to as “the orphanage” and was located just to the east of the Mariner Mall in Superior.

See the photos at the Badger Catholic blog.

Rick Boo, Hot Rod and Hung at the NorShor

(Note: This post originally linked to a slideshow about the NorShor’s history, which is why comments to the post rave about time travel.)

Duluth Turban Lady, 1997

In 1994 I worked for six months at the Holiday Stationstore at 3401 Grand Ave., next to Wheeler Fields. The store closed around 2003 and the building is empty now. As you can imagine, there were a number of characters that frequented the store. One of them we called Turban Lady.

The Duluth Accordionaires — Music to Eat Pizza By (1967)

Iron Ore Bar in Tower, Minnesota

I heard it referred to by one of the locals as “Beirut.” It’s actually quite the normal-looking bar on the inside.

Spirit Mountain’s Alpine Roller Coaster is pretty neat, but the old Duluth Skyride looks a bit more intimidating

Originally called the Incline Plane Railway, this tram system started service in 1891, carrying passengers up Seventh Avenue West from Superior Street to Ninth Street. The photo above makes it look downright terrifying.

And, of course, there was one day in which it was indeed a terrifying ride, though no one was on it.

On May 28, 1901, a fire started in a coal bin in the engine room of the powerhouse. Wind carried the fire to the pavilion at the top of the incline. The heat of the fire melted the tram cables, and a burning trolley raced down to Superior Street, where it crashed into Superior Street Station. No one was injured.

Hot!

Graffiti Timeline

SmokeDope

I recently came across this photograph of myself observing graffiti at an I-35 underpass in West Duluth, probably from 1997 or 1998. So I went back and rephotographed the spot to show how the graffiti has changed.

Today on Woot

Something seems vaguely familiar about that netbook.

Bathing in Fairmount Park’s Boys’ Pool

FremontParkFront

This old postcard was sent 100 years ago today. Someone named Mabelle mailed it to Mrs. W. F. Smith of Minong, Wis. It was postmarked in Duluth, Minn., July 16, 1910, 3 p.m.

Lack of Duluth Summit Cheeseburger Attempts

What is a Summit Cheeseburger you ask? Well, the mission of the Summit Cheeseburger Project is…

“To encourage, enable, and document the consumption of a Cheeseburger on every summit on earth.”

Granted most people are completely and totally unaware of the sport of Summit Cheeseburger-ing and perhaps that is why there is a lack of said activity in St. Louis and Douglas Counties so I will forgive you, good people of said counties. But, now that you are being educated on this activity I see no reason for easy targets like Ely, Bardon’s, Moose, Sugarloaf, Pike, and Sugar Camp Hill to be conquered with zest, vigor, and zeal!

Summit Cheeseburger Locations near Duluth

Summit Cheeseburger Locations near Duluth

Do you like to hike, bicycle, drive, or just generally get off your couch and go do something but are looking for an excuse? Then attaining a Summit Cheeseburger just may very well be for you!

1. Grab a cheeseburger and your camera

2. Visit the Summit Cheeseburger website and find a summit.

3. Hike (bike, drive, fly, whatever) to the summit.

4. Photograph yourself nomming down a cheeseburger.

5. Post it to the S.P. site.

6. Repeat!

I’ve tagged summits in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana but Minnesota, and particularly Duluth is full of virgin first ascents just waiting for some PDD’ers to start tagging. Bon Voyage, Happy Trails, and Bottom’s Up!

Exhibit by writer/photographer Brenda Paro opens Friday

Duluth writer and photographer Brenda Paro is presenting new work at the Washington Gallery beginning Friday, July 9. Subtle Cargoes is an exhibit of complex photographic collages paired with poetry, presented using a variety of printing techniques and materials.

The opening reception takes place Friday, July 9 from 6 to 8 pm at Washington Gallery; the exhibit will also be open every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm (or by appointment) through July 25. Washington Gallery is located at 315 N. Lake Ave. in Duluth. For more information visit brendaparo.com, or call Paro at (402) 740-5122.

Knee High By The…..

Happy 4 July.

Boys of Summer Comes to Life

Don Henley was right …

… Deadhead Sticker on a Cadillac. Downtown Duluth Thursday.

Where in Superior?

The Ojibwe Experience – Learning Opportunities

This week I had a chance to glimpse some of the immense cultural riches of the Ojibwe people who along with other Native American people have occupied this area for thousands of years. And you can check them out too, if you want.