Limited tickets available to Alan Sparhawk at Sacred Heart

Sacred Heart Music Center has just released a small amount of free tickets for a studio audience at its Live from the Heart songwriters/storytellers livestream featuring Alan Sparhawk.

West Duluth’s Allyndale Motel circa 1971

Allyndale Motel

The Allyndale Motel has been in operation at 510 N. 66th Ave. W. since 1952. The backside of the postcard image above boasts the motel’s features circa the 1970s: “Overlooking Duluth – Free TV – Room Phones – Tubs and Showers – Large Units – Individually controlled Hot Water Heat.”

Lake Superior Aquaman graffiti in Iowa City

Thanks to citizen @wiscontron for bringing this to my attention. It reads “Lake Superior Aquaman” with a picture of a trident, then someone has followed that with “<- The Admiral Nelson of Great Lakes.”

A Beaver Dam: Fall to Winter

Here it is, the sequel to “A Beaver Dam: Summer to Fall.” It features more footage from a trail camera on a beaver dam at Kabetogama Peninsula in Voyageurs National Park.

Low – “Disappearing”

Duluth band Low‘s new video is directed, produced and edited by Los Angeles-based artist Dorian Wood, who also stars in the video. Low’s new album, Hey What, is schedule for release on Sept. 10.

The Slice: Jonathan Thunder

Ojibwe artist Jonathan Thunder talks about his practice of mixing modern sensibilities with traditional imagery.

In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.

Superior Waffles opens July 27 on Tower Avenue

A sweet and savory waffle bar opens in Superior next week. Superior Waffles, located in the New York Building at 1412 Tower Ave., is holding a soft opening on Sunday and a grand opening on Tuesday.

An Elaborate Contrivance for Suicide

One hundred years ago a delusional Superior man hung himself in his home in front of a wall painted with a crucifix. The June 19, 1921 suicide was reported in the Duluth Herald on June 20.

Chicken Alley Backyard Hangout #1

Leon Rohrbaugh’s backyard adventures in Duluth’s Chester Park neighborhood are making their way to YouTube. In episode one, Leon’s son Miles returns from eight days leading 10 teenagers on a 64-mile hike on the Superior Hiking Trail, and it’s no surprise they want burgers.

LineCheck: Mary Bue

The Current‘s video series “LineCheck” presents virtual conversations with Minnesota’s music community. The sessions open and close with a song. In episode 2, occasional Duluthian Mary Bue performs.

Ditchbird – “Think She Was Right” (Lyric Video)

Cloquet native Tony Petersen, now based in Minneapolis, has a new music project called Ditchbird. The track “Think She Was Right” is on the forthcoming five-track EP, Some Dreams, out Aug. 13 on DoublePug Records.

Petersen is best known for his work with the band Social Animals. He released his first Ditchbird record, Real Enough for You Now, in April.

The Slice: Superior Porchfest

Local music brings Superior neighborhoods together this summer during Porchfest. Daryl Yankee, a volunteer from Siggy’s Musical Garden, explains the series of events in this video.

Postcard from the St. Louis Hotel, Duluth

This postcard was mailed July 18, 1911 — 110 years ago today. The recipient was Mrs. Anna Carlson of St. Louis, Mo. The written message seems to be in a foreign language; the sender’s name looks like Mrs. Emma Ellstrand.

Ride or Die Pizzeria open in Superior

The Superior Telegram reports a new pizzeria has opened in Superior. Terry and Dawn Johnson are the proprietors of Ride or Die Pizzeria at 1623 Broadway St., the former home of Thirsty Pagan Brewing, which moved to new location a block away in 2019.

The Johnsons also own Lee’s Pizza in Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District.

Photos from Old Central’s 1890s Classroom and Clock Tower

This oil painting of Old Central was donated to the school in 1970 by the class of 1949. It was painted by Central alum Jo Kossett.

The original Central High School, which later became Duluth Public Schools’ Central Administration Building, aka Historic Old Central, will soon enter its next phase. Saturday Properties, a development and management firm based in St. Louis Park, plans to turn the Richardsonian Romanesque-style building into 121 mixed-income apartments. The project is called Zenith DCHS.

Collected in this post are images from inside the 1890s Classroom Museum at Old Central and the interior of the building’s clock tower, shot during a tour on July 2.