Breaking Ice to Bring in Freighters on the 20th of January

Paul Lundgren Jan 20, 2021 No Comments

This postcard, published by the Hugh C. Leighton Company, was never mailed and has no year marked on it, but the caption on the front would indicate the illustration is based on a photo shot on Jan. 20 of some year in the early 1900s.

Whether the artist drew people standing on the edge of the ice as a creative choice or whether they were really standing there is not known, unless the photo exists somewhere. Either way, file the act of walking out to ice breakers in the “no, don’t do that” category.


History , ,

Wild Ice

Jim Richardson (aka Lake Superior Aquaman) Jan 19, 2021 2 Comments

Outdoors, Photos , ,

Matchbooks from Duluth Restaurants and Bars

Paul Lundgren Jan 19, 2021 4 Comments

Perfect Duluth Day published its first gallery of Duluth-area matchbooks in 2015. Since then, the collection has grown significantly. This new post features only matchbooks from bars and restaurants in Duluth. Some of them have been pulled out of the original post and placed in this new post; others are appearing for the first time.

Enjoy the nostalgia and, whatever you do, for the love of humanity, please close cover before striking.

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History, Restaurants , ,

Haroula Rose – “Duluth”

Paul Lundgren Jan 18, 2021 No Comments

Ten years ago today — Jan. 18, 2011 — Los Angeles-based musician Haroula Rose released her debut album These Open Roads, which includes a cover of the Mason Jennings song “Duluth.”


Music

Duluth You & Me: Grand Finale

Paul Lundgren Jan 18, 2021 1 Comment

We have reached the end of the Duluth You & Me series. Use this link for a printable PDF to color the final page: Duluth You & Me: Do come back again!

Or, download a PDF of the whole book: Duluth You & Me full PDF

Follow the Duluth You & Me subject tag to see all the pages as individual posts on Perfect Duluth Day. For background on the book see the original post on the topic.


Art

Shuttered Park Point church orchestrates big land sale

Mark Nicklawske Jan 17, 2021 No Comments

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church sits on just under one acre of land adjacent to Lake Superior on Minnesota Point. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)

A historic church building perched on Lake Superior beachfront property is up for sale and the top bidder will win the largest developable site available in the Park Point neighborhood.

Our Lady of Mercy/St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church officials will open bids for Our Lady of Mercy church, 2002 Minnesota Ave., on Feb. 1. The small neighborhood church was closed in July 2016 and its nearly one-acre lakeside parcel was listed for sale three months ago. The asking price is $650,000.

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News and Current Affairs

PDD Quiz: Snow Foolin’

Alison Moffat Jan 17, 2021 No Comments

Step up to this week’s quiz and test your knowledge of snow-related events, celebrations and disasters.

As with all history-related quizzes, the Minnesota Reflections and the Zenith City websites were indespensible resources.

The next PDD quiz, reviewing headlines from January 2021, will be coming your way on Jan. 31. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Jan. 26.

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History

Ripped at Goodsports Bar & Grill in 2001

Slim Goodbuzz Jan 16, 2021 No Comments

[Editor’s note: For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the archive of Slim Goodbuzz, who visited Goodsports Bar & Grill at 2827 Oakes Ave. in Superior and penned this report for the Feb. 7, 2001 issue of the Ripsaw newspaper. The former Goodsports location became home to Ace’s on 29th in 2009.]

I’ve discovered something. I was afraid to mention it over the past month because I didn’t want you sorry sheep following me around. But now that the 2000–2001 Superior Boot Hockey League season is over, I think it’s safe to let you know: Goodsports Bar & Grill rocks.

You probably don’t believe me, and you shouldn’t. Goodsports? What can be good about another sports bar with a bazillion televisions and the same old burger menu and Viking/Packer décor?

Well, let me explain: While hockey players are definitely some of the most annoying people in the world, the sport of hockey is sweet. It’s fast, it’s violent and it involves incredible skill. Best of all, there’s no marching band at halftime and no seventh-inning sing-along. Between periods, some goober drives a big tank in circles.

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Random ,

Selective Focus: Moose

Brian Barber Jan 15, 2021 No Comments

So funny looking but still majestic. This week, photos of friends from Frostbite Falls.

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Photos , ,

Clark House Hotel, West Superior Street circa 1870

Paul Lundgren Jan 14, 2021 1 Comment

This uncredited photo, presumably shot by Paul B. Gaylord, shows the 100 block of West Superior Street in Downtown Duluth looking northeast. The Clark House Hotel, in the foreground at left, was Duluth’s second hotel, opening in July 1870.

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History, Photos ,

Paula Gudmundson – “Partita in A minor”

PDDTV Jan 13, 2021 No Comments

Dr. Paula Gudmundson, associate professor of music at the University of Minnesota Duluth, performs J.S. Bach’s “Partita in A minor” in this music video shot throughout Duluth on Sept. 16 as part of the Bach Society of Minnesota’s Mini Mobile Concerts Series.

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Music, Videos ,

“Big Friendly Mike” was friend to many

David Beard Jan 13, 2021 No Comments

Obits are not common on Perfect Duluth Day, but Mike Hruza wasn’t a common person. He was known to hundreds, thousands of Duluthians as “Big Friendly Mike” because he worked for decades selling games and comics, or because he played games and talked comics with anyone who would listen (including the times I sat next to him on the bus).

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R.I.P.

Postcard from London Manor Motel

Paul Lundgren Jan 12, 2021 1 Comment

This undated postcard, published by Gallagher’s Studio of Photography, shows the London Manor Motel, one of several lodging businesses that comprised London Road’s old “Motel Row.”

London Manor was built in 1955 and later became the Chalet Motel, which was torn down in 2011. A Sherwin-Williams paint store was built at the location in 2019.

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History , ,

The Slice: Live Streaming Guitar Lessons with Darin Bergsven

PDDTV Jan 11, 2021 No Comments

Duluth musician Darin Bergsven has been performing and teaching guitar online since March.

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.


Music, Videos , ,

Duluth You & Me: A Review Game

Paul Lundgren Jan 11, 2021 No Comments

As the Duluth You & Me series nears its conclusion, we present this review game. Use the link below for a printable PDF to use as your game board.
Duluth You & Me: A Review Game

Follow the Duluth You & Me subject tag to see additional pages. For background on the book see the original post on the topic.


Art