Mystery Photo: Going Some

Going some? Huh? What is that supposed to mean? Seems like a weird name for a fake boat.

The back of this postcard photo indicates it was shot at the Owl Studio, 10 E. Superior. St., next to Duluth’s Empress Theatre. Estimated year: 1912.

Lake Superior Magazine 2021 Photo Contest Winners

Duluth’s Timothy J. Beaulier took first place in the Maritime category of Lake Superior Magazine‘s 26th Annual Photo Contest.

Postcard from Duluth’s Downtown Motel

This undated postcard from Gallagher’s Studio of Photography offers a view of the Downtown Motel at 131 W. Second St. in Duluth. Built in 1959, the motel later became known as the Best Western Downtown and is still in operation, now as the Downtown Duluth Inn, owned by ZMC Hotels.

Making it Up North: Steve Solkela

Meet Steve Solkela. With his music career crushed by COVID-19 cancellations, he built up a robust YouTube following with his music videos, tandem-bike interviews and random stunts.

WDSE-TV‘s Making it Up North explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.

Luke Zimmerman – “Duluth”

Roughly 15 years ago, Minneapolis singer/songwriter Luke Zimmerman released his solo debut album Twilight Waltz, featuring this track called “Duluth.” Various release dates from 2005 to 2007 are listed on the internet, but allmusic.com reports Jan. 24, 2006.

More Wild Ice

Skating Duluth’s inner harbor at “the slip.” Photo gallery below.

Shredded aluminum cans found on Park Point beach

The city of Duluth and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers are urging caution for anyone using Park Point beach between the shipping canal on the lakeside to 13th Street South as pieces of shredded aluminum cans have been found. The cans are believed to have been inadvertently deposited when dredge materials were placed on the far north beach section this past fall. Dredge material was placed on the beach after the Park Point Community Club and Park Point residents approached the city and other partners with shoreline erosion concerns exacerbated by high water levels.

Avant-Garde Women: Sophie Taeuber, Founding Dadaist

The multitalented Swiss artist Sophie Taeuber was one of the original Dadaists in 1916. Working in many media at the cutting edge of modern art, she went on to Surrealism and more. She remained lesser-known for sexist reasons even while many art historians considered her a crucial and pioneering figure. Her work was overshadowed by male contemporaries, and even though art history tended to minimize her, if anything the situation has all but reversed itself now: her star has brightened while others have dimmed. Decades after her death in 1943, Taeuber continues to emerge from the shadows of the avant-garde.

A note on spellings etc.

Different sources below refer to Dada either as “dada,” “Dada,” “DADA,” “Zurich Dada,” or “Zurich-dada.” All are synonymous for our purposes. The Zurich branch of Dadaism that Sophie Taeuber helped create in 1916 was the founding branch of the movement, propagating to other cities after she moved on. Indifference to standardized capitalization was a Dada hallmark.

Homegrown Winter Fiasco 2021

The Homegrown Music Festival’s annual Winter Fiasco is digital this year. The four hourlong videos feature performances, interviews and archival footage of more than 30 local artists. Episode one features music by Mary Bue, Shadows of Me, the Slamming Doors, Dog Talk, Moriah Skye, Boogeymen, WNDY, and Isolation Band. It also includes words from festival director Melissa La Tour and an interview with Kala Moira about her unofficial 2020 Homegrown Scavenger Hunt.

NHL teams will spend five months in Duluth bubble

Not really. It’s a wrong answer on the New York Times weekly quiz.

Selective Focus: Put a Bernie on it

Bernie at Miller Hill Mall

Lanue – “What I Love the Most”

Duluthian Sarah Krueger’s new music project is called Lanue. The album is available for pre-order on Bandcamp.

The video for the track “What I Love the Most” was filmed and directed by Zoe Prinds-Flash and edited by Lauren Josephine.

First Presbyterian Church of Duluth circa 1870

Duluth’s First Presbyterian Church was built at 231 E. Second St. in 1870. It was replaced by a larger building in 1891, across the street at 300 E. Second St., which still stands. The original church was used by other congregations until it was demolished in 1971. The area is now part of the Rainbow Senior Center property.

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

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.

Wild Ice