Historic Lutsen Lodge destroyed by fire

Minnesota Public Radio reports Lutsen Lodge, also known as the historic lodge at Lutsen Resort, was destroyed in a midnight fire. Resort officials say it’s a total loss.

Tim Cortes Studio West open in Duluth Heritage Sports Center

The Duluth News Tribune reports artist Tim Cortes has opened an art studio and gallery in the former warming shack at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center’s Sill Arena.

PDD Geoguessr Challenge #11: Lift Bridges


De Hef in Rotterdam carried trains until a tunnel opened in 1993. It is a now a national monument. Photo by the author.

As the principle symbol of Duluth, writing on the Aerial Lift Bridge often focuses on its uniqueness. Because it started as a transfer bridge, the top span makes it unusual for a lift bridge. But lift bridges themselves are not so unusual. Wikipedia lists 137 of them in the world.

Shane Nelson w/ Maxi Childs Trio – “Love You from a Distance”

Superior’s Shane Nelson has a new music video. The track “Love You from a Distance” is from his upcoming album The Music Saved My Life, recorded at Sacred Heart Music Center. The song features Maxi Childs on backing vocals, Steve Netzel on bass, Ron Koivisto on electric guitar and Jerry Siptroth on drums. The video is by Bo Allen of Bo Allen Productions.

U of M honoring work and legacy of George Morrison

Minnesota Public Radio reports on the new George Morrison Center for Indigenous Arts at the University of Minnesota, which serves as an “interdepartmental study center to support the creation, presentation and interpretation of Indigenous art in all its forms.” Morrison was a renowned abstract painter and sculptor, and a member of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. He died in 2000.

The inaugural exhibit at the center is on display in the Katherine Nash Gallery until March 16. It includes work by Duluth-based artist Jonathan Thunder.

Chester Creek Concert Series now Music in the Park, half of season will be in Lincoln Park

Duluth’s Parks and Recreation division announced today that performer applications are being accepted for the 2024 Music in the Park concert series. Formerly known as the Chester Creek Concert Series, the Tuesday-night shows will be held at Chester Park from June 18 to July 16, then at Lincoln Park from July 23 to Aug. 13.

Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards 2024 Call for Nominations

Lake Superior Writers is seeking nominations for the 2024 Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards. NEMBA celebrates books that substantially represent the history, culture, heritage or lifestyle of northeastern Minnesota.

The six categories are: nonfiction, fiction, children’s literature, middle grade / young adult, poetry and memoir.

Mystery Photo: Boy behind the wheel circa 1924

The postcard photo above is dated 1924, making it 100 years old. It shows a boy driving a car with a sign on the grill that reads “Western Steel Products Company, New Duluth, Minn.” That doesn’t technically mean the photo was shot in the New Duluth neighborhood, however, so the primary mystery of the photo’s location perhaps hinges on whether the houses in the background match any present-day Duluth homes. The identity of the people in the car is the longshot mystery to solve.

Falastin will take over former New London Café

Fox 21 reports a Palestinian café and market will replace the New London Café at 4721 E. Superior St. in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood.

Lyla Abukhodair and her mother Ann have operated a Palentinian pop-up restaurant called Falastin for more than a year. They plan to open their brick-and-mortar location later this year.

Minnesota Historia: Inventing Pizza Rolls

Scandinavian cookbook author Bea Ojakangas developed pizza rolls while working for Jeno Paulucci in Duluth. But she hasn’t tasted one for 50 years. This video reveals what she thinks of pizza rolls today.

Minnesota Historia is a PBS North web series dedicated to Minnesota’s quirky past. It is hosted by Hailey Eidenschink and produced/edited/written by Mike Scholtz.

Greetings from Beautiful Duluth

This piece of handiwork is what’s known as a large-letter postcard, made from cutting up older postcards.

PDD Quiz: January 2024

The first month of 2024 is almost at an end; see how much of it you remember with this week’s quiz.

A PDD quiz about the movie Iron Will sleds your way on Feb. 11. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Feb. 8.

The Northland Sportsmen’s Club Wild Game Dinner

Review by Max Grace, former professor of molecular gastronomy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Northland Sportsmen’s Club Wild Game Dinner
40th Annual All You Can Eat
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2023. Dinner at 6 p.m., drawing at 7.
Duluth Farmers Market, Duluth MN — as fine a farmers market as you could find in the U.S.!
$15 adult, $5 children under 10

~Silent Auction~
All proceeds to charity

Serving venison, bear, beaver, pheasant, duck, goose, salmon and other fish, along with wild rice and many other exotic dishes.

Thank you for your support!

Raffle: Ticket price $5. Tickets available from club members and at the dinner.
– 1st Prize: Henry Golden Boy brass-framed 45-70 lever action rifle
– 2nd Prize: Deep-fryer kit ($800 value)
– 3rd Prize: $200 cash
Many other prizes will be drawn at the Wild Game Dinner

The long rustic-red Farmers Market shack stood on bare dirt. A sunken glade of lower Chester Creek gurgled down below the treeline at the edge of the lot. The trees, conflicted about turning, flirted with the idea. Under a Jovian umber and orange cloudscape, I bought ticket #452 at a gate of day-glo-pink plastic web fencing.

Mystery Logo from Duluth Shirt

This sweatshirt logo is clearly connected to some sort of Duluth organization, but what? Does that symbol represent some combination of letters or some concept? Does anyone recognize this logo?

Wolves and Other Wildlife on the Mithrandir Trail

The Mithrandir Pack of wolves is the primary traveler seen on this trail camera footage from Voyageurs National Park, shot last summer and fall, but an array of other critters also pop in.