Epidemic History Repeats Itself in Duluth

By Gina Temple-Rhodes

In the spring of 2020, we are hearing often that these are “unprecedented times” with working from home and layoffs due to COVID19 closures. While we have not experienced this in living memory, just over 100 years ago Duluth experienced a 7-week closure of schools, libraries and other public places due to the Spanish Influenza outbreak in the fall of 1918. What did “working from home,” schooling, essential workers or alternative work look like during that time, when not even all homes would have had a telephone? Radio broadcasts and television didn’t exist yet, and the main way for residents to get news was through the printed newspaper. And this printed newspaper gives us a record and a way to glimpse what life was like during the last major shutdown and subsequent reopening in Duluth.

Reading these old newspapers can give today’s reader a sense of déjà vu, and it seems that history is repeating itself once again. On October 12, 1918, the Duluth Herald reported that 40 cases of the Spanish Influenza had been discovered. The related article covered some of the ways that the City was trying to prevent the spread:

Shopping Changes

Is this following quote from 1918 or 2020? It is somewhat hard to tell, if the 10-cent stores were replaced with “$1 stores” or something similar. The Duluth Herald wrote this in October, 1918.

“In the crowded stores, steps will be taken to keep the people moving and to prevent loitering as far as possible. Floor managers will be stationed through the 10-cent stores to keep the crowds on the move, according to the manager of one of these stores. Said he: “One of the hardest things which we have to contend with is people making the store a place to meet friends. This will have to stop during the epidemic. We will have a number of floor managers stationed through the store to keep the people on the move and prevent loitering. The doors will be kept open at all times to give as great ventilation as possible.”

Wearing masks was also becoming common: “Cashiers and others who hold conversation with hundreds of persons daily are playing the roles of bandits to the extent of covering their noses and mouths with the masks such as are being made in the Red Cross workrooms for doctors, nurses and influenza patients.”

There was also concern that the crowded streetcars would cause the influenza to spread, so all windows were to be kept open or perhaps ridership would be down. “Because of the advice to keep out of doors as much as possible, the company expects that many will walk instead of riding short distances.”

School Closures

Schools were closed on October 12, 1918. This news was rapidly overshadowed by the news of the large fires that swept Cloquet and the areas around Duluth that very day. That added extra chaos and challenges for residents, but teachers were ready to help. On October 30^th, 1918 the Duluth Herald ran a story about how the teachers were keeping busy (distance learning was more challenging in 1918):

“The closing of Duluth’s public schools, instead of throwing 525 teachers out of work, released that number of trained workers for duty in Red Cross and relief work.

It had been previously planned to use the teachers in board of education work, but this plan was abandoned following the fire. It was not necessary to urge the teachers to report at the Armory and help. They realized that their trained services would be doubly useful and wasted no time in putting these services at the disposal of the authorities. “

The newspapers do not mention how the teacher’s pay was handled, but even after the fire crisis faded a bit, teachers kept busy in useful ways:

“When relief work became more organized, many of the teachers returned to their own work. In the offices of the board of education there are nearly forty teachers engaged in various kinds of special work… At the high school building a larger corps of teachers is working out a perpetual filing and reference system for the school library.”

The work followed traditional gender roles, and even the men were kept busy:

“In the manual training department, the male personnel of the city’s teaching force is engaged in manufacturing furniture for the schools. It is not improbable that before school reopens, the men will have completed a full set of desks and tables to replace those burned in the Cobb school fire.”

Duluth Schools did “open auspiciously” after the “vacation due to flu ban” on November 26, 1918.

Library books

Libraries were also affected by the closures in the Fall of 1918, but their staff and locations were used in various ways. In Duluth, mask and bandage sewing gatherings were held in library meeting rooms, even if the libraries were closed. In Virginia, MN some of the library staff began work organizing nurses to help with home care for the sick. The Duluth libraries reopened in November of 1918, and this was likely a bright spot for many residents.

“The lifting of the influenza ban means the return of many books that have been held out during the six weeks the main public library and the branches were closed. Naturally there will be no fee for the delay in returning the books for which the card holders were not responsible.

Since the buildings were closed October 11, the library staffs have prepared 2,000 volumes for circulation. As the average work required to prepare one book for the shelf is half an hour, it means that the staffs have not been enjoying a complete vacation.

In addition to working on books, the library employees prepared the registration system of fire sufferers, made duplicate copies and did clerical work for the United War Work campaign.”

Residents were likely excited to get their hands on new books, and on November 28, 1918 the Duluth Herald helpfully listed many of the new books that would be available at the library, ready for an “attack” on the stacks that was sure to come by eager cardholders.

We have not yet seen the end of the 2020 pandemic-related closures, or know how our story will turn out this time. In Duluth in 1918, the strict closing measures and quarantine of sick people seemed to help, and only a total of 347 people were reported to have died of influenza in Duluth that fall, a much lower number than some other cities even in Minnesota. Perhaps history can help us understand that earlier crisis and respond well to our current crisis and help form decisions about reopening schools and libraries this time around.

 

 

Unmasking History

There is a saying that history repeats itself, and in some cases this does seem to be true. Today, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are dusting off their sewing machines to sew face masks to help prevent the spread of this virus. Others are looking for workable no-sew options or wondering where masks can be purchased. Face masks have not been a regular part of our culture recently, but just over 100 years ago, masks were common topics of discussion in the newspaper and in every-day life.

In Duluth in 1918, the Red Cross was already quite active in organizing volunteers to make surgical dressings or bandages for the war effort. By the fall of 1918, it became apparent that masks would be needed for nurses and people near the new outbreak of “Spanish Influenza” in far-away places and then indeed in Duluth itself.

In 1918, scientists and others did know that influenza was contagious, even if they didn’t fully understand that it was caused by a virus. Schools and libraries were closed in the fall of 1918 to help prevent the spread, but gathering together for sewing masks and bandages seemed exempt from these restrictions. On October 12, 1918, women in West Duluth were urged to join work sessions that could hold as many as 40-50 people.

Duluth Herald 10/12/1918, p. 12

This tendency for women to gather together to solve problems was well-intentioned, even if it did get a bit of fun poked at it in this 1918 comic strip, which ran in the Duluth Herald on October 17, 1918.

The same issue with a shortage of masks to purchase or otherwise find them led to the publication of some directions, as well. The Duluth Herald wrote on October 16th: “The Red Cross announces that on account of the shortage of materials and the great demand for masks, it will be necessary for people desiring the influenza masks in large quantities to furnish their own” and offered to demonstrate how to make a mask to anyone who wanted to stop down at the Armory Red Cross office to learn.

 

 

 

 

Thankfully we now have other ways to share mask-making techniques, and have a larger understanding of social distancing. By October 26^th, there were still calls for gathering together to make materials for the war effort, but at least everyone was requested to wear a mask:

While we experience some unprecedented times with our current virus in 2020, may we take comfort that some of Duluth’s earlier residents also went through this, and the days of wearing masks eventually ended. We can also be grateful that our own mask-making efforts can be done at home and shared more widely via the internet and social media, and that our own knowledge of social distancing is also helping to keep us safe.

Written by Gina Temple-Rhodes

 

 

Halloween in 1920 & 1921

The municipal Halloween party got newspaper coverage in the Duluth Herald in 1920 and 1921. J. R. Batchelor, city recreational director, promised the children of Duluth a huge bonfire at Lake Shore Park. (Lake Shore Park was renamed Leif Erikson Park in 1929.) Captain Henry Cleveland, who coordinated the bonfire, told the children that “it will be the biggest Duluth youngsters have ever seen.”

From the Duluth Herald article of October 22, 1920:

That there will be a municipal Halloween at Lake Shore park and the Armory for all children of the city, with a huge bonfire, was the promise of J. R. Batchelor, today. He has not only promised this but assured the children that there will be a great many new stunts added this year that have never before been tried out here. In addition to this there will be the usual number of old-fashioned features that have always been associated with Halloween.

According to the program tentatively arranged this morning the American Legion Band, donated by the Kiwanis club, will open the program with several numbers at Lake Shore park while the bonfire is being started. . .

After the bonfire dies down the crowd will march to the Armory where games and sports will be played. The platform will be used for ghost dances and other features being rehearsed by children. Bobbing for apples, diving in a tub of flour for pennies and a big peanut scramble are only a few of the stunts arranged.

The peanut scramble will be for boys and girls. The big floor will be strewn with peanuts and one-half marked off for boys and the other half for girls. There will be enough for everyone, even if they are slow at the start, Mr. Batchelor promises.

The Plaisted Expedition

In April of 1968, after more than six weeks of travel across increasingly fragile and broken ice, a group of snowmobilers reached the North Pole. Despite claims by Peary and Cook to the contrary, it is believed that this group was the first surface expedition to reach the North Pole, traveling over land and sea. This was the Plaisted expedition, named for their leader, Ralph Plaisted (1927-2008), an insurance salesman and amateur explorer from White Bear Lake.

Ralph Plaisted

This may be the only polar expedition to start from challenge thrown down in a bar, and that’s one Duluth connection to this tale: the bar was the Pickwick, in Duluth. In 1965, snowmobiles were a new consumer product and Plaisted loved his. He drove nonstop from his cabin in Ely to his home in White Bear Lake and raved about the trip to his friend Dr. Art Aufderheide, a Duluthian. Tired of hearing about it, Aufderheide jokingly suggested that if Plaisted thought snowmobiles were so great, he should take one to the North Pole—thus was the Plaisted Expedition born.

 

Portorama

The Duluth Portorama, an event-packed summer festival, ran in late July and early August every year from 1959 to 1969. The Duluth Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce) sponsored the event.

Portorama schedule and map, 1967

In 1966, near the peak of the Portorama’s popularity, the Duluth News Tribune wrote about the Portorama Parade, “to count all the men, women, and children and even dogs on Superior Street would be like counting stars in the Milky Way.”

Further, they wrote, “local festivals have a way of coming and going. It may take years of experience before a community can be sure that the series will go on indefinitely.” There seemed little doubt Portorama would go on.

SS William A. Irvin

Sailing with the Irvin

Walnut-paneled staterooms. An oak dining room. Gleaming polished brass. A sun deck and a lounge. What was all this doing on an ore boat?

William A. Irvin in the Minnesota Slip. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota State Historical Society. Photographer Michael Koop.

If you know Duluth, you know the answer to the question: these were accommodations for guests on the SS William A. Irvin, the Flagship of the United States Steel Great Lakes Fleet, the Queen of the Lakes, “the Pride of the Silver Stackers.” She is named after William A. Irvin, who was president of U. S. Steel when she was built . The Irvin operates as a museum in the Minnesota Slip near Canal Park. She is currently laid up in Fraser Shipyards for painting and other work while environmental work is done at the Slip.

SS William A. Irvin. Photo courtesy of the DECC.

The Irvin was built for U. S. Steel in 1938. At 610’ long– longer than the length of two football fields– and 60’ wide, she and her sister ships were the largest ships on the lakes at the time they were built. The famous “silver stack,” the smokestack emblem of U. S. Steel, was three stories tall. The inside of the engine room, where the temperature could exceed 100 degrees in the summer, was five stories tall. The propeller was 16’ in diameter and made of solid bronze.

The Irvin could carry 14,000 tons of bulk cargo per trip, enough to fill 200 rail cars. She primarily carried iron ore and taconite pellets, but also carried sand, gravel, and some coal. During WWII, she regularly carried ore from the Twin Ports and Two Harbors down to U. S. Steel’s plants in the lower lakes.

William A. Irvin. View of ship from the pilothouse. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota State Historical Society. Photographer Michael Koop.

The Irvin had an extra deck added to the forward superstructure, containing a passenger lounge and four luxurious staterooms for guests of U. S. Steel. There was also a private dining room and galley for the guests. The operative word here is guests, not passengers, for the staterooms were for “visiting industrialists” such as the Vanderbilts and the Fords, “and high-ranking company officials.”

William A. Irvin. Guest stateroom. Photo courtesy of the Minnesota State Historical Society. Photographer Michael Koop.

The bedrooms had carpet and were large enough for twin beds, several chairs, and a faux fireplace; and each stateroom had a private bathroom and shower. Two of the bathroom mirrors were tinted pink to improve the pale complexions of guests who might suffer from seasickness. Because of the guests, the captains wore full uniforms, including vests, and company flag always flew at the masthead.

A 1995 article in the Nor’Easter tells the following stories:

Synthetic Scots

Order of Synthetic Scotsmen

In Hunter’s Park and Woodland around the turn of the last century, many of the original settlers were Scottish, with last names like Hunter, McDonald, Magie, Ferguson, Tulloch, and Thomsen. This area of town was nicknamed “Oatmeal Hill.” When families of other nationalities began to move in, the Scots felt something had to be done about this “intolerable situation.”

Their solution? They decided to “naturalize” their new neighbors as Scots! What began as a fraternal organization for true Scotsmen became “The Order of Synthetic Scotsmen,” around 1904. The group’s new slogan was, “We’ll make ‘em all Scotch!”

Rollo G. Lacy and John F. Thompson. Photo courtesy of Duluth Herald.

In a News Tribune article from May 5, 1954, we learn that

“A large number of petitioners, recognizing the sterling qualities of the Scots, have signified a desire to acquire, even in a synthetic manner, the ability to speak with a highlander accent and a lowlander brogue. They would also like to walk as a true Scot, play the pipes, sing true Scottish songs and do the Highland fling.

Diary of Duluth

April 5, 2019

Long-time readers of local history will recognize the name Gilbert Fawcett (1893-1973) from David Ouse’s post in Zenith City, and from his book “Forgotten Duluthians.” Mr. Fawcett was known as the KDAL historian and the “Old Timer,” based on hundreds of broadcasts about Duluth history.

Fawcett was a pioneer broadcaster on KDAL, and was one of the founding partners of the radio station. KDAL’s first broadcast was in 1936. In 1937, they became affiliated with CBS.

Gilbert Fawcett

 

The Duluth Public Library has a number of radio scripts from his “Diary of Duluth” broadcasts. They are lively and detailed. He knew how to tell a story!

Here is a sample of one of the radio scripts:

October 1, 1947
Script 3

ANNOUNCER: Presenting . . . DIARY OF DULUTH! . . . featuring the OLD TIMER, with News and Views of Our Town . . . Today and Yesterday . . . brought to you each week-day at this time by STEELE_LOUNSBERRY company . . . Stationers and Printers. . . Upon First Street. . . Just across from the City Hall in Duluth.

OLD TIMER: . . . Let’s take a peek into that old diary of mine, and see what it has to say. . . Listen to this entry for October 1, 1914 . . .

“GERMANS ADVANCING STEADILY ON PARIS.

MILLER’S CAFETERIA ON SUPERIOR STREET OPENED FOR BUSINESS ON THIS DATE,”
. . . “But listen to the rest of this entry . . .”
. . . “WEST END MERCHANTS RIVAL MARDI GRAS WITH PARADE AND CELEBRATION FOR GREAT FALL OPENING!” . . . I remember going out to the West End that night. . . I was just a young fellow then, but I had lots of fun. Every store in the West End was decorated, and West Superior Street blazed with lights. . . strings of red, white and blue incandescents were stretched across it. . . the Third Regiment Band played on the corners. . . and there was dancing in the streets. . . The Band played ragtime, of course . . . Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Oh, You Beautiful Doll. . . and things like that. . . and they danced the Turkey Trot and the Bunny Hug and the Grizzly Bear. . . then, of course, there was confetti. . . and ticklers . . . little bamboo sticks with colored feathers on them, to make the girls giggle and scream. . . and all the stores had special window displays. . . I remember one especially. . . the center of attraction was a huge and very elegant parlor coal stove. . . gleaming with nickel. . . and an isinglass front. . . Must have been awful, trying to make a room look attractive with an atrocity like that standing smack in the middle of it . . . But, I don’t know, when I was a kid I thought they looked might fine. . . and I want to tell you one of those elegant coal stoves was mighty popular in anybody’s parlor on sub-zero nights . . . even if you were hot on one side and cold on the other!”

The commercial for Steele_Lounsberry was fun, too:

ANNOUNCER: Speaking of making rooms look attractive and lived-in, are you the type that likes a “personal touch” added to the many little things used in your home daily? If so, you’ll be interested to know that the STEELE_LOUNSBERRY COMPANY is now equipped to “personalize” such articles as Book Matches, Coasters, Paper Napkins, Playing Cards, and many similar items, with an imprinted name or monogram. Such personalized articles add just the right touch, whenever you entertain. . . and as gifts, they’re simply ideal. Any of your friends would be delighted to be remembered in such a thoughtful fashion. Why not stop in today and see for yourself just how attractive these “individualized” articles can be . . . at STEELE_LOUNSBERRY COMPANY . . . Stationers and Printers . . . Up on First Street . . . Just across from the City Hall in Duluth.

Be with us tomorrow at this same time . . . when the OLD TIMER again opens his . . . DIARY OF DULUTH!

 

 

 

 

Image: Duluth Public Library Biography File

 

 

Digging into the Duluth Herald and the Duluth News Tribune

 

Sometimes you want more than an obituary from the local paper. Perhaps you want to confirm a story about an ancestor that may have made the paper (Did Grandpa really rob that bank?) Or you might
want to find the article that reported an ancestor’s achievement (like Grandma’s award for her prize-winning pie at the State Fair).  Here’s your guide to digging into the past.

Obituaries: No sweat

If you want an obituary from the local papers, the task is fairly straightforward. Volunteers at the Duluth Public Library have indexed obituaries in the Duluth News Tribune back to 1956, and are pushing farther back every week. If the death was earlier than that, you find the death date and browse the papers for a while after that date.

However, how do you find that non-obituary article? That’s what I plan to discuss in this post.

Everything else:  Time is of the essence

The key element is the time of the event you’re looking for. The Duluth daily newspapers have been in existence since 1887 (Duluth Evening Herald/Duluth Herald) and 1892 (Duluth News Tribune). There are different article-finding tools for different times in these papers’ existence.

Here’s a rundown. Starting from the present and moving backward in time:

1995 – present: Full text online

The News Tribune has been online since October 1995. The full text since that time is available on the Duluth News Tribune/NewsBank database, to which the Library subscribes.

This database does not include pictures or other graphic elements such as graphs, but with a citation from the database you can find the article on our newspaper microfilm and get the parts the database version does not provide. A major advantage of this database over the News Tribune website (besides no charge for printing articles from home, 10₵ per page in the library, and no ads!) is the much more robust search capabilities.

The database is available to anyone inside the Library, and from home to anyone who has a Duluth Public Library library card. (By the way, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune are also available for varying time periods through the NewsBank site – but I digress…)

Access the Duluth News Tribune/Newsbank database at www.duluthlibrary.org —> research —> databases —> Duluth News Tribune/Newsbank

1978-1995: Print and online indexes, produced by DPL librarians

Librarians indexed the NewsTribune and Herald for stories of regional interest, starting in 1978, ending when the paper went online in 1995.

• • • 1988-1995: Online Duluth Newspaper index
      The index for this time range is searchable online at the Duluth Public Library website, available to anyone with or without a library card, at: www.duluthlibrary.org —> research —> databases —> Duluth Newspaper index 1988-1995. (Note: Print volumes covering 1988-1995 are also available in the Reference Department.)
    • 1978-1987: Printed index only
      The index for this time range is available only in print format, available in the Reference Department at the Main Library.  These bound volumes are affectionately referred to as the Purple Books.

1929-1978: NO indexing available – Clipping files

There is no indexing for either paper during this period, except for the Obituary Index (1956-present). You may have to browse the microfilmed version of the newspaper for your article – hopefully you have some idea of the time the article might have been published (e.g., a for a high school football-related event, you would “only” have to look for at most 4 years during the fall).

However, Librarians were very active clipping articles from the newspapers for much of this period. The Library has vast numbers of files full of clippings of local interest, many going back to the 1940s and even earlier. I just the other day came across a file beginning at 1920.

There are three separate filing systems:

• • Subject clipping files – organized by subjects of local and regional interest. Hundreds of linear feet of these files, mostly Duluth subjects, but also Minnesota regional subjects as well. Subjects clipped cover Duluth’s economy, government, education, culture, and much more, but here are some of the specifically people-related headings: Duluth Artists; Duluth Authors; Duluth Musicians; Duluth Crime and Criminals; Duluth. Schools. Teachers.
  • Industry clipping files – organized in notebooks by company name, ranging from just a page or two for a company to notebooks full for major companies such as Allete, Essentia, Grandma’s. Industry clipping files include regional companies as well.
  • Biography clipping files – contain information on Duluthians or others who have had an impact on the Northland, ranging again from a short obituary to several inches of clippings for notables (such as Elizabeth Congdon).

1893-1929: Online Duluth Newspaper index

Librarians at the Duluth Public Library indexed both the Herald and the News Tribune in a card file for this period as part of the WPA in the 1930s. Despite the time range indicated in the title of this index, index cards were added to this file – and therefore digitized – sporadically through the 1930’s and even as late as 1941. Several years ago, through the efforts of volunteer Joyce Peterson, the file was digitized and put online. Like the later index, the focus was stories of regional interest only. Very short articles and most sports stories are excluded.

The index for this time range is searchable online at the Duluth Public Library website, available to anyone with or without a library card, at: www.duluthlibrary.org —> research —> databases —> Duluth Newspaper index 1893-1929.

    

Other resources

In addition to the resources above, which are available only through the Duluth Public Library, there are a couple of other resources to know about for finding information in early papers:

1887-1922, Duluth Evening Herald and Duluth Herald

Full text online at the Minnesota Historical Society Digital Newspaper Hub (http://www.mnhs.org/newspapers/hub). Before 1923 the newspapers are in the public domain; afterwards, copyright inhibits inclusion in digitization efforts.

1892-1922 Duluth News Tribune: Genealogy Bank

The Genealogy Bank database includes the News Tribune pre-1923. Unfortunately, their pricing for the Library is out of our reach; however, individual subscriptions are quite reasonable.

If all else fails – or as a quick & dirty first effort – try your favorite internet search engine.

Why dig into the past?

Library staff member, Gina Temple-Rhodes, digs into the history of the new Duluth Folk School building at 1917 W Superior Street and explores our fascination with local history in this blog post she wrote for Perfect Duluth Day. The Duluth Public Library thanks Gina for her permission to re-post the article here.

Walt Whitman’s Poem About Duluth?

The Duluth Daily News of March 30, 1892, printed a letter offering an unpublished poem by Walt Whitman. The letter writer claims that Whitman had visited Duluth for his health the previous summer and had been so impressed with the Zenith City that he wrote a poem in praise of Duluth and had sent it to a friend in town. The poem, simply titled “Duluth,” follows:

Babe Ruth visits Duluth

Duluth News Tribune11/7/1926

Following the 1926 baseball season, in which the New York Yankees won the American League pennant and lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals, Yankee slugger Babe Ruth went on a twelve-week vaudeville tour. The tour started in Minneapolis, and the next stop was Duluth. Ruth arrived in Duluth early on the morning of Saturday, November 6, 1926, and attended a breakfast in his honor at Hotel Duluth. He was greeted by Mayor Samuel F. Snively, Police Chief E.H. Barber, and Ruth’s friend, Superior resident, and player-manager of the Boston Braves Dave Bancroft.

Duluth News Tribune11/7/1926

At 10:30 that morning, Ruth appeared for about 2,000 young fans from the Twin Ports at the Lyric Theater, 213 West Superior Street, in a program sponsored by the Duluth News Tribune. He told them stories of his baseball career, gave them the inside picture of the life of a big league ball player, and passed out fifteen autographed baseballs—maybe some Twin Ports resident still has his or her autographed ball?

On Saturday afternoon, Ruth did the first of four performances for adults at the Lyric—2:30, 4:30, 7:10, and 9:20. He repeated the four performances on Sunday, his last day in Duluth. His vaudeville act usually consisted of him telling stories about his career with the Yankees.

Duluth News Tribune11/7/1926

The next day, Ruth reportedly went duck hunting in northern Minnesota with three friends from the Detroit Tigers—outfielders Harry Heilman and Heinie Manush, and Tigers manager George Moriarity. He then continued his vaudeville tour in Fargo, ND.

Duluth Public Library collection

Duluth Public Library collection

Ye Olde Corner Grocery

Brown’s Grocery Store, Duluth
Photo: Minnesota Reflections
(http://reflections.mndigital.org/)

At one time, you could find a corner store in just about any Duluth neighborhood.   The 1973 Duluth City Directory lists 69 stores under the Groceries and Meats—Retail heading.  The list includes a few large chain markets like Super Valu, National Food Stores, and Piggly Wiggly, but the vast majority at that time was one-of-a-kind family owned neighborhood shops.  From east to west, smaller markets like Tonkin’s Grocery, London Road Market, Taran’s Food Market, Seventh Street Groceries, Plets Grocery, Tony’s Market, Ideal Market, and Mac’s Grocery dotted the map.

Cathedral High School/The Marshall School

The Duluth Public Library doesn’t just collect books, it collects memories! Take a trip down Memory Lane by looking at some  old yearbooks. Check out the fashions and relive your carefree youth.

We have yearbooks from Cathedral/Marshall, Central, Denfeld, East, Harbor International, Hermantown, Morgan Park, and Proctor. Be sure to check the catalog to see if we have your years. Click on the “Full Display” tab to see the years owned by the library.

Check out some of the local celebs who attended CATHEDRAL AND MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOLS.

Denfeld High School

The Duluth Public Library doesn’t just collect books, it collects memories! Take a trip down Memory Lane by looking at some  old yearbooks. Check out the fashions and relive your carefree youth.

We have yearbooks from Cathedral/Marshall, Central, Denfeld, East, Harbor International, Hermantown, Morgan Park, and Proctor. Be sure to check the catalog to see if we have your years. Click on the “Full Display” tab to see the years owned by the library.

Check out some of the local celebs who attended DENFELD HIGH SCHOOL.

East High School

The Duluth Public Library doesn’t just collect books, it collects memories! Take a trip down Memory Lane by looking at some  old yearbooks. Check out the fashions and relive your carefree youth.

We have yearbooks from Cathedral/Marshall, Central, Denfeld, East, Harbor International, Hermantown, Morgan Park, and Proctor. Be sure to check the catalog to see if we have your years. Click on the “Full Display” tab to see the years owned by the library.

Check out some of the local celebs who attended EAST HIGH SCHOOL.

Central High School

The Duluth Public Library doesn’t just collect books, it collects memories! Take a trip down Memory Lane by looking at some old yearbooks. Check out the fashions and relive your carefree youth.

We have yearbooks from Cathedral/Marshall, Central, Denfeld, East, Harbor International, Hermantown, Morgan Park, and Proctor. Be sure to check the catalog to see if we have your years. Click on the “Full Display” tab to see the years owned by the library.

Check out some of the local celebs who attended CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL.

New Forgotten Duluthians

Read about two new Forgotten Duluthians, jazz musician Sadik Hakim, and actress Elinor Harriot, featured on Zenith City Online.

Mental telepathist at the Empress

One hundred years ago this week, mental telepathist Mercedes and other vaudeville acts appeared at the Empress Theater, 12 East Superior Street. Mercedes returned to play Duluth’s Orpheum Theater in 1914.

From the May 7, 1912 Duluth News Tribune.

Minnesota Digital Library

Historical Duluth documents from the Duluth Public Library’s Duluth Collection, including atlases, maps, and books, are now included in the Minnesota Digital Library’s Minnesota Reflections web site. Below are a few sample images.

The entire collection can be viewed at: http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p16022coll6

From the book Souvenir of Duluth, MinnesotaFrom The Booster Book : West Duluth in 1916

 

From The Booster Book : West Duluth in 1916

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the 1890 Atlas of the City of Duluth, St. Louis Co., Minnesota, and Vicinity

From the book Have a Look at Our City : Postcards of Duluth and Advertisements of Duluth Businesses