On this day in Duluth in 1939, the Hotel Duluth hosted a viewing of the first television telecast in Duluth, sponsored by the Zenith City’s Kelley-Howe-Thomson company, hardware distributors. The headlines read “3,000 See Telecast” and “Radio’s New Magic Shown Here.” Here’s the entire report from the following day’s Duluth News Tribune: “Television came to…

On this day in Duluth in 1885, Charles E. Lovett arrived in the Zenith City for the first time. Lovett had long before set his sights on Duluth—particularly on the riches that could be made from West Duluth real estate. In a speech he gave many years later, he recounted his first day in Duluth…

On this day in Duluth in 1915, three of Duluth’s five commissioners rejected a plan to sell the Third Regiment Armory, unneeded for military use now that Duluth had a brand new National Guard Armory on London Road. Instead, they backed an idea by D. A. Reed, manager of Duluth’s water and light department, to…

On this day in Duluth in 1915, the Duluth News Tribune reported that Duluth school superintendent Robert Denfeld said he supported the idea of high school pupils training for the military. At the time, America was debating whether to join the allied war effort in Europe during what would later be called World War I,…

On this day in 1938, Duluth native and arctic explorer and author Jack O’Brien died in New York City. O’Brien was born to Irish immigrants in Duluth in 1897 and attended Central High School, where he played football and earned the accolades “Kingpin of the backfield and tower of defense; a line hitter par excellence.”…

On this day in 1933, while the rest of the nation celebrated the repeal of Prohibition, Duluthians still could not get a drink—nor could anyone else in the state, for that matter. In fact, only 23 U.S. states were ready to sell alcohol legally. This was due to state laws passed prior to the 1919…

On this day in Duluth in 1963, the ceiling of Central High School’s cafeteria collapsed at about 2:20 in the afternoon, 90 minutes after students completed lunch. No one was injured by the falling plaster and acoustic tiles, which ripped a drinking fountain from the pillar it was mounted to and crushed several chairs. But…

On this day in 1865, the Minnesota Gold Mining Company was established, marking the start of the Vermilion Gold Rush. Earlier that summer, geologist Henry Ames traveled to Lake Vermilion to look for valuable minerals. By the time he arrived in St. Paul on October 28, 1865, rumors were already swirling about a valuable gold…

On this day in Duluth in 1918, the U.S. Grant Elementary School opened at Eight Avenue East and Eleventh Street. The building cost $200,000 and was considered “one of the best” such facilities in the city—at least the “most modern and best equipped.” Seven teachers greeted 245 students that day under the direction of principal…

On this day in Duluth in 1941, Lieutenant Oscar G. Olson of the Duluth Police Department was shot and killed during a gun battle with John Handris, who may have been experiencing a psychotic episode. Olson, along with sergeants Robert Johnson and Walter C. Johnston, had been summoned to a house at 2212 West First…