July 21, 1895: Mark Twain speaks at Duluth’s First Methodist Church

On this day in Duluth in 1895, nationally beloved author and humorist Mark Twain spoke at Duluth’s First Methodist Church. The event started an hour late—Twain, with his wife and one of his daughters, had traveled to Duluth on the steamer North West, which was delayed getting to port. Twain promised to make up for the delay by attending the annual Grocers’ Picnic in Fond du lac the next day. The audience paid between fifty cents and a dollar to attend the talk, which was titled “Ninety Minutes Chat and Character Sketches.” While newspapers did not review the event, they ran several previews, including this gushing description: “Mark Twain… is funny in every movement, word, and it may be said, thought. The awkwardness of his gait, and the homeliness of the words he uses to create a laugh, while the drolleries that persist in rolling from his lips set his auditors off into uncontrollable roars. The muscles of his face are rigid while he relates an anecdote, but his little twinkling eyes have a power of expression that is wonderful, making his fun irresistible. He drawls his words out in a strong, resonant voice, and has a habit of making comparisons with a sort of negative smile that is simply delicious.” It was Twain’s second visit to Duluth; he visited briefly in 1886. By the way, Twain never said “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Duluth.” So why is he credited with the remark? Find out here. Twain actually did say some nice things about Duluth in his 1897 travel memoir Following the Equator, and you can read them here.

Samuel Clemons, aka Mark Twain. (Image: Public Domain)