History

History

The People and the Place

From budget-friendly family activities to hidden waterfalls to recommendations from locals, check out our blog for trip ideas and to learn more about what makes Duluth so special. 

Duluth dylan fest in duluth, mn

Duluth Dylan Fest

Celebrating Duluth’s Native Son The Duluth Dylan Fest’s mission is to celebrate the spirit of artistic freedom, intellectual honesty, and integrity of Bob Dylan. The festival is coordinated by volunteers committed to providing creative activities that tap the talents of artists, poets, and musicians in Duluth, the surrounding region, and beyond. Join us May 17th – 24th for this annual celebration! For a complete list of the week’s events, please visit duluthdylanfest.com!

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The vista fleet passing a large cargo ship during a tour in duluth, mn

$10 Tuesday on the Vista Fleet

Climb onboard for one of Duluth’s favorite summer traditions, $10 Tuesdays are back at the Vista Fleet! Enjoy live-narrated sightseeing cruises through the Duluth-Superior Harbor for just $10 per ticket, all day long, every Tuesday through Labor Day. Reserve your tickets in advance as tours DO sell out. Take in stunning views of Lake Superior, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and the working waterfront from the comfort of the Vista Fleet. Concessions and a full bar are available onboard, so grab a drink, kick back, and enjoy a midweek escape on the water. Book your tickets online, no promo code needed!

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Our Place: Documenting Superior’s Dive Bars

Join artist Erica Dischino as she presents her photographic essay “Our Place,” documenting dive bars in Superior, WI from October 2026 to February 2026. Learn how Superior developed its saloon scene, and celebrate local dive bar culture with beer prices from 50 years ago. EVENT DRINK SPECIAL: Pint of Miller Lite for 40¢ — the price it was in 1976! Sunday, April 19, 2026 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm East End Tavern 2114 E 5th St. Superior, WI 54880 FREE admission. For questions, please contact Erica Dischino at (201) 290-6433. This event was made possible by the City of Superior’s Culture, Events, and Public Arts Commission.

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The Twin Ports Rail-to-Sail Connection with Tony Dierckins

Zenith City Press and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum present “The Twin Ports Rail-to-Sail Connection,” an illustrated history presentation featuring Duluth historian Tony Dierckins. Adapted from Dierckins’s book “Twin Ports Trains: The Historic Railroads of Duluth and Superior,” this talk traces the rise and decline of the “Head of the Lakes” as a vital commercial shipping center and illustrates the socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental impact that railroads, Great Lakes freighters, and the industries they served had on the region.

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“Mail Is What They Want Most:” The WWII Letters of Edward A. Kennedy

Presented by the Executive Director of the Carlton County Historical Society, who wrote this amazing book after finding a very special collection of letters in their archives. After losing both his sons in combat during World War II, Edward Kennedy did something positive with his grief. He took a request from his employer, the Northwest Paper Company of Cloquet, Minnesota, to collect names and addresses of their employees in military service and turned it into a letter-writing mission. Kennedy wrote newsy, upbeat four-page letters every two weeks from July 1943 to the end of the war: 57 letters in all. His letters talked about the weather, sports, hunting and fishing, and local events. Those receiving the letters wrote back with their news, which Kennedy then shared with the group. These letters served as a lifeline for men and women adapting to war-time assignments far from home. They weathered the war because…

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Our Place: The History of Dive Bar Culture in Superior, WI

Join artist Erica Dischino as she presents her photographic essay “Our Place” documenting dive bars in Superior, WI from October 2026 to February 2026. Hear stories from long-time bartenders and local bar owners. Learn how Superior developed its saloon scene. Thursday, April 16, 2026 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Douglas County Historical Society 1101 John Ave, Superior, WI 54880 FREE admission. Light refreshments will be served. Program begins at 5:30. For questions, please contact Erica Dischino at (201) 290-6433. This event was made possible by the City of Superior’s Culture, Events, and Public Arts Commission.

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