Barrett Chase
@barrettchase
Digital editor at Duluth News Tribune. (That's in Minnesota, not Georgia.) Frequenter of the public library's local history center. Lover of data. Anti-dis/misinformation.
What should we call this person? A hog farmer? A pork producer? Wait! I've got it!
I get frustrated when people claim that crime now is so much worse than in the past. This little story ran on page 9B — the comics page — in 1976. #duluth #duluthmn #crime #minnesota
This 1953 column was progressive enough to admit it was wrong to "torture" left-handed children into becoming right-handed, and instead encouraged parents to simply persuade the children to change on their own by explaining that the world isn't made for lefties.
The obvious choice for fried chicken. #dultuh #duluthmn #jcpenney #millerhillmall #history #seventies
A former colleague of mine once said that an e-edition (PDF facsimile of a print newspaper) is basically this.
Network TV in 1974 was like, "Eugenics? Interesting. Let's discuss."
Today I learned that there was once a proposal to construct a sixth Great Lake. The idea was that it would make construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway easier, reduce dredging costs and provide more water to Chicago.
I'm not picking on this question in particular. In my experience all ballot questions read like this.
Be careful of which hat you buy for your kid, lest they look FREAKISH.
This 1955 wire story that ran in the DNT, touting how a 14-year-old killed 300 animals while on safari in Africa, should leave no doubt as to why certain animals are endangered.
I feel like we used to celebrate, or at least be a bit more OK with, misfits and standouts in public. Today, people seem to be way more isolated and afraid of anything outside a very narrow norm.
You may know that Garry Bjorklund was the first winner of Grandma's Marathon, but who was the first person to come in last? Well, here you go. Bonus in this story: A guy who decided to run after downing a bunch of beers the night before, and finished in the middle of the pack.
On this Easter Sunday, please enjoy this DNT photo from 1999, when feral domestic rabbits overtook Park Point.
The world needs more photos like this 1998 shot from the DNT's Renee Knoeber at Ray's Place, a burger joint formerly at 5231 E. Superior St.
Minnesota Avenue on March 5, 1985. Imagine the social media frenzy that would occur if city crews plowed a street like this today, no matter how bad the storm was. People forget the way things used to be. The storm was on March 4, and Minnesota Avenue wasn't restored to two lanes until March 7.
Imagine the public reaction in 2025 if a city pipe was dumping 100 gallons of raw sewage a minute, and officials were trying to figure out if they should fix it right away or apply stopgap measures and wait five months until it's more convenient. That happened on this date in West Duluth in 1989.
People just make stuff up, believe it, and post it with their whole heart and their real name. I would bet that for every one who posts, there are hundreds more who trust their own inventions above what is proven and factual.
In 1975, a serial killer operated in Los Angeles' Skid Row neighborhood, preying on the city's most vulnerable population. The press handled this with as much empathy and tact one would expect from that time period.
To become a Duluth police officer in 1915, you needed to be able to lift a 78-pound barbell over your head 12 times, chin yourself 10 times, run 100 yards in 17 seconds, raise 110 pounds with your legs while lying on your back and broad jump 6-1/2 feet.
Bonus: Here's a photo I took of Paul Roen leading a tour of Duluth's former library building in 2006.