St. Louis County Historical Society

05/28/2026

Who's going fishing this weekend? According to our sources, if you catch anything like these figurines, carved by Oscar Sjogren (1883-1964), you'll be doing pretty well. Maybe when the weather warms up a bit. In 1922, Oscar Sjogren and his family emigrated from Sweden to Superior, Wisconsin. Not long after, Oscar crossed the bridge to take a job in Duluth as a sign-painter for the General Outdoor Advertising Company.

But it was in the basement of his local home where the real magic happened. ✨

Over a span of four decades, Oscar carved more than 600 unique, colorful wooden characters from his basement workshop. Known as a modest man with a rich sense of humor and a quiet, old-world courtesy, Oscar poured those exact charming qualities right into his art.

Today, his whimsical figures live on in private collections and museums across the globe. But you don't have to travel the world to see them—the St. Louis County Historical Society proudly houses the largest collection of Oscar Sjogren’s incredible work right here in the region! 🏛️

Have you ever encountered one of Oscar's characters in person? Let us know in the comments! 👇

05/28/2026

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CSM John Werner Memorial 5K race needs more runners.

This year’s race is Saturday, June 13th. The number of runners is down with only a few weeks to go. Board members of the hall say this is one of their major fundraisers of the year. They hope last second participants will sign up asap.

https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2026/05/27/csm-john-werner-memorial-5k-race-needs-more-runners/

05/26/2026

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05/22/2026

This Memorial Day weekend, think of the veteran or service member in your family, even those who doodled during their service. Thank you Duluth News Tribune for spotlighting 2 Iron Range service members who used their art for the war effort.

The St. Louis County Historical Society director recently highlighted the contributions of Virginia's Duane Bryers and Munroe Milavetz, who brought levity and inspiration to those who served.

05/19/2026

Before the big weekend arrives, lace up your sneakers and race down to the St. Louis County Depot to explore the new Grandma's Marathon exhibit! Look back at decades of incredible local racing history, unforgettable milestones, and the amazing community spirit that makes this event world-class. (Dick Beardsley as a kid!)

Want to be part of the racing history yourself?

You don't have to wait for the full 26.2! Kick off the marathon festivities a week early at our CSM John S. Werner Memorial 5K Run-Walk. Begins at 9AM on 6/13/2026 It’s the perfect warm-up for the big weekend, a fun way to support local history, and a great event for runners and walkers of all paces.

Standard registration is open now. Hit the link in the comments to secure your spot on the starting line!

Veterans Memorial Hall

05/19/2026

Don't worry, that's not our artwork lined up along Michigan Street.😜

Have you ever wondered what a carte-de-visite is? Or a cyanotype? Or stereograph? Do you want to learn more about historic photographic formats? Then be sure to check out MDL’s format highlight primary source sets! Each set explains what these formats are and why they are significant, and they feature examples of each format from MDL collections.

Visit our site at https://mndigital.org/projects/primary-source-sets and filter the results to “Format Highlights” to access sets on each of these formats:
-Cabinet Cards
-Carte de Visites
-Cyanotypes
-Glass Plate Negatives
-Postcards
-Stereographs

Which format should we highlight next? Comment below!

Image: Cyanotype of Union Depot in Duluth, 1900-1910. University of Minnesota Duluth Archives & Special Collections, https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/umd:8565

05/18/2026

Have fun celebrating Bob Dylan in Duluth this week! 🎸 From his birthplace in Duluth to his boyhood roots on the Iron Range, his influence spans the globe.

05/15/2026

Next week is EMS Week, recognizing emergency medical service professionals, with a theme of improving pre-hospital care outcomes. This has been a challenge historically and especially in rural areas where ambulance service can be too far away.

Below shows the first ambulance arriving at St. Mary's Hospital in 1920. Courtesy of the College of St. Scholastica. A Duluth News Tribune headline from The Duluth News Tribune on Nov 16, 1915 heralded the arrival of ambulance service after years of citizen advocacy. More on this next week.

05/13/2026

Want to get away without spending a small fortune on a cramped airline seat or getting cooped up on a cruise ship? Stay in the Arrowhead region and take a leisurely drive along the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway. See a rare old growth stand of white pine that survived the boom days of the lumber barons. What has a Minnesota white pine witnessed in its 250 years? Historic photo courtesy of Ely Winton Historical Society. Check out a scenic byway guide at the link in the comments.

05/09/2026

05/08/2026

Thanks to all our members and new friends who joined us for our tour of the 8th floor of the Board of Trade building. Couldn't make it? Stay tuned for future Board of Trade and other historic site programs.