Environment & Outdoors

Backyard Almanac

Phenology with local naturalist Larry Weber every Friday morning at 8:20 on Northland Morning.

1/7 Backyard Almanac with Larry Weber

The North 103.3 | By Lisa Johnson

Published January 8, 2016 at 10:40 AM CST

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Dress department, Oreck's Department Store

University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Center Collections

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Manufacturing of Chun King products was done at 525 Lake Avenue South beginning in 1954

University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Center Collections

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University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Center Collections

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Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly and Tommy Allsup perform during the Winter Dance Party concert at the Duluth Armory on Jan. 31, 1959.

Photo by Colleen Bowen

1959. One of the best-selling cars in the US was the "fins and flash" Ford Fairlane.

Kids were rockin' 'round the clock to Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, the Platters, the Coasters ... and more than a few Northland teens had seen Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper at the Winter Dance Party in January at the Duluth Armory.

Folks shopped at Kresge's or Oreck's Department Store or Glass Block downtown and brought home treats from the Danish Bakery on the west end.

Northland Foods was still making and distributing Chun King brand oriental foods, and you could have a nice meal at The Flame restaurant and then take a boat tour on the Streamliner. In the evening, families gathered in the flickering light of the black and white set to enjoy The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, Rawhide and The Ed Sullivan Show.

1959. Oh yeah, that was the last time Duluth made it all the way through December without any subzero temperatures, too.