Archive Dive with the Superior Telegram

A discussion on Superior's historic buildings isn't complete without Carl Wirth. The architect put his stamp on Superior, creating structures that were grand, beautiful, and well loved. Many of his buildings have stood the test of time and remain part of the city's landscape. In this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood and local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek discuss Wirth, his art and the significance his buildings have in Superior. "In 1880, there were 633 people in Superior, " said Meronek. "By 1890, it had grown to over 11,000 and by 1900, there were 30,000 people here, so it was booming and a great place if you were a young architect. He's only probably in his early thirties when he came here and he got a job." The intersection of Belknap Street and Tower Avenue became the site of many of Wirth's memorable buildings. The New Jersey block, which we know as Globe News, the Grand Opera House, Hotel Superior, West Superior Hotel and the Watkins block. "He had three of the four corners," said Meronek. Other Wirth-designs include the Franklin School, two churches for Holy Assumption, Sacred Heart, the city's first Carnegie Library and even some houses. He was well known in the area. Besides having a consistent advertisement featured, Wirth and his projects were mentioned in the Telegram a lot. "He was a busy man," said Meronek. During his life, Wirth lived in both Superior and Duluth. He died on November 19, 1928 at the age of 74. Other topics include Wirth's first job in Superior, where else did Wirth design buildings, what materials were consistently used, His involvement with the Land and River Improvement Company, how he'd find inspiration, other local buildings he may have designed and why we don't know, two significant buildings he didn't get hired for, where else he lived, why he'd return to Superior, family members, how some of the houses he designed have been utilized, where did Wirth himself live in Superior, what happened to some of his buildings, his other interests and talents, did have signature style or design for his buildings, and much more. Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.

Do you remember Superior's dime stores? If so, this one's for you. In this month's episode of Archive Dive, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood and local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek discuss Newberry's, Woolworth's, and Kresge's, all of which could be found on Tower Avenue.  What did they carry? How did they grow? What happened to them? Listen as Lockwood and Meronek dive into their histories. Meronek remembers them well. "A dime store, it was just like magic," Meronek said. "Because they had everything. If you had a dollar, you could get a lot of stuff because most of it was 5 and 10 cents, as they advertised when they first opened up. A lot of 29-cent stuff. They had everything from household goods to parakeets. You could eat at their lunch counters. You could buy candy. It was just a wonderful place to be." Topics discussed in this episode include: What set dime stores apart from department stores When did dime stores arrive in Superior? Where else was Woolworth's located in Superior? What were the differences among the three big dime stores? The types of pets you could get at Newberry's and a story of their escape. What was "Ridiculous Days"? What was Meronek's favorite dime store and why? What did the national Kresge's chain morph into? Other dime stories once located in Superior. What led to the end of the dime stores in Superior? What businesses currently use the former dime store spaces, and what happened to the Kresge's building? Plus, more. "They (dime stores) were fun," said Meronek. "You could always get a good meal there and excellent ice cream at all of them." Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.

2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the Nottingham Apartments and the placement of the James J. Hill Empire Builder statue outside of Superior Central High School. Another notable event in 1926 included a meeting of two baseball hall of farmers: Babe Ruth and Superior's Dave Bancroft, who was the Boston Braves' manager at the time. Ruth even visited children's homes in Superior. Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they explore these 100-year old stories. "It is an interesting year. I hope our 2026 is as interesting," said Meronek. Topics discussed in this episode include why was Ruth in the Twin Ports, the role that the Telegram played for his stop in Superior, Ernie Nevers' connection to Ruth, a historic league Bancroft managed in, where did Bancroft work in Superior, approximately how much did it cost to build the Nottingham Apartments, some of the Nottingham's amenities, other businesses in the building space, the sad story of Dave Kaner, Gordon MacQuarrie's connection to the Nottingham, reasons why Superior has a James J. Hill Empire Builder statue, which directions has the statue faced and which direction was it reportedly supposed to face, when had Superior originally planned to dedicate it, the cost of the statue and the committees involved, other spots considered for displaying the statue, and other buildings in Superior turning 100, and more. Other notable events in Superior from 1926 including the formation of a skating society, a garden club, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office using seized items from illegal liquor due to Prohibition, turning them into scrap and donating the proceeds, the "Almost Bank Robbery" on Tower Avenue, and new studios for WEBC at a former site of the Telegram. Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.

For this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, we focus on a pair of Superior women who made impacts both locally and beyond. Kathryn Ohman and Alma Kitchell. Ohman was a beloved English and drama teacher at what is now the University of Wisconsin Superior. She taught for 38 years, and a theater named in her honor was the site of lectures and performances from 1960 to 2011. Kitchell was known as the "golden voice of golden age radio." She sang her way into a radio job in New York in 1927 and went on to make history. Kitchell was a trailblazer in both radio and television, launching the first women's talk shows and starring in the first televised cooking show. Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they dive into the lives of Ohman and Kitchell. Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.    

In this month's episode of "Archive Dive," we peel back the history of an Ogden Avenue building with a colorful secret. When Jeff Dorfman started reviving the Bergstrom Electric building, he found a hidden treasure. A series of landscape paintings on the walls. He asked local historian and retired librarian Teddy Meronek to research the building built in 1890. For this episode, Meronek discusses her research and what she's discovered so far. The murals were created by artist named Herbert Bartlett in 1933. Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.

In this month's episode of Archive Dive, we dive into the history of some green spaces in Superior. Wade Bowl, Ted Whereatt Field and Ole Haugsrud Field were all named after men who left a mark on Superior. Who were they and why do their names continue to live on? Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they discuss the lives of Clifford Wade, Ted Whereatt and Ole Haugsrud and the impacts that they made. Episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. Email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com with ideas for future episodes.  

Students are back at the University of Wisconsin-Superior and for this month's episode of Archive Dive, we are diving into 105 years of journalism on its campus. The first edition of the school's student newspaper, the Peptimist, was published on January 15, 1920. The price per copy at the time was just three cents. The semi-monthly paper was devoted to the activities and opinions of the students at what was then the Superior Normal School. Fast forward to 2025 and the name of both the school and the newspaper, now the Promethean, have changed, but the award-winning publication has stayed true to its mission. In this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by Tom Hansen, senior lecturer in the communicating arts department at UW-Superior and also the adviser to the Promethean and KUWS radio, as well Promethean alumni Drew Kerner, former Editor-In-Chief with the Promethean, and Jeffrey McClure, former sports editor of the Promethean. The four of them discuss the role the paper plays in campus life, some notable former staff members, their own involvement in its storied history and more. Lockwood and Telegram colleague Shelley Nelson are among other Promethean alums. "It's fantastic that students have had 105 years of telling their stories," said Hansen. For more about the Promethean, including archive issues, visit uws-promethean.com. New episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

This month's episode of Archive Dive features a trio of artistic brothers. Nick, Alex and Tony Yaworski grew up in south Superior and come from a family that immigrated from Odessa, Russian Federation, which is now Ukraine. Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they dive into the lives of the Yaworski brothers. Known professionally as Alex F. Yaworski, he combined a commercial illustrating career with a fine arts career, leaving his mark in both. Tony Yaworski taught art at Central High School and Superior Senior High School, impacting generations of young artists. His murals once graced many Superior buildings. One is on permanent display at the Superior Public Library and another is in the hallway of Superior High School. Their brother Nick, who worked in Government with tariffs, was also a painter, and even had his work displayed at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Other topics discussed in the podcast include: Why did the Yaworski family immigrate; where the brothers go to high school; other Yaworski siblings, including a brother who didn't paint but had another claim to fame; another form of the arts the brothers participated in; a unique event Nick organized while attending Superior State Teachers College; the discovery of one of Tony's murals in storage and an associated mystery; where we can see some of Alex's work locally; and how the Spartan Fiesta started. New episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.  

For this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, we dive into the story of an immigrant from Belgium who changed the landscape of Superior. Rene Lagae came to Superior in 1907 to make some quick money and return to the old country. Instead, he brought his family to Superior, started Allouez Lumber Company and built more than 700 homes throughout the city, some with unique styles and amenities. Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood and local historian Teddie Meronek discuss Lagae's life and his contributions to the community. "The thing that makes a Lagae home stand out is that it's so well built," said Meronek. "Most of those houses are 100 years old or more, a lot of them, and they're still standing." One of the lasting legacies Lagae left behind was the Hayes Court development where he constructed 36 houses. New episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

In this month's episode of Archive Dive, we trace the history of Clough Island in Superior - from timber baron's manor to a protected habitat. Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they discuss the piece of land, which is also known as Whiteside Island and is the largest island in the St. Louis River. The 358-acre island is now a protected wildlife area in the heart of the river's estuary, but did you know Clough Island once served as a summer home, complete with a creamery, blacksmith, and race track? At one point, there were plans for the site that included an 18- hole golf course, hotel, marina, and 700 homes. It even has a connection to Watergate. New episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at  mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.  

Barker's Island is a focal point for celebrations, boating, and recreation in the city of Superior. The man-made island created in the 1890s out of dredged material is a popular spot, but there was a time when it nearly disappeared. For this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood and local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek dive into the history of the island. Why was it built? What brought Barker's Island back? How has it been used over the years? Who was Captain Barker, the man for whom it was named? Plus, much more. New episodes of "Archive Dive" are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

For this month's episode of "Archive Dive," we caught up with legendary broadcaster and former WDIO-TV news anchor Dennis Anderson. Superior Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood, Duluth News Tribune reporter Jay Gabler and digital producer Dan Williamson joined Anderson at his Duluth home Nov. 7 to hear his memories of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinking for an upcoming 50th anniversary project. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, we wanted to share some of this visit with you. "The Fitz" left from the Superior entry Nov. 9, 1975. The ship sank about 17 miles from Whitefish Bay during a severe storm the next day. All 29 members of the crew died. Anderson, who was 31 years old at the time, broke the story to the Northland and the world. He interrupted the "Monday Night Football" game to give the news. The first update was audio only as it took time for the cameras in the studio to warm up. Beyond the 29 crew members who died, Anderson said the incident affected so many in our community. "I think the people of Duluth and Superior understand that this was a major, major incident here in the Twin Ports and we shouldn't put it on a shelf and forget about it," he said. In addition to his memories of that tragic day and the days that followed, Anderson, 81, told us about so much more, including his start in radio broadcasting and how he met his wife of nearly 60 years. Anderson has spent more than 60 years in broadcasting. He stepped away from full-time work in 2011, retiring from the WDIO anchor desk after 42 years with the TV station. He joined PBS North in 2011 as a co-host of "Almanac North" and continues to contribute to the station. "Journalism is a fascinating occupation," he said. "It just brings me and others who are in this business so close to the happenings of the Northland, and a lot of people, I think, have a habit of tuning in each night to see what's going on in the region. It's very, very important to them and I like being a part of satisfying that thirst for news." Anderson went on to discuss his thoughts on the importance of local news. "A lot of people don't like the news," he said. "They don't want to watch it for whatever reason or read about it for whatever reason. But without a free press, without a free media, we wouldn't have a free country. It's that important." New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.    

Before it was a site for wedding receptions and bingo, the Belgian Club served as a cultural center for immigrants who settled in Superior. In this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood and local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek explore this historic touchstone, as well as two others: the Polish Club and the Vasa Temple, discussing their importance in the community. With an influx of people coming from Europe in the early 1900s — many of whom did not speak English — these organizations were a valuable resource. "Their main goal was helping these people to acclimate to their new country," Meronek said. "Helping them look for a job, helping them to learn English, and they felt that as a support group, this was very important." The clubs often held social events such as game nights and dances, but were also known to help immigrants however they could. From sending food, goods and clothing back to family members in Europe to assisting with funerals, illnesses, family crises and loss of jobs; those in need were supported. "I like that about these organizations, that they cared for so many people who couldn't care for themselves," said Meronek. Other topics discussed include: what happened to these clubs, do any still exist today, what buildings and locations were utilized, how was membership obtained, how did the Vasa Club get its name, the Douglas County Historical Society's purchase of the Vasa Club building, pronouncing Kosciuszko, unique events held at the club buildings, and more. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

President's Day is Monday, and did you know that 12 presidents have visited Superior? Can you name them? In this month's episode of the Archive Dive podcast, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they count up all of the commanders in chief who have stopped by our port town and discuss the details behind their visits. Superior Central High School served as the Summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge in 1928. "The 'air conditioning,'" Meronek said is what drew Coolidge. "You could always count on it to be cooler here than Washington, D.C." Coolidge wasn't the first president to visit Superior and certainly not the last. According to Meronek, presidents Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Donald Trump and Joe Biden also came to Superior, either before, during or after their terms. A perk for some was the proximity to some famous fishing. "A reason that many, many people — presidents even — came to this area was the Brule River," Meronek said. Topics discussed in this episode include which president was the best angler, which president may have made secret trips to the area to fish, what was Franklin Roosevelt's connection to Superior, which president may have been rescued from water in Superior as a youth, what was the main reason Hoover visited Superior in 1928, Meronek's recommendations for best books about presidents, and more. Twin Ports neighbor Duluth has had known visits from 16 presidents, either during, before or after their terms. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The loss of all 29 men aboard has been memorialized in songs, books, and a musical. Now a new group in Superior calling themselves "Friends of the Fitz" is seeking to add a historical marker to that list. The Wisconsin Historical Society marker would be erected on Barker's Island in sight of the docks where the Fitzgerald took on its final load of taconite in November 1975. The cost to put up a historical marker is $7,000-$8,000 and the group is currently fundraising. The Friends hope their effort sets off a year of activities focused on the anniversary, which they're calling "the year of the Fitz." For this month's episode of Archive Dive, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by two members of the Friends group, local historian and retired librarian Teddy Meronek and Curator of Collections and Exhibits for the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center Brianna Fiandt. They dive into some of the details of the ship, how the idea of a marker came to be, why having a marker in Superior makes sense, and more. If you wish to make a donation for the marker, visit www.douglashistory.org/memberships-sponsorships/edmondfitz. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com. 

In this month's episode of Archive Dive, our focus is on Superior Senior High School (now Superior High School), which brought students from the city's East and Central high schools together in 1965. The school, which cost $4.5 million, was dedicated on Sept. 12, 1965. It had room for 1,800 students, two pools, a language laboratory, a strict dress code for girls, and a unique circle structure that defined the school for generations. The baby boom generation students attended class in three shifts. In this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they dive into the stories and history of how the school came to be, as well as some of the changes and challenges, especially with a large student population. Meronek's family was filled with East graduates until she was the first to graduate from the new "space-age" school. "I had a good education," Meronek said. "I will never ever slight that if there had been fewer people there, it probably would have been a little more enjoyable. But, I'm glad that I went to Superior High School because I met people from all over town, and in those days, you did not fraternize outside your neighborhood."  A unique trait for decades was the circle structure. Architects felt it was more efficient, both with cost and space, as it allowed them to make the corridors shorter and eliminate a stairway.  Meronek remembers one issue in particular that the circle created. "My problem was that everything looked alike. So you could be there three years and you still didn't know where you were going. Luckily I had a clock right by my locker, so I could always find it," she said. Topics also discussed in this episode include Wisconsin's legislation in 1959 that affected school districts, the impact of Superior Cathedral's closure in 1969, multiple strikes in the same school year, how the shift structure worked, why the school didn't have an auditorium, rules on boys' hair length, a homecoming king who went on to become a professional athlete, speculation on why 'senior' was dropped from the name, and much more. Reconstruction of Superior High School, which eliminated the circle, was completed in 2019.  New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producer Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.   

For this month's episode of Archive Dive, we look back at how Superior celebrated the end of World War II. There was a marked difference in the way the city recognized VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May 1945 and the more celebratory affair in August when VJ (Victory over Japan) Day was announced. In May, churches opened and work in the shipyards continued. The day was filled with prayer and resolve to work harder. The August announcement triggered a day of wild celebration. The only restaurants that remained open ran out of food and Tower Avenue was covered with paper. In this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by Teddie Meronek, a historian and retired librarian, and Briana Fiandt, curator of collections for the Richard I. Bong Veterans Memorial Center, as they dive into the history and discuss the impact of the war locally. Besides stories of celebration, other topics mentioned in the episode include prisoners of war from Superior returning, POW camps in Wisconsin, what happened to some of the shipyards, women working in the shipyards, Richard Bong's death, plans for a new grain elevator, early discussion of what eventually became the Blatnik Bridge, what life was like in 1945, a unique advertisement from Roth's department store, and more. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

For this month's episode of Archive Dive, we examine the children's homes of Superior. Their history traces back to the Pattison brothers. The city's most recognizable children's home is Fairlawn Mansion, which was built by Martin Pattison. Following Martin's death, his wife Grace gifted the mansion to the Children's Home and Refuge Association, which had formed in the early 1900s. It served as a children's home for 42 years. The family home of Martin's brother, William Pattison, was also used to care for orphans. It would eventually grow into St. Joseph's Children's Home (also known as St. Joseph's Orphan Home). In this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they dive into the stories and histories of these homes, which helped children who had a troubled home life or who had lost their parents. There were children's homes in the city prior to St. Joseph's and the Superior Children's Home and Refuge Association, but they all eventually morphed into those two entities. Fairlawn closed as a children's home in 1962 and St. Joseph's closed as a the following year. Why were children's homes no longer needed? "Part of it was the population of the children's home," said Meronek. "They were decreasing and these were both two huge buildings. The other thing was that the state of Wisconsin stepped in and had rules now that they couldn't take in children of a certain age. They needed to be in a foster home and they were really encouraging fostering for kids rather than putting them in these homes, so that was why they ended up closing." Lockwood and Meronek also discuss the "smaller Fairlawn," how the Pattison family became involved with helping area youth, how funding was raised, the characteristics of the children's chapel at St. Joseph's, how the historic Fairlawn Mansion was saved, what happened to the St. Joseph's building, and more. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth Media Group digital producers Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

For this month's episode of the Archive Dive, we search for retooled school buildings in Superior. Many former schools have found a new life after the final bell. Some are apartments. Others are a church, a business center or something else. We dive into ages, dates and histories. When were they built? How long did they last? What are they now? Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by local historian and retired librarian Teddie Meronek as they take us on a verbal tour neighborhood by neighborhood, discussing such schools as Itasca, St. Anthony and Margaret, Benjamin Franklin, Lincoln, East, St. Francis, St. Adalbert, St. Louis, Carpenter, MaCaskill and more. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.

In this month's episode of Archive Dive, we explore the story of the World War II veteran for whom the Blatnik Bridge was named for. Thousands of motorists cross the bridge daily, yet many may not know about the man himself. As a Minnesota congressman, Chisholm native John Blatnik was instrumental in getting the bridge between Duluth and Superior built. As a captain and paratrooper with the U.S. Army Air Force. Blatnik spent eight months working behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia. The work included setting up an escape system for downed American airmen. One of them was a Duluth man: Swante Norlund. For this episode, Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood is joined by Briana Fiandt, curator of collections and exhibits for the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center in Superior, as they discuss the life of Blatnik. You can find photos for this episode at superiortelegram.com. You can also find additional episodes here. New episodes of Archive Dive are published monthly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Wyatt Buckner and Dan Williamson. If you have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, email Maria Lockwood at mlockwood@superiortelegram.com.