Season Closer: On Sunday at 11:59 p.m. (the last minute of Jan. 15) "or until commercial traffic ceases," says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week, the Soo Locks will close for the winter to maritime traffic. That caveat this year for a wee bit of extra time comes along with reports that Lake Superior ports are still hopping with activity. The photo of the Poe Lock "dewatered" and under maintenance work is from a past winter by Carrie Fox. The image of Interlake Steamship Company's Mark W. Barker, taken by Scott Bjorklund of Scott's Canal Captures on Monday, shows the Great Lakes' newest vessel (launched in 2022) heading to the Canadian National ore dock #6 in Superior to load iron ore pellets for Cleveland. Once closed for critical maintenance, the Poe and MacArthur locks, the only two still in regular operation, will not open again until spring. The Poe will need to keep its water for some Gate 1 repair work, according to the Corps, and then will be dewatered on Feb. 13. The MacArthur will not be drained this winter. The Poe reopens by 12:01 a.m. on March 25 and the smaller, less used MacArthur will remained closed until April 24. "Federal regulation establishes the operating season based on the feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions," notes the Corps. Given their druthers, of course, the Corps repair and maintenance crew would love to do its work in the warmer months, but that is when the boats must sail. "Winter weather poses challenges and adds intensity to maintenance, the team is highly skilled and equipped to safely execute critical projects that allow for continued operational reliability,” says Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem. For the crews on the New Lock (yet unnamed), though, winter means a break. "The Corps of Engineers is building a second Poe-sized lock to provide much needed resiliency in the Great Lakes Navigation System," says the Corps. "The second Poe-size lock, 110-feet by 1,200-feet, is being built on the existing Davis and Sabin Locks sites. The Davis Lock, which opened in 1914, has not been used since 2018, and only to transport Corps vessels. The Sabin Lock opened in 1918 and has been inactive since 1989. Both the Sabin and Davis Locks are too shallow for most modern vessels." The contractor completed the first phase of construction and the upstream channel deepening was completed in August. The project’s second phase to stabilize the existing upstream approach walls ended its second year of work. The contractor installed 26 coffer cells, completing all 52 and placed 31,000 cubic yards of concrete. The upstream approach walls work resumes in spring. "The final phase of construction, constructing the lock chamber," adds the Corps, "was awarded July with mobilization taking place in October/November."
Go, Dogs, Go: One of our favorite photo folk, Adam Johnson of brockit inc. in Hancock, Mich., will be debuting his documentary on the Copper Dog 150 race called, appropriately enough, CopperDogFilm, at the Calumet Theatre on Satuday (Jan. 14). The party starts earlier in the day as part of the inaugural Lumi Revel Festival of Snow. There will be free sled dog rides for kids at Agassiz Park on 4th & Oak in Calumet with free hot chocolate and free hot dogs (2-4 p.m). A CopperDogFilm warm-up hosted by Iron Fish Distillery runs 4-6 p.m. at Shute's 1890 Saloon with some Copper Queen whiskey. And finally, the film premier starts at 6 p.m. in the Calumet Theatre with a chance to meet the crew. "A year in the making," Adam told us in announcing the premier, "I’ve created a short documentary that shows how the beauty of the Keweenaw and the spirit of this community overlap in an annual dogsled race." Can't make the event? Here's a super cool trailer.
Yee-haw for Winter: Heikinpäivä, that mid-winter Finnish-American festival in Hancock, brings out the seasonal joy again on Heikki (St. Henrik’s day, Jan. 19). The mid-winter fest turns out to be mid-week this year, too, with Thursday being the time for gathering. Finnish tradition comes out that day, too, with winter-ending phrases like “Karhu kylkeänsä kääntää” (The bear rolls onto his other side), “Heikki heinät jakaa” (Heikki divides the hay) and “Talven selkä poikki” (winter’s back is broken). The bear – an ancient Finnish and Sami symbol — figures in the celebration along with Sami and winter sports themes. Snow god Heikki Lunta may appear when you can hum along with his Snow Dance Song. Read more about the festival in Atlas Obscura story by Daniel Bromfield.
A Storyteller's Departure: We find the world a little less joyous today on learning of the passing of a grand storyteller with the talents of an artist, the heart of a humorist and a lifelong love of Lake Superior and the people who call the region home. As Layne Kennedy posted last year with his black-and-white photographic portrait of the man, "When I think of Isle Royale, I think of three things; Moose, wolves and artist Howard Sivertson." Howard Arthur Sivertson, 92, died on Jan. 4, 2023, at the Silver Bay Veterans Home. He was born in Duluth on May 31, 1930, to Arthur and Myrtle Sivertson. Descended from two generations of Isle Royale commercial fishing folk, Howard, often called Bud or Buddy, had the unfortunate discovery from early on that he got seasick. Still, his childhood was spent in summers on Washington Island with his family fishing and winters in Duluth attending school. Although the fishing life would not be his legacy, he accidentally, you might say, discovered his talent for observation of those around him and for artwork when asked by his kindergarten teacher to share what happened in his summer. He walked to a wrap-around blackboard and filled the “walls” with scenes of commercial fishing and the village life on Isle Royale. As it turns out, that would be Howard’s talent throughout life. He completed multiple collections featuring his oil paintings and the connected, often humorous stories about Isle Royale and Minnesota North Shore history. Five coffee-table sized books were published, most produced through Lake Superior Magazine. Howard started the Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais with his daughter, Jan, creating, along with the artwork of daughter Liz and wife Elaine, an artistic dynasty explored in an LSM story by Hugh E. Bishop about the "North Shore Four" in 2001. They opened another gallery, now Siiviis, in Duluth's Canal Park. Howard’s visits to the magazine always were cause for work breaks, laughter and joyful bantering. It’s hard to imagine his face without a beaming smile or his conversation without the gems of fishing life and history. Joking came as naturally as breathing to him. You can find a full obituary online. A celebration of Howard Sivertson’s life will be held at Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais on Howard’s birthday, May 31, 2023. In honor of Howard’s sense of humor, this event will be light and joyous. More details will be forthcoming. Donations can be made to the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, North Shore Health, or North Shore Health Care Foundation in honor of the fine healthcare that Howard received throughout his life.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Saturday, Jan. 14: Violinist Yvonne Lam joins the Marquette Symphony Orchestra for the Romantic Virtuosity concert at Kaufman Auditorium on the Northern Michigan University campus in Marquette. An afterglow will immediately follow the concert at The Landmark Inn.
Saturdays, Jan. 14 & 21; Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25: The Porcupine Mountains starts its Lantern Lit Trail on Saturdays on the trail across from the Ski Hill parking. The 1-mile loop will be lit by nearly 70 kerosene lanterns for skiing, snowshoeing or hiking if the trail snow is packed. Fireside Grill in the Chalet will have extended hours during the event with limited menu items available.
Minnesota
Today, Jan. 12: Head down to The Depot in Duluth for Art Night Out, reception and artist talks with Martin DeWitt, Susan Hensel & Laura Manney at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. The event opens at 5:30 p.m.
Friday-Saturday, Jan. 13-14: The Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Environmental Institute at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and 13 Moons Ashiniswi giizisoog hosts the 2023 Gichi Manidoo Giizis (Great Spirit Moon) Pow Wow this weekend at Black Bear Casino in Carlton.
Friday, Jan. 13: Friday the Thirteenth will be a lucky day for those who love local music and hanging out with fun folk. The Homegrown Winter Fiasco centers around the Lincoln Park Craft District and features 15 bands spread between five businesses for the evening. It all starts at 7 p.m. to closing. A full schedule of bands and times can be found online.
Saturday, Jan. 14: The Duluth Wedding Show celebrates its 35th anniversary at the DECC, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with a fashion show at 2 p.m. There will be wedding vendors, food samples and that fashion show.
Monday, Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Duluth will celebrate with a series of in-person events throughout the day. From 7-9:30 a.m., there will be a community breakfast at First United Methodist Church with a broadcast of a a Minneapolis talk by Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Barack Obama Foundation. Food is coordinated by the African-American Men’s Group. The gathering for a march and rally starts 10 a.m. at the Washington Center Gym, marching to the DECC for a full afternoon program that will include the Miziiwekaamikiinang Drum Group; the Central Hillside Community Gospel Choir under the direction of Alanna Galloway; a talk by Moira Villiard, a multidisciplinary artist with a mixed Indigenous and settler heritage, that will explore the nuance of society’s historical community intersections and promote community healing spaces, and a talk by Classie Dudley, the president of the Duluth Branch of the NAACP.
Wednesday, Jan. 18: The St. Louis County Historical Society has arranged for Denny Mager of Northern Specialty, an expert in appraisals, to do Antique Appraisals from noon-3 p.m. in The Depot rotunda. You may bring up to two items per person for an informal oral identification and evaluation of each antique. If the piece is too large or fragile to be hand-carried, clear photographs with a description of any marks and labels will be sufficient.
Wisconsin
Friday, Jan. 13: The Washburn ice skating rink is open and the Warming House will be open starting Friday. Seasonal hours for the warming house will be Mon.-Fri. 4-9 p.m., and Sat.-Sun. 1-9 p.m. The hockey rink needs a few more layers of ice, we hear, and will not be open this weekend.
Saturday, Jan. 14: Ready to shop local for the new year? Check out the January Winter Market in Herbster, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., organized by Authentic Superior. Enjoy a wide range of local foods, art, handicrafts plus kids activities, music, bonfires and s'mores.
Friday & Saturday, Jan. 13 & 14: Danielle Diamond and Dora Diamond share the stage in a musical concert at Stagenorth in Wasburn for the Queens of Diamonds concerts. Danielle grew up in Washburn and has since let music lead her on adventures to Minneapolis, Nashville and Austin. Her songwriting has been recognized by The Recording Academy through their GRAMMY Amplifier Program. Danielle plays in the Blue Canvas Orchestra at Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua. Dora combines elements of pop, electronica and trip-hop to create music inspired by nostalgia and her experiences as a transgender woman and entertainer. She has been performing her self-produced original music since 2019 in and around Milwaukee. Parental advisory, this performance, sponsored by the Groundlings, contains flashing lights, explicit lyrics and suggestive imagery.
Ontario
Fridays, Now-March: Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site starts its winter Fridays by the Fire this week with a talk on superstitions. Lunch begins at noon with soup, biscuits, a dessert and tea or coffee. Register in advance. Future topics scheduled so far will be Jan. 20 – Street Sense, Origin of Names; Jan. 27 – National Chocolate Cake Day; Feb. 11 – Bon Soo Party; and Feb. 17 – Lunch will be hosted at Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig.
Friday, Jan. 13: Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra features one if its own on Friday when TBSO Principal Clarinet Peter Shackleton does a special performance for the Hilldale Classics Concert "Luminous" at 7:30 p.m. in Hilldale Lutheran Church.
Photo & graphic credits: Carrie Fox/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Scott Bjorklund/Scott's Canal Captures; Adam Johnson/brockit inc.; Finlandia University; family of Howard Sivertson; Marquette Symphony Orchestra/Homegrown/Groundlings/Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site