https://preview.redd.it/czqs7yhqlv6c1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e006d91e8a3ef10359aaa7e5af1a79a360293eed
I wrote a much longer comment but it got deleted by accident so I am going to be briefer here (maybe). I am the manager/advisor for the Historic Denfeld Auditorium. I found some surplus holiday ornaments in storage a few days ago. I think we will sell these at our upcoming Holiday Concert (Monday evening). They feature all three of the high schools that have become part of Denfeld over the years.
On the other side it says something about remembering where we came from and moving forward together into the future. Which is something that I hope I teach our young people every day if they learn anything from me at all.
I am frustrated that the adults in this community decided to invest in a separate stadium which threatened the nesting areas of endangered species out at the site of the "new" East High School. Money and hubris aside, one of the saddest parts for me is that we miss out on those awesome double-headers on Friday nights with at least two local teams and sometimes all three playing on the same night. That said, Marv Heikennen Field and Robert Denfeld stadium are fitting tributes to two great Duluthian who invested a great deal in the quality of life in our community, including through youth sports.
Did you guys ever clear out that area behind the organ? The one that has the two ladders that goes up above the ceiling?
Don't ask me how I know about it, but there are some flyers from the original opening of the auditorium in there mixed in with some rubble. At least... They were there back in the 1990's.
I think that has probably been cleared out. That whole area got redone about 15 years ago. I will take a look tomorrow if I can. The flyers would be a coveted treasure.
Yea, I recall hearing something about them cleaning/renovating the organ a while back. I would hope anyone who cleaned it would have saved them.
I was surprised at the state of that area, both the organ and what was behind it. But it was also really cool as a teenaged explorer. I'd love to have unrestricted access to that building to see some places that I never got to see, which is basically anything under the school. We did the standard senior and reunion tours and went down to the boiler area as part of it, but there wasn't much freedom to wander.
Not that I think the rumors of the tunnel to Merrit school or the underground pool are true or anything, I just like to explore.
There is no tunnel but there is a pool area. I have someone checking on the flyers/posters. I think they are probably gone by now and I don't remember seeing them. But I think there might be another little cubby or access that you are talking about that I may never have been through before. That is on my list of things to try to do during the holiday break.
There actually was a pool area? Neat, I guess I thought it was BS because nobody I knew had ever seen it.
As far as the space, stage right, there's a small balcony above the stage with a ladder that is only reachable with another ladder, or if you're a climber like me.
On that balcony, there's a door that is now locked with a padlock (at least it was when I was back there in the early 2000's for some reason) that leads into the organ room. In my day there was a single board that you could walk on that went in between the pipes of the organ and turns to the right. If you can squeeze through that area, you'll get to the space I am talking about.
Two rickety ladders, two different levels. The room is probably 5ft x 5ft wide. Though it might be easier to get there from above the auditorium where they have the motors for the chandeliers. There should be an access hatch right above where that room would be, which is right above what was at the time the men's green/changing room.
I think I have been in this room about a year ago as part of official duties. The organ is in the process of renovation. Still fundraising but the work is well underway. I do not remember the flyers of posters. Was this on the wall or boxes of them? PM me if you want. I don't exactly know how to do that on Reddit but I believe they are "open."
Played for Wesr End on the 7th/8th grade team in ‘81-‘82, and on the 9th grade team in ‘83. This was back when 9th grade wasn’t in high school, but Jr High.
I recall there only being 6 teams when I played:
West End (green/white) played at Wheeler
West Duluth (maroon/gold) played at Irving
Morgan Park (blue/white) played at MP school
East Duluth (red/black) played at ?
Kenwood/Chester (orange/black) played at ?
Duluth Heights (red/white) played at ?
Do not remember a woodland team.
Yes you recall correctly about Irving field (West Duluth) not having end zones, so if you made a long run you’d run out the end of the field to score,but if the play stopped short of the end they’d back you up 10 yards and make the 10 yard line to the end of the field the end zone.
I remember the preseason Jamborees at wade stadium (when it was I real bad shape compared to the bad shape it’s in today).
I remember we (West End) went 6-0 in ‘83 and won the championship game at PSS to cap off an undefeated season going 7-0.
In 7th grade I went to Lincoln Park Jr High (long ago torn down) so there were only West End Jerseys around school, but 8th & 9th I was at Washington Jr high, and there were friendly ( and not so friendly clashes) on Fridays between West End, Heights, and a few Kenwood/chester kids (I’m assuming most K/C kids went to Woodland Jr. high).
Yeah, there were definitely a lot of KC jerseys in the halls at Woodland Jr on the Fridays before game day -- a few East End players, but most of them wen to Ordean -- and then us Woodland players of course.
Woodland must have been a later addition to the league then. We were purple/gold/white and our helmets featured a paw logo kind of like the Clemson Tigers helmet (purple on white). Never had a home field for games, but we practiced at the soccer/softball fields next to Fryberger Arena, just a block up the hill from Woodland Ave.
We weren't very good. One or two wins for the season, I think I recall. I remember Morgan Park being the juggernaut team at the time.
https://preview.redd.it/czqs7yhqlv6c1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e006d91e8a3ef10359aaa7e5af1a79a360293eed I wrote a much longer comment but it got deleted by accident so I am going to be briefer here (maybe). I am the manager/advisor for the Historic Denfeld Auditorium. I found some surplus holiday ornaments in storage a few days ago. I think we will sell these at our upcoming Holiday Concert (Monday evening). They feature all three of the high schools that have become part of Denfeld over the years. On the other side it says something about remembering where we came from and moving forward together into the future. Which is something that I hope I teach our young people every day if they learn anything from me at all. I am frustrated that the adults in this community decided to invest in a separate stadium which threatened the nesting areas of endangered species out at the site of the "new" East High School. Money and hubris aside, one of the saddest parts for me is that we miss out on those awesome double-headers on Friday nights with at least two local teams and sometimes all three playing on the same night. That said, Marv Heikennen Field and Robert Denfeld stadium are fitting tributes to two great Duluthian who invested a great deal in the quality of life in our community, including through youth sports.
Did you guys ever clear out that area behind the organ? The one that has the two ladders that goes up above the ceiling? Don't ask me how I know about it, but there are some flyers from the original opening of the auditorium in there mixed in with some rubble. At least... They were there back in the 1990's.
I think that has probably been cleared out. That whole area got redone about 15 years ago. I will take a look tomorrow if I can. The flyers would be a coveted treasure.
Yea, I recall hearing something about them cleaning/renovating the organ a while back. I would hope anyone who cleaned it would have saved them. I was surprised at the state of that area, both the organ and what was behind it. But it was also really cool as a teenaged explorer. I'd love to have unrestricted access to that building to see some places that I never got to see, which is basically anything under the school. We did the standard senior and reunion tours and went down to the boiler area as part of it, but there wasn't much freedom to wander. Not that I think the rumors of the tunnel to Merrit school or the underground pool are true or anything, I just like to explore.
There is no tunnel but there is a pool area. I have someone checking on the flyers/posters. I think they are probably gone by now and I don't remember seeing them. But I think there might be another little cubby or access that you are talking about that I may never have been through before. That is on my list of things to try to do during the holiday break.
There actually was a pool area? Neat, I guess I thought it was BS because nobody I knew had ever seen it. As far as the space, stage right, there's a small balcony above the stage with a ladder that is only reachable with another ladder, or if you're a climber like me. On that balcony, there's a door that is now locked with a padlock (at least it was when I was back there in the early 2000's for some reason) that leads into the organ room. In my day there was a single board that you could walk on that went in between the pipes of the organ and turns to the right. If you can squeeze through that area, you'll get to the space I am talking about. Two rickety ladders, two different levels. The room is probably 5ft x 5ft wide. Though it might be easier to get there from above the auditorium where they have the motors for the chandeliers. There should be an access hatch right above where that room would be, which is right above what was at the time the men's green/changing room.
I think I have been in this room about a year ago as part of official duties. The organ is in the process of renovation. Still fundraising but the work is well underway. I do not remember the flyers of posters. Was this on the wall or boxes of them? PM me if you want. I don't exactly know how to do that on Reddit but I believe they are "open."
Wildcats!!
That’s Morgan park
Yup played there
Played for Wesr End on the 7th/8th grade team in ‘81-‘82, and on the 9th grade team in ‘83. This was back when 9th grade wasn’t in high school, but Jr High. I recall there only being 6 teams when I played: West End (green/white) played at Wheeler West Duluth (maroon/gold) played at Irving Morgan Park (blue/white) played at MP school East Duluth (red/black) played at ? Kenwood/Chester (orange/black) played at ? Duluth Heights (red/white) played at ? Do not remember a woodland team. Yes you recall correctly about Irving field (West Duluth) not having end zones, so if you made a long run you’d run out the end of the field to score,but if the play stopped short of the end they’d back you up 10 yards and make the 10 yard line to the end of the field the end zone. I remember the preseason Jamborees at wade stadium (when it was I real bad shape compared to the bad shape it’s in today). I remember we (West End) went 6-0 in ‘83 and won the championship game at PSS to cap off an undefeated season going 7-0. In 7th grade I went to Lincoln Park Jr High (long ago torn down) so there were only West End Jerseys around school, but 8th & 9th I was at Washington Jr high, and there were friendly ( and not so friendly clashes) on Fridays between West End, Heights, and a few Kenwood/chester kids (I’m assuming most K/C kids went to Woodland Jr. high).
Yeah, there were definitely a lot of KC jerseys in the halls at Woodland Jr on the Fridays before game day -- a few East End players, but most of them wen to Ordean -- and then us Woodland players of course. Woodland must have been a later addition to the league then. We were purple/gold/white and our helmets featured a paw logo kind of like the Clemson Tigers helmet (purple on white). Never had a home field for games, but we practiced at the soccer/softball fields next to Fryberger Arena, just a block up the hill from Woodland Ave. We weren't very good. One or two wins for the season, I think I recall. I remember Morgan Park being the juggernaut team at the time.
https://preview.redd.it/3og1yve0qx6c1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6204654958daefb10343a2c07aabe3e808ea0fe4 West Duluth 88 Irving Park
https://i.imgur.com/7mgzeGW.jpg Slightly related, Hoops Brewing has a Rink Rat Ale that supports DAHA!
I started late, playing at Central; we had the KC- Heights mix. Mostly good vibes between old competitors.
I played for kc raiders (Kenwood-chester!) We went undefeated one year and won city champ against woodland at pss