Shows
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliThe Malls That Weren'tKelli tells Gar all about a piece of Duluth history he was too busy to remember: the Harbor Square Mall and Ridgewood Mall Smackdown.Thanks to Perfect Duluth Day for the cover art for this episode, which can be found here: Harbor Square Mall
2025-03-2812 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliWho doesn't love the mall?Gar and Kelli talk about the history of the Miller Hill Mall...one of the first in the nation!The cover photo of this episode is the interior of JCPenney when the mall opened. Want to learn more about mall history? Head on down to the Duluth Public Library to the second floor local history section. You won't be sorry!
2025-03-1428 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliOh, the awkwardness: Junior HighGar and Kelli talk about his junior high experience at the old Lincoln Junior High School. Swimming pools and shillelaghs?? Yes sir!Thanks to the Duluth Public Library for...well...everything, really, but most especially for the assistance in finding information about Lincoln Junior.
2025-02-2024 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliHittin' the RoadLet's go on vacation! Gar talks about his trips around These United States as a kid, always in August, and always in cars without air conditioning. This is part one in a two-part series on EPIC family vacations.
2024-03-1527 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliHappy Birthday???Kelli revels in the joy of birthdays past while Gar's recollections are as stoic as his Swedish family. Thanks to Wikimedia Commons for the episode pic of Chuck E. Cheese and to Perfect Duluth Day for their dates on the now-closed roller rink.
2024-02-2424 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliThe Christmas Mackerel (and Other Stuff)The Presents! The Food! The Individual Strings of Tinsel!Gar and Kelli talk about The Best Christmas Memories...their own.
2023-12-2332 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliStuff or Treasures?Part of nostalgia is the stuff we hang on to from those who have come before us. Why do we do this, and what can we let go?
2023-05-0225 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliSNOOOOOOWWe're back!After a chaotic holiday season, Gar and Kelli have finally dug out of piles of snow and are set to talk about what winter was (and still is!!).
2023-03-1824 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliThe Duluth Public LibraryGar and Kelli walk through the history of the Duluth Public Library...and they aren't quiet about it!All information found in the archives housed in the Duluth Public Library, with additional support from that bastion of scholarly research, Wikipedia. Hey, we never said we were doing extremely serious research here!
2022-12-1625 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliHow Halloween WasBlack cat costumes, a fishing game, and a stuffed guy named George...oh my! It's Halloween Getting Bridged-style!
2022-10-2829 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliThe Old Neighborhood FeelGar and Kelli go back to the old neighborhood for a discussion on how to cross the road and not get squashed, turntable-style checkouts at the grocery store, and Kar Krafts with the Street Angels.
2022-09-2432 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliDRAFTED! Time spent in the Air National GuardGar talks about getting drafted during the Vietnam War and his time at the 148th Fighter Wing. Serious business? Sure thing. Shenanigans? You bet.Special shout-out to the Commemorative Air Force, Lake Superior Squadron: https://lakesuperiorsquadron.org/Thanks to the 148th Squadron (https://www.148fw.ang.af.mil/About-Us/History/) and the 148th Fandom page (https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/148th_Fighter_Wing) for the history and Wikipedia for the picture of the DEUCE.
2022-08-2832 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliDiamond Tool and Horseshoe Co: The EndAll good things must come to an end, and so it was with Diamond Tool. In this episode, Gar recounts his rise in the ranks of the employees, defying the chairman of the board and surviving, and the eventual downfall of the company.
2022-08-0531 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliDiamond Tool and Horseshoe Co: The MiddleJerry recounts how he got the job, the types of work he did when he first started and Diamond, and all the shenanigans they got up to while working there. Much respect paid to Jack Swanstrom!Thanks goes out to the Progress is fine, but it's gone on too long blog for the image used in this week's episode: http://progress-is-fine.blogspot.com/2013/01/close-only-counts-in-horseshoes-and.html
2022-06-1132 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliDiamond Tool and Horseshoe Co: The BeginningJerry and Kelli discuss the early history of Diamond Tool, the place Jerry worked for a huge part of his adult life, with special focus pine trees and what the heck a calk is. "Ask a Duluthian" segment features a question about smelt.Thanks to Perfect Duluth Day for the picture: https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2018/03/18/mystery-photo-65-diamonds-are-forever-except-in-duluth/The Minnesota DNR for information about logging camps: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/history/logging-camps.htmlAnd Swanstrom Tools USA for some history: https://swanstromtools.com/about/history/
2022-05-2023 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliWholesome HobbiesGar and Kelli talk about photography, neighborhood radio stations, AMA wrestling and the trials and tribulations of making closet wine. Thanks to the following sources:Jill Waterman's "Classic Cameras: My Dad’s Argus C3": https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/hands-on-review/classic-cameras-my-dad%E2%80%99s-argus-c3Michael Rainville Jr.'s "The AWA: Professional Wrestling in the Twin Cities": http://millcitytimes.com/news/the-awa-professional-wrestling-in-the-twin-cities.htmlUnited States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places: http://zenithcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/DowntownHistoricDistrict.pdf
2022-04-1628 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliPlaying OutsideGar and Kelli talk about playing outside in the middle of the West End and weigh in on THE BEST thing to do as a tourist.Shout out to: Zenith City Online, specifically Heidi Bakk-Hansen: http://zenithcity.com/archive/people-biography/dr-s-s-walbank/City of Duluth Parks and Rec: https://duluthmn.gov/parks/parks-listing/harrison-park/
2022-03-2729 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliThe NightlifeGar and Kelli move from East to West Duluth, hitting the best spots for nightlife Back In The Day. Plus, a question about rude behavior in the Ask a Duluthian segment.Episode credits go to The Slice via Perfect Duluth Day: https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2021/06/04/the-slice-tour-of-murals-at-the-kom-on-inn/The News Tribune Attic: https://newstribuneattic.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/rio-pardo-1972/The Growler online magazine: https://www.growlermag.com/dry-in-duluth-the-story-behind-the-last-dry-neighborhoods-in-the-zenith-city-2/Tour Old Duluth: http://garon.us/images2/TourOldDuluth-Aubut-Norton.pdfAnd Zenith City Online: http://zenithcity.com/archive/historic-architecture/hotel-duluth/
2022-03-0521 min
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliGoing Shopping Gar and Kelli talk about what it was like before the Miller Hill Mall and everyone shopped downtown. Plus, an Ask a Native Duluthian question regarding beards! NOTE: This episode is a half hour! We are but amateurs and have no idea why it says it's an hour and 12 minutes.Thanks to Perfect Duluth Day for information on Shopper's City: https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2009/12/01/shoppers-city/News Tribune Attic for information about Woolworth's: https://newstribuneattic.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/downtown-duluth-woolworths-1987/And Zenith City Online for information about the Glass Block Building and the photo (via the...
2022-02-191h 12
Getting Bridged with Gar and KelliBryant Elementary SchoolGar and Kelli talk about the old Bryant Elementary School, no longer with us but full of good memories of feisty teachers, Police Boys, avoiding the school lunch, and NOT respecting boundaries.Featuring a question about boat watching in our "Ask A Native Duluthian" segment.Thanks to:Perfect Duluth Day: https://www.perfectduluthday.com/2019/07/20/class-photos-from-duluths-bryant-elementary-school/The Minnesota Digital Library: https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:4046#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-211%2C-200%2C9071%2C5331https://collection.mndigital.org/catalog/nemhc:2489#?c=&m=&s=&cv=&xywh=-906%2C0%2C5862%2C3445
2022-02-0536 min