Dispatches from Douglas County: Striking historical gold, remembering the benzene spill and college soccer

In the 1940s, the Princess Theater was the ornate building with a large marquee extending over the sidewalk located between the Princess Sweet Shop and a fashion store.

By Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten

September 09, 2022 08:00 AM

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SUPERIOR — There were so many festivities over the long weekend from Duluth Superior Pride to the Labor Day fireworks .

I hope you were able to get out and enjoy some of the fun before fall settles upon us!

We've got much more in store for you this week -- check out this week's headlines below:

Striking gold

090922.N.ST.Princes picture.JPG — A picture along the bar on the main floor of the Princess Theater building, which was most recently Frankie's Tavern, shows the theater, at right, during its heyday.

City officials and local historians toured the former Princess Theater building this week and found a trove of architectural details still intact .

Brian Finstad, a past guest on our local history podcast Archive Dive , summed up the group's findings:

“I honestly think what we’re finding is more than they originally thought was there,” he said. “I think there’s enough that, if you had the money and you want to go there, you can replicate everything. I mean, we know the curtain color. We know the wall color …”

Benzene spill 30 years later

2943817+benzene.jpg — Aerial of the train derailment and toxic benzene spill in the Nemadji River in 1992.

In June 1992, more than 50,000 people evacuated their homes after a train derailed over the Nemadji River spilling benzene.

Our colleagues at The Vault take a look back at the historic incident , and what happened to those impacted by it.

Shutout win

UW-Superior’s Mackie Ringrose (10) soars through the air after saving the ball from going out of bounds in the first half of the Yellowjackets game with Bethel at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex in Superior on Wednesday evening, Sept. 7.

The Wisconsin-Superior men's soccer team earned its first win of the season Wednesday, Sept. 7, with a 2-0 win over Bethel .

More stories to check out:

Cody Walker-Nelson, whose "drug-induced rampage" through the Twin Ports last year saw him attempt to rob a bank, drive the wrong way over the Bong Bridge and participate in a standoff with police, was sentenced to 10 years in prison .
Walmart has filed a lawsuit against the city of Superior to lower its property taxes.
Gordon Good Neighbor Days is leaderless after the volunteers who plan the annual event resigned during a recent town board meeting.

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