Back when I worked for WDAY-TV, they used to send me to the dungeon. But I liked it. Actually it wasn’t so much a dungeon, more like a vault – a place where the station’s past was kept. Going down there was like stepping back in time, walking by shelves stacked with old videotapes, records, or assignment log books. Old equipment and promotional materials were laying around as well.
Most of the time, I went down there to find a specific item for the story I might have been working on. (I did several stories commemorating North Dakota’s Centennial back in 1989 as well as marking then end of the 20th century through a collaborative project with ABC called “The Century.”) But while, I might have gone down there looking for something specific it was easy to get lost in the stacks, digging through the old stuff like a kid in Grandma’s attic. I found it all so fascinating! At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad that some of it seemed to be going to waste.
That’s why I’m so happy to see what’s going on at the Duluth News Tribune. The newspaper is celebrating the 4th anniversary of its blog “The Attic.”Andrew Krueger curates the blog full of archival material from the paper. It’s usually one of the top five most popular blogs on Areavoices. According to our latest data from Quantcast, about 10,000 people read it every month.
Krueger says, “From my experience with the Attic, it’s great because readers like it and respond to it; it puts those old photos and articles to use instead of just collecting dust; and it’s something that can be done whenever there is some time available.”
You don’t have to work at a newspaper to start an historical blog such as this. Your own school, club, organization or business is probably ripe with its own history. People might like to read about. Contact me if you’d like to learn how. Until then, enjoy this week’s look at recommended blogs:
The Attic
http://attic.areavoices.com
Odd, obscure, historic, humorous, random and/or relevant items from the archives of the Duluth News Tribune.
It’s About People
http://aboutpeople.areavoices.
Cher Hersrud of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation tells stories of the people of the nonprofit sector whose passion and commitment goes well beyond the paycheck.
African Adventures
http://africanadventures.
Lise Sievers of Red Wing chronicles her life in Uganda as she goes about adopting two special needs children.
Almost Vogue
http://almostvogue.areavoices.
Super-hot fashion talk from the Upper Midwest.
Woman About Town
http://womanabouttown.
A Twin Cities woman blogs about live in Willmar, Minnesota.
