215: CHASING ‘MOONLIGHT’ BEYOND THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD

For exactly 74.4 miles, the three of us headed northwest from Duluth. We left Bob Dylan’s first home in the review mirror, while his second home in Hibbing, Minnesota appeared through the front windshield of our Jeep about 80 minutes later. It was 12:50pm on Monday August 1, 2022; we had likely traveled the same route Abram Zimmerman drove when he moved his family from Duluth to Hibbing in 1947. Young Robert Zimmerman grew up in that town and graduated from Hibbing High School in 1959, just a few months after he watched Buddy Holly perform at the Duluth Armory.

While I posed for a few photos near the exterior of the two-story beige house and stood on the front steps, I thought about the transformation of Robert Zimmerman into Bob Dylan; and that metamorphosis started within those walls. Ideas, dreams, poetry, and a love for music all flooded Zimmerman’s second story bedroom during Bobby Z’s high school days. As a matter of fact, Dylan believed the iron-rich landscape where Hibbing was located likely affected his creativity; stating in a 1978 Playboy interview: “My brains and feelings have come from there. The earth there is unusual, filled with ore. There’s a magnetic attraction there; maybe thousands of years ago some planet bumped into the land there. There is a great spiritual quality throughout the Midwest. Very subtle, very strong, and that is where I grew up.”

Even though my photographer claimed to not enjoy Bob Dylan’s nasally singing voice, he knew the singer-songwriter was a huge part of American history; which was the purpose for our last two stops. I had to admit, after visiting both childhood homes in the past two hours, I gained a newfound appreciation for Dylan’s contribution to our country; especially when I found out he won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, 10 Grammy Awards, one Academy Award, and one Golden Globe Award for his work. Bob Dylan was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982. And that wasn’t all – Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2012 and he won a Pulitzer Prize in 2008. The man is truly a lyrical genius, and thankfully, we still had another Dylan site left to visit in Hibbing.

Located just three blocks north of Robert Zimmerman’s childhood home was Hibbing High School where the future Bob Dylan graduated in 1959. The school also played host to a Presidential campaign speech by Senator John F. Kennedy a year later, which excited me to no end. After Vicki parked the Jeep across the street from the huge school, I was carried towards the west entrance where I saw an impressive brick wall dedicated to Dylan’s 2018 Nobel Prize. Once Tom had captured a few photos of the exterior, I heard him shout to his wife: “I need to go inside and see the stage where JFK delivered his campaign speech. I’ll walk around the entire building if I have to until I find a door that isn’t locked.” As usual, at least when it comes to Presidential sites, Vicki remained with the Jeep instead of joining the two of us for another new adventure.

Sure enough, the doors in front of us were locked, but Tom saw a sign that stated the east side entrance was open for visitors – and obviously, it was located on the opposite side of the building. Once we had finally made it to the east side of the school, my photographer entered the building and quickly found an amazingly friendly secretary at work in the office. When Tom explained the reason for our visit, the woman asked the head custodian, Jim Jukich, to guide the two of us to the auditorium where we could see the historic stage.

The Hibbing High School auditorium was the most beautiful school auditorium either of us had ever seen. As a matter of fact, with its 1800 cushion seats, a 1900-pipe organ, and six Belgian crystal chandeliers, that auditorium would rival any concert hall in the entire country. Tom placed me on the stage where JFK delivered his campaign speech on October 2, 1960, which was attended by Minnesota Governor Orville Freeman and Senator Hubert Humphrey, who became Vice President under Lyndon Johnson in 1965. As I basked in the glory of Presidential history and envisioned JFK’s patented smile, it never dawned on me what the true historical significance of that stage was – until Jukich spoke up about Bob Dylan’s time as a student at Hibbing High.

In 1958, while Zimmerman was a Junior at Hibbing High, he played with a group known as the ‘Golden Chords’. During a talent show held on the auditorium’s stage, Dylan made use of the school’s 1922 Steinway Grand piano as the group performed a cover song by Little Richard. The music was so loud, the school’s principal cut the power to their microphones midway through the performance, but only after “Bobby Z” had broken one of the Steinway’s foot pedals. After the custodian recited the infamous Dylan story, Jim led my photographer and me to an area off-stage where I had the chance to stand on that same piano.

The last tidbit of Hibbing High School lore that Jim Jukich shared with the two of us centered around Chair J-47. While he didn’t go into a lot of detail, Jim did mention there was a tale, urban legend so to speak, that the school’s first stage manager, Bill Ratican, haunted the auditorium and frequents seat J-47. At first, I was nervous when Tom asked Jukich if he could set me in that seat. Then I thought to myself: “What can the ghost possibly do to me? I’m already missing my right arm and I have brand new spring that’s very secure around my neck. I ain’t afraid of no ghost!”

When I stood on the infamous chair, I didn’t see or feel anything out of the ordinary. There wasn’t a sudden burst of cold air. I didn’t feel anything unusual touch me. I did catch a small whiff of rotten eggs, but I figured that was just my photographer’s French Toast talking to me.

Tom and I had spent a little over 30 minutes with Jim Jukich as he talked about the history of Hibbing High School. It was easy to tell that the head custodian was very proud of his school, and we were thrilled at the opportunity for our visit. Jukich led us back through the hallways until we exited the building on the west side where Vicki was parked. As a matter of fact, my photographer’s wife said upon our arrival: “You were gone long enough! I figured you either found a way to get inside that school or something bad happened. Since I didn’t hear any sirens, I figured you got inside. I swear, you can talk your way into anywhere.”

It was roughly 1:45pm when we returned to the Jeep; Hibbing High School was the last scheduled site on that day’s agenda. Even though we were right on schedule, we had the rest of the day to “Freestyle”, as my companions like to call it. From the front passenger seat, my photographer went to work in search of nearby antique malls on his phone. Seconds later, I heard him shout out to his wife: “Do you know what town is just six miles north of here? Chisholm, Minnesota; the same Chisholm, Minnesota that was home to ‘Doc’ Graham in the movie ‘Field of Dreams’. We gotta go see the town and maybe find something related to the famous Archibald “Moonlight” Graham. Holy cow, we’re chasing “Moonlight”, just like my buddy Brett Friedlander wrote about in his book.”

As soon as we rolled into town, Tom wanted to snap a few photos of the picturesque downtown section of Chisholm, even though he knew the movie ‘Field of Dreams’ was not filmed there. Actually, the Chisholm scenes in the movie were shot in Galena, Illinois, which was where we were scheduled to visit on August 5th. Out of nowhere, my photographer had another brainstorm: “I wonder if ‘Doc’ Graham’s home is still around. In the movie, Ray Kinsella and Terence Mann go to the public library to find information about “Moonlight” Graham. I think we should go to the library right now.” That was our next stop.

At the Chisholm Public Library, the young librarian on duty was a lot of help. She found a copy of ‘Chasing Moonlight’ by Brett Friedlander, which Vicki used to find the potential location of Doctor Graham’s home. The librarian also confirmed the same location with her mother, whom she had called for verification. Then, just as we were about to head for ‘Doc’ Graham’s home, the young lady said: “If you’re interested in seeing some of Doctor Graham’s office equipment and belongings, you should check out the Minnesota Museum of Mining that’s just down the street. I’ve heard they have a pretty cool display there that’s dedicated to him.”

First things first; we headed for the corner of 2nd Avenue SW and 6th Street SW where we found the large duplex where Archibald “Moonlight” Graham once lived. While Vic once again stayed with our vehicle, Tom and I made our way to the front of the two-story multi-family dwelling that looked a bit haggard. While my photographer was busy taking his pictures, I thought about “Moonlight” Graham; the ball player-turned-doctor made famous in a 1982 novel and a 1989 movie. It was as though I could see the doctor as he walked out of the door, headed for downtown; maybe he was on his way to his office, or perhaps it was to a local store to buy a blue hat for his darling wife Alecia. From the moment Archie Graham arrived in Chisholm in April 1909 until his death there 56 years later, the doctor became more than a footnote in Major League Baseball history. Graham’s generosity and love for the children in that small mining town on the Mesabi Iron Range of Minnesota made him legendary.

After our short visit to ‘Doc’ Graham’s home had concluded, it was time for the three of us to head to the doctor’s office. To me, that was great news – perhaps the good doctor would fix my severed right arm. I wanted to “Go the Distance” to see “Moonlight” Graham. But then it dawned on me – Doc “Moonlight” Graham died on August 25, 1965 at the age of 88. My excitement died, too; especially when Vicki pulled the Jeep into the parking lot of the Minnesota Museum of Mining. I love museums, especially Presidential museums. I also loved our time inside the Quincy Mine in Hancock, Michigan. But a museum on mining? Tom could count me out.

As usual, however, I had no choice in the matter. Although the museum was a conglomeration of numerous buildings and artifacts spread out over 15 acres, there was only one area inside one specific building my photographer had his sights set on – the collection of artifacts from Dr. Archibald Graham’s office.

While the building was large and featured hundreds of displays, we had no trouble locating ‘Doc’ Graham’s office. I was impressed; the artifacts were displayed very nicely and paid tribute to Chisholm’s most famous doctor. My photographer had me stand on or pose next to several of the pieces; and at one point, I was placed inside the pocket of Graham’s black overcoat. Throughout our entire visit, I couldn’t help but envision Burt Lancaster’s character in the movie as I recited some of his lines in my mind. For just a split second, however, I was disappointed when I didn’t see Archie Graham’s New York Giants uniform on display. But then again, he only played in one game on June 29, 1905 and that uniform was likely discarded years ago. As for the entire display – it was just what the doctor ordered! Please take a moment to see a few images of Doctor Graham’s office taken through the lens of my photographer’s camera.

Tom, Vicki, and I are huge fans of the movie ‘Field of Dreams’, which was why it was so special for the three of us to visit Chisholm, Minnesota. Dr. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham was a real person and not just a fictional character in a book or movie. He played eight seasons in the Minor Leagues and made one appearance in a Major League game for the New York Giants in 1905. But it was his dedication and generosity as a doctor for 50 years that made him a legend in the Mesabi Iron Range. ‘Doc’ Graham made arrangements to have used eyeglasses sent to his Chisholm office. Then on Saturdays, he would have the children of the Iron Range come to his office, have their eyes checked, and then fit them with a proper set of glasses – all free of charge.

In the movie, Ray Kinsella (portrayed by actor Kevin Costner) tried to convince ‘Doc’ Graham to return to Iowa with him where his dream of being a Major League Baseball player could be fulfilled. Kinsella said in the doctor’s office: “Fifty years ago, for five minutes, you came this close. I mean, it would kill some men to get that close to their dream and not touch it. They’d consider it a tragedy.” Dr. Graham looked Ray in the eyes and replied: “Son, if I only got to be a doctor for five minutes, now that would’ve been a tragedy.”

As the three of us headed back towards Hibbing where my companions discovered an antique shop they wanted to visit, I couldn’t get “Moonlight” Graham out of my mind. He was a superhero to a lot of people in the early 1900s. At that moment, while I was deep in thought, I heard my photographer say out loud: “Hey look, it’s Iron Man”. I took a quick peek from an opening in the camera case, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tony Stark, but all I saw was a huge statue of a man with a pick and shovel standing on a large metallic bowtie.

Of course, my photographer wanted to stop to capture an image of the statue – even though it had nothing to do with the Marvel Comics superhero. The Iron Man Miners Memorial was dedicated on July 4, 1987 near the entrance to the Minnesota Discovery Center, which was just south of Chisholm. Officially titled ‘The Emergence of Man Through Steel’, the artwork featured a 36-foot-tall miner, constructed from brass and copper, balanced atop a 49-foot-tall steel structure. At first, I thought the entire monstrosity was a bit hokey. However, when I realized the statue was a tribute to the men who labored in the area’s open pit mines when the mining industry boomed on the Iron Range of northern Minnesota, I was okay with it. During the first few days of our trip, I had acquired a greater appreciation for the dangerous work conducted by the miners in northern Minnesota and Michigan.

With no more scheduled sites left on the day’s agenda, it was time to “Freestyle” – which meant only one thing: Antique Shops and Flea Markets. At roughly 3:45pm, we arrived at ‘Remember When Antiques’, located on the north side of Hibbing, Minnesota. It didn’t take very long before my photographer found exactly what the doctor had ordered, and I wasn’t talking about Dr. “Moonlight” Graham. With a huge smile on his face, Tom emerged from one of the rooms with a vinyl album in his hands. Immediately, I thought to myself: “Oh no, don’t tell me he’s buying a Bob Dylan album just because we’re in his hometown!” Thankfully, my photographer had more sense than that – in his grasp was a near-mint copy of ‘Hot in the Shade’ by KISS. While he paid for the record, my usually shy camera guy engaged in a conversation with the cashier who mentioned a “cool” site she had recently discovered. Tom’s ears perked up when the woman said the site was very scenic; it was only about a mile away; and it was free. It was likely the “free” part that interested my cheap photographer the most.

We followed the woman’s crude directions, along with the help of several small signs along the road, until we arrived six minutes later at the place she had suggested – the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine. At first, I was concerned that we would once again have to venture underground to see the mine, but that wasn’t the case at all. As a matter of fact, when I was carried to the viewing platform, it was a good thing I didn’t have a fear of heights.

The Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine was more than just a small roadside attraction located off the beaten path. It was a historic site that’s three miles long, two miles wide, was 535 feet deep, and is the largest open-pit iron mine in Minnesota. As a matter of fact, it was established in 1895 and was one of the world’s first merchandized open-pit mines. In its heyday, between the two World Wars, the mine in Hibbing produced one-fourth of all the iron ore mined in the United States and helped our nation become one of the world’s leading steel manufacturers. As I got my first look into the deep pit, I chuckled to myself when I heard Tom say to Vicki: “This should be called the Grand Canyon of Minnesota – holy smokes, this looks great!” And he was right; the Hull-Rust mine looked incredible – even though it was just a giant man-made hole in the ground.

Following our excursion to the open pit mine, it was time to find a place to spend the night in or near the city of Grand Rapids. When I heard we were headed to Grand Rapids, I knew for sure I’d be getting another look at the gravesite of President Gerald Ford. I felt rather silly, however, when I found out we were headed for Grand Rapids, Minnesota – not Michigan. Once Vicki had secured reservations at a place called Hotel Rapids, we headed westward for a little over 35 miles.

We pulled into the parking lot of Hotel Rapids around 5:30pm; less than five seconds later, I heard my photographer say out loud: “Oh no, this place looks like a dump. It’s another Cockroach Inn”. Even when the three of us went inside to register, I could tell my companions were second-guessing their choice of lodging – even after the desk clerk said we had the “best room in the house”. When I heard her say we had the best room, I wondered to myself: “Best room, eh? Does that mean there’s tin foil already on the TV’s rabbit ears? Or maybe we won’t have to worry about any roaches because they can’t stand the smell?”

Have you ever heard the old adage ‘Never judge a book by its cover’? That proverb was likely written with Hotel Rapids in mind. When the three of us walked into our room, I thought I was Dorothy Gale the moment she opened the door after her house landed in Munchkinland. The room appeared modern; it was clean; and it was by far the best room we’ve had on the trip.

My companions had dinner in the room, which they bought from a nearby Chinese Restaurant. I was hoping Tom’s fortune cookie would read: “Confucius say – Never judge book by cover”, but unfortunately, it didn’t. Once my photographer finished his Sweet and Sour chicken, he pulled out the Bobble head medical kit and he attempted to once again repair my broken right arm. When the surgical procedure was finished, he wrapped my re-attached arm in medical tape and placed me upside down between two pillows for the night. I had to admit, the pillows were more comfortable than the previous night’s coffee cup.

In the darkened room, I spent the night thinking about Judy Garland. After all, the ‘Wizard of Oz’ actress was born in Grand Rapids and her birthplace/museum was the first site on our agenda for the following day. At some point between two and three in the morning, I had a dream; or perhaps it was an out-of-resin-body experience. A huge, green door opened; five of us walked into a large, cavernous room. To my left stood a little girl and her yapping mutt. To my right, I noticed a weed-infested strawman; a metal guy who squeaked when he walked; and a large, smelly cat. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard a loud voice with a British accent ask: “What reason do you have to be in my presence?” One after another, the four strangers said: “I just want to go home; I’d like to be a little smarter; Don’t go breakin’ my heart; I’m too afraid to ask for anything.” Then the voice roared: “What about you, bobble head?” “Oh, I could use a new arm, new legs, a new paint job, a more secure head, and a photographer who doesn’t snore. Oh, if it’s not too much trouble – how about a Martha Jefferson bobble head?”

After what seemed to be an eternity of silence, I heard the voice say to me – “Maybe you’ll get a replacement, there’s plenty of those to be found. Mongo, who’s got no pity, he’s home sniffing for tidbits like you on the ground. I’m going back to the howling old Squatch in the woods; hunting its hairy-backed toes. Oh, I’ve finally decided your future lies – beyond the Yellow Brick Road!”

**NOTE** This post is dedicated to Jim Jukich, head custodian at Hibbing High School, who took the time to give us a tour of their historic and beautiful auditorium.