- B. Dylan, "Song to Woody"
- B. Dylan, "Song
to Woody"
My guide for
my Hibbing visit was No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan
by Robert Shelton. Some other good references that were recommended to me
include Positively Main Street by Toby Thompson and Bob Dylan
by Anthony Scudato (thanks to Gary
for the suggestions!). No Direction Home opens with a young Robert
Zimmerman leaving the Lybba Theater and walking down the main street (Howard)
of town, heading for home. I retraced that path on my visit and the map
below shows the location of some places of interest for Dylan fans. Note
that the map is really just a rough sketch to get you started. You'll probably
need some other maps to help you get there and navigate other
parts of town. The Wisconsin State Journal published this article on Hibbing in October of 1994.
Click on a location to learn more!
There's also a couple of interesting street signs in Hibbing...
 (185 k) Lybba Theater 2135 1st Ave |
The Lybba Theater is now the Lybba Sunrise Deli - a place that advertises itself as the "Master of the Quick Lunch." It's open Monday - Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, and Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The deli sells a variety of meats, sandwiches, drinks, soups, and international foods. Definitely worth a visit for a snack and a look around. There are a few movie posters on the walls - some Bogart and Chaplin films - but nothing from "Giant" or "Don't Look Back." I'm thinking they could use some donations! I was told nothing from the old theater remains. Here's what my dog and I shared for lunch. [Map] [Top] |
 (194 k) Moose Lodge/L&B Cafe Corner of East Howard & 5th |
The L&B Cafe is no longer in business but the Moose Lodge is still in the same old place. The Moose was the site of some early shows by Bob and his bands. I visited on a Saturday afternoon and the lodge seemed to be closed. With some phone calls and a promise to join the Fraternal Order of Moose I bet I could have gotten a guided tour of the place... I found some Hibbing postcards in the drug store just under the Moose. The L&B Cafe seems to have been downstairs and next door to the Moose during Bob's Hibbing days. A vacant store front and a place called Old Howard's is in that area now - any Dylan connection? I know that many years ago the L&B was at the corner of 4th & Howard and then moved a few doors down, closer to 5th St. I do not, however, know the time frame for this move. Anyone know for sure?! The L&B Cafe was where Bob met Echo, his girlfriend during a formative year in Hibbing. [Map] [Top] |
|
 (200 k) Hibbing High School Corner of 7th Ave East & 21st Street |
Hibbing High is an impressive structure. It's relatively large(two square city blocks) and solidly built. It was in the auditorium of this school that the young Bob Zimmerman pounded on the piano, screaming like Little Richard, even after the principal pulled the plug. So, Dylan was Unplugged in 1957! Sorry, couldn't resist. The school gives tours Monday - Friday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. I didn't get to take the tour but I have it on good authority that it's worth the time. The piano that Bob played is supposedly backstage but is not available for public viewing. (Thanks to Gary for info about the piano!) [Map] [Top] |
 (139 k) Boyhood Home, 2425 7th Ave East [Corner of 7th Ave East and 25th Street] |
Dylan's boyhood home is on 7th Ave East, between 24th & 25th Streets. It's actually at the corner of 25th and 7th Ave East but I couldn't very well call the site Positively 25th Street, now could I?! The very plain-looking but well-kept house is the only one I could find in well-ordered Hibbing that did not have a house number posted on the outside. Perhaps it's the only structure in town that doesn't need a house number. More likely, the owners got tired of replacing the numbers! While I was there, the phone rang and I heard some shuffling inside. I resisted the urge to knock on the door and ask to spend the night in the basement but I did give in put one foot on to the walkway. A "must see" while in Hibbing but not really much to see here... move along, move along... There are more pictures of the house here. And here's a link to a story that includes a picture of the Zimmerman home in Duluth. [Map] [Top] |
| The town library, 2020 5th Ave E, has a collection of Dylan-related items in the basement. The hours are Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 8:00 pm and Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. HOWEVER, like many small town libraries, they are closed on Saturdays during summer! Plan accordingly - I didn't. Their phone number is: (218) 262-1038. [Map] [Top] |
| State Road 73 runs south out of Hibbing. It meets up with US 169 just south of town. Echo lived about three miles down this road in a shack. I drove down it for a little while but it seemed to be populated with nice homes with four-wheel drive vehicles out front. [Map] [Top] |
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Put your information about Hibbing here! E-mail the webmaster, John Berry
Zimmy's Grill, corner of 6th and
Howard. A nice place with an wide assortment of Dylan pictures on the wall
and the inevitable t-shirts for sale. Yep, I bought one. Two, actually!
I didn't get a chance to eat there - I was traveling with a dog and didn't
want to bring him in with me - but the food smelled good, the place was
nice, and the drink I drank down was very tasty. This would no doubt be
a good place to get information from the managers and owner. The manager
on duty told me they have visitors from all around the world come through
on a regular basis. It's really the only commercial place devoted to Dylan.
No postcards, however. The other half of the restaurant - The Atrium - looked
a little more up-scale. 
