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1954 Map of Hibbing

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Hibbing
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

The Mesabi Range and Vermilion Range anchor this mid-century survey, revealing the industrial skeleton of Northern Minnesota’s Iron Range. The map details a landscape defined by extraction and transport, where numerous mines are clustered around settlements like Hibbing, Virginia, Chisholm, and Eveleth. This dense industrial corridor is serviced by an intricate network of railroads including the Great Northern Railway and the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, which were essential for moving ore to the Great Lakes ports.

Beyond the iron formations, the geography shifts to the protected wilderness of the Chippewa National Forest and Superior National Forest. Massive water bodies such as Winnibigoshish Lake, Leech Lake, and Vermilion Lake dominate the surrounding terrain. These areas highlight a different economy of timber and recreation, with Indian Reservation lands and smaller communities like Ely and Grand Rapids marking the edges of the mining districts.