1954 Map of Hibbing

About this map

The Mesabi Range dominates the eastern landscape of this mid-century survey, where the heavy industry of the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range railroad and the Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific line serve the mining hubs of Hibbing, Virginia, Chisholm, and Eveleth. To the west, the character of the land shifts toward the sprawling wetlands and waters of the Leech Lake Indian Res and Bowstring Lake. This era shows the massive footprint of state and national forestry management, with vast tracts including the Koochiching State Forest and George Washington State Forest blanketing the northern counties. Local navigation relies on a network of routes such as U.S. 2 and Minn. 169, connecting smaller timber and lakeside settlements like Grand Rapids, Effie, and Bigfork to the industrial heart of the Iron Range. The map also captures the early preservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the recreational development of Tower Soudan State Park.