1957 Map of Hibbing

About this map

The Mesabi Range forms the industrial backbone of this Northern Minnesota landscape, where the iron mining economy is captured in its mid-century prime. Extensive mining infrastructure, including numerous iron mines and tailings ponds, defines the geography between Hibbing and Virginia. This heavy industry is balanced by the massive timber and recreational expanses of the Chippewa National Forest and Superior National Forest, which cover much of the western and eastern portions of the sheet. The transport of ore is central to the area's development, evidenced by the dense rail network of the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range and the Great Northern railroads. Beyond the industrial corridors, the map reveals a wilderness of water, from the complex shoreline of Vermilion Lake to the upper reaches of the Mississippi River near Grand Rapids. Settlements like Chisholm, Eveleth, and Keewatin are shown at a time when the Iron Range was a global center of mineral production.