1951 Map of Kinney

About this map

The Laurentian Divide cuts across this section of the Mesabi Iron Range, separating the northern wilderness from the intensive mining operations to the south. In the early 1950s, the landscape around Kinney and Buhl was defined by a dense network of open pits and industrial infrastructure, including the Atkins Mine, Whiteside Mine, and Seville Midway Mine. Extensive Mine Dumps and Tailings Ponds illustrate the massive scale of earth-moving required to extract ore during this peak period of Minnesota's iron industry. North of the divide, the terrain transitions into the Superior National Forest and the Superior State Game Refuge, where the Dark River flows through undeveloped wetlands. This contrast captures the dual nature of St. Louis County at mid-century, where the Burlington Northern railroad serviced industrial hubs like Mountain Iron just miles away from protected forest lands.