Eveleth, Minnesota

The Village of Eveleth was platted on April 22, 1893, originally about 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the present location, on land then included in the Adams-Spruce Mine (Douglas Avenue between Jones and Monroe Streets). The community was named after Erwin Eveleth, a prominent employee of a timber company in the area. In 1895, iron ore was discovered beneath the village site and a post office was established. In 1900, the village moved to its present location. It was incorporated as a city in 1902.^[4] When the city expanded, it annexed portions of Fayal Township, including the former unincorporated communities of Alice Mine Station (in the Alice Location south of downtown) and Fayal. With further expansion, Eveleth annexed the unincorporated community of Genoa to its east. Eveleth first established its post office on February 9, 1895, with P. Ellard Dowling as commander-in-chief. Eveleth also had its first paper, The Eveleth Star, the same year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 6.45 square miles (16.71 km²); 6.29 square miles (16.29 km²) is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) is water.^[5]

Eveleth is in the Duluth MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfb". (Warm Summer Continental Climate). Summers are warm and winters are cold.^[6]

As of the 2020 census, the population of Eveleth was 3,493. The racial makeup of the city was 3,149 (90.2%) White, 55 (1.6%) Native American, 53 (1.5%) Hispanic, and 45 (1.3%) African American.

As of the census^[10] of 2010, there were 3,718 people, 1,682 households, and 921 families living in the city. The population density was 591.1 inhabitants per square mile (228.2/km²). There were 1,942 housing units at an average density of 308.7 per square mile (119.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% White, 0.5% African American, 1.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 1,682 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.2% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 39.6 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,865 people, 1,717 households, and 971 families living in the city. The population density was 611.0 inhabitants per square mile (235.9/km²). There were 1,965 housing units at an average density of 310.6 per square mile (119.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.48% White, 0.16% African American, 1.73% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.23% of the population. 16.6% were of Finnish, 14.1% German, 14.1% Norwegian, 8.6% Italian, 7.7% Slovene and 6.1% Swedish ancestry.

There were 1,717 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,736, and the median income for a family was $37,069. Males had a median income of $32,723 versus $21,658 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,635. About 10.6% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

Eveleth is on the Mesabi Range, one of sub-regions of Minnesota's Iron Range. The town's economy has always been tied to the iron ore mining and processing. This activity peaked during World War II and declined through the second half of the 20th century. A demand for iron ore occurred between 2005 and 2007, and local economies experienced a mild improvement due to improved mining productivity, which allowed demand to be met with only a modest increase in staffing.

Within Eveleth's city limits is Thunderbird Mine, where crude iron ore is processed into 5.5 million tons of iron ore taconite pellets per year. The ore is magnetite-bearing iron formation of the Paleoproterozoic Biwabik Iron Formation, and is crushed at the mine site and shipped by railroad to the Fairlane Plant in Forbes, Minnesota, for concentrating and pelletizing.^[11]

Eveleth once had side-by-side water towers labeled "hot" and "cold".^[12]

The feature films Wildrose (1984) and North Country (2005) were both shot in Eveleth.

The United States Hockey Hall of Fame (not to be confused with the Hockey Hall of Fame, in Toronto) is in Eveleth. The city has long been noted as a powerhouse of hockey talent. It has won several state championships, most recently in 1998. During the 1950s the Eveleth Golden Bears dominated high school hockey in Minnesota, garnering a number of state records, including most consecutive state championships (4: 1948–51), most consecutive championship games (5: 1948–52) and most consecutive tournament appearances (12: 1945–56), despite the district's tiny population.

Eveleth has the "world's largest authentic hockey stick", standing at 107 feet and weighing 3 tons. A few blocks away from the stick is the Eveleth Hippodrome, Minnesota's oldest hockey arena still in use. The Rock Ridge Wolverines Boys & Girls hockey teams play there as one out of two of their home rinks, the other being the Iron Trail Motors Event Center in Virginia.

The Eveleth Reds played in the United States Amateur Hockey Association between 1920 and 1925, and in the inaugural season of 1920–21 finished as runner-ups to the Cleveland Indians after losing a closely contested four-game series 12 goals to 14 in April 1921.^[13] Eveleth's biggest star player was defenseman Ivan "Ching" Johnson, who played three seasons for the club between 1920 and 1923, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

• George Abramson, NFL player^[14]
• Fred Agnich, member of the Texas House of Representatives^[15]
• Rudy Ahlin, played one game in the NHL^[16]
• Nick Begich, U.S. representative^[17]
• Myron H. Bright, United States Court judge
• Frank Brimsek, NHL goalie
• John Patrick Boyle, Minnesota state senator and lawyer
• Steve Cannon, WCCO radio personality
• Arthur Cirilli, member of Wisconsin Senate^[18]
• Roy R. Coombe, Minnesota state legislator
• Andre Gambucci, hockey player who won a silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics^[19]
• Gus Hendrickson, professional ice hockey player and coach^[20]
• Willard Ikola, hockey player who won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics^[21]
• Elmer A. Lampe, college football player and coach
• Pete LoPresti, NHL goalie, son of Sam LoPresti
• Sam LoPresti, NHL goalie
• John Mariucci, NHL hockey player and coach^[22]
• John Mayasich, hockey player, 1960 Winter Olympic gold medalist
• John Matchefts, hockey player who won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics^[23]
• William R. Ojala, Minnesota state representative^[24]
• Doug Palazzari, professional hockey player^[25]
• Joe Papike, played 20 games in the NHL^[26]
• Mark Pavelich, winner of the 1980 USA hockey gold medal
• Matt Perushek, lawyer and Junior Olympics gold and bronze medal-winning curler^[27]
• Paul Schaefer, played five games in the NHL^[28]
• Kay Nolte Smith, writer^[29]
• Tony Storti, head coach of the Montana State Bobcats football team
• Al Suomi, professional hockey player^[30]
• Verner E. Suomi, educator, inventor, scientist, and "father of satellite meteorology"^[31]
• James B. Tapp, World War II flying ace^[32]
• Tom Yurkovich, hockey player who competed at the 1964 Winter Olympics^[33]
• Peter Michael Muhich, Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City

• City of Eveleth, MN – Official Website
• Eveleth Heritage Committee's historical website