Hibbing, Minnesota

Hibbing, Minnesota
City
Location of Hibbing, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	St. Louis
Area
• Total	186.5 sq mi (483.1 km2)
• Land	181.7 sq mi (470.5 km2)
• Water	4.8 sq mi (12.5 km2)
Elevation	1,493 ft (455 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	17,071
• Density	94.0/sq mi (36.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	218
FIPS code	27-28790Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	0661469Template:GR

Hibbing is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA. The population was 17,071 at the 2000 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S. Highway 169, State Highway 37, and State Highway 73 are three of the main arterial routes in the city.

History

Hibbing was founded in 1893 by the town's namesake, Frank Hibbing who discovered iron in the soil. The area was soon swarming with mining companies and Hibbing died wealthy, five years later. By 1900, 2000 lumberjacks and miners inhabited the town. By 1910, the population had swelled to 8000, but the streets were muddy, lined with boarding houses, saloons, and hotels. The young men came from Finland, Ireland, Italy, and Croatia. The workers had intended to make money and then move on but eventually they began to get married and put down roots. Between 1918 and 1922, the town was engulfed by the mine, as it sat on valuable ore. Originally called Alice, the town was rebuilt a mile away. Many houses were moved to the new location.

The mining companies were taxed heavily, and at a cost of $4,000,000, the town built the most lavish high school in the country. Its auditorium was modeled after a New York theater, seating 1,800 on velvet seats under cut-glass chandeliers.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 483.1 km² (186.5 mi²) and is the largest city in Minnesota by area and the 40th largest city, by area, in the United States. 470.5 km² (181.7 mi²) of it is land and 12.5 km² (4.8 mi²) of it (2.60%) is water. McCarthy Beach State Park is nearby.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 17,071 people, 7,439 households, and 4,597 families residing in the city. The population density was 36.3/km² (94.0/mi²). There were 8,037 housing units at an average density of 17.1/km² (44.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.33% White, 0.46% African American, 0.73% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population. 17.1% were of German, 12.4% Finnish, 10.5% Norwegian, 9.4% Italian, 6.4% Irish and 5.9% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 7,439 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,346, and the median income for a family was $43,558. Males had a median income of $38,064 versus $22,183 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,561. About 8.1% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.

Notable natives and residents

• Bob Dylan, singer-songwriter and musician
• Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor of Charles Manson
• Bruce Carlson, United States Air Force Commander
• Dick Garmaker, professional basketball player
• Chi Chi LaRue, adult film director
• Marie Myung-Ok Lee, novelist and essayist
• Roger Maris, professional baseball player
• Kevin McHale, professional basketball player, Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President
• Bethany McLean, co-author of Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
• Rudy Perpich, Minnesota governor
• Gary Puckett, musician

Other interesting facts

• The Greyhound Lines bus company was started in Hibbing, but the corporate headquarters has long since left the region. Even though the company's buses no longer stop in the city, the Greyhound Bus Museum remains.
• The Hibbing Public Library houses a collection of Bob Dylan memorabilia including books, albums, posters, and the door knob and window from his childhood home.
• Hibbing is the home of the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine, the world's largest open pit iron mine.
• Hibbing moved about a mile away from original location, so that the mines could reach the ore underneath. "North Hibbing" was originally called Alice and has long since been abandoned, but many foundations and streets remain.
• A triple watershed divide exists within the city limits of Hibbing on the property of the Hibbing Taconite iron mining location. At this point, drainages for the Gulf of Mexico (via the Prairie River and the Mississippi River), the Atlantic Ocean (via the St. Louis River, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence River), and the Arctic Ocean (via the Red River and Hudson Bay) meet.
• Hibbing is home to the Hibbing High School. Built in 1920 when the iron ore mines were booming, the school boasts a magnificent auditorium that attracts visitors from around the world.
• The Jewish community of Hibbing (that Bob Dylan came from), has dwindled in recent years, for instance, the synogouge where Dylan had his Bar Mitzvah, was demolished and replaced with an apartment complex.[1]

External links

• City of Hibbing Website
• Hibbing Public Library
• Hibbing Chamber of Commerce
• RangeCities.com - "The Hub of Minnesota's Iron Range!"
• Greyhound Bus Museum

See also

• WNMT - Local talk radio show
• U.S. Highway 169
• State Highway 37
• State Highway 73

47°25′38″N 92°56′16″W