Minnesota's Lost Mining Towns - Full Documentary

Sparta, Taconite Harbor, Genoa, Penobscot and Cooley live on in Northern Minnesota’s memory, although there are few physical remnants of the towns that claimed these names. These “locations”, as they were originally called, played a vital role in the development of the emerging mining industry on the Minnesota Iron Range. But, today, many of these locations are now only marked by grown over streets, an abandoned building, or have completely disappeared altogether, uprooted by the ever-changing needs of the mining industry.
#history #historical

[@richardengelhardt582]

When I was a kid in the 1950s, we lived in a completely modern affluent Minneapolis suburb. My parents and grandparents all were academics and university professors. They were always taking our family to one visit historic site or another. One summer when I was 9 or 10, we took a month-long trip to the Mesabi and Vermillion ranges during the taconite boom to learn about the history and current practices of the iron mining industry. I remember being fascinated by the geology and impressed by the huge size of the trucks and other equipment used in the mining industry.

[@mrwaterschoot5617]

this a great documentary in appreciating mining towns i have property in vermont in a town that was called ely a copper mining town in central vermont. the mine was big in the 1880s but unrest and lack of quality ore eded that mine and now it is part of a super fund cleanup activity. some of the copper mining moved to the elizberth cooper mine pits and underground mining and processing. lts of history. the elizabeth mine in stratford vermont lasted until about 1950 and thi.ngs closed up after ww2 in 1950. from pictures. it could have been a good place to work and it could have veen it was impacted by a superfund cleanup year ago. likewise i have seen closed mine for iron ore and coal and the fitst iron furnaces were were wood charcoal fired furnaces that were mill towns. timber was king until some resources ran dry or more economical ways were found else where. days of our past yet foundations for our presence. but what remains for the future when no one can tell the story of the past.

[@micnorton9487]

​@@mrwaterschoot5617It's sad in a way because the mining or timber companies didn't much bother with long term planning of the areas where the work took place... It's part of the "harvesting" process for nonrenewable resources and while the boom and bust towns seem rational for a resource that is obtained from a desert or other inaccessible area, Northern Minnesota or Vermont where you're talking about is hardly inaccessible or desolate... The problem of corporations directing the mass of profit towards stockholders and CEOs is that those people collecting the profit off the activity obviously don't bother to improve the area where the resources are being obtained... So we have these towns in different areas that die off and then come back to life again in some cases, which is good but what I'm getting at is it would be in my opinion a lot better if corporations operated more in the framework of a planned directional objective, unfortunately that's what the Wall Street crew and other people running the financial circus call communism or socialism so we won't see any progress on THAT until cutthroat capitalism falls......

[@mrwaterschoot5617]

@@micnorton9487 i have to agree. capitalism made america great as demonstrated in wwII with the leaders like fdr and winston church and z a del swirl in. now have polit stalingrad. the allies won and it has been a rollercoaster ride with ups and down maga is political cow manure parry. america has to get better before america can become great again. and it will not be done by a humpster dumpster trumpster of faulty trump towers nor the smoking old joe biden father of the hunter biden crime syndicate.

[@RTC_Raven]

RIP Marvin Lamppa the Iron Range lost a great historian. I’m so glad he’s part of PBS documentaries.

[@ericknutson8230]

I agree, he was an awesome historian! He truly loved the history of the range and loved sharing it with all who wanted to listen. I wish someone could find Iron Country and put it on here, that is a wonderful series that Marvin did.

[@RTC_Raven]

@@ericknutson8230 I also would love to see the series again, I watched them all . He was a teacher in my high school . I moved before I was able to have him as a teacher, I know I would have learned a lot from him as a youngster as I did watching Iron Country .

[@dbcooper692]

My ancestors came from England, Ireland, and Norway and settled up at the range. My great grandfather was the mining superintendent at the Buhl Mind in the late 1800s and ran it until 1930. His name was Thomas Murphy. He and my great grandmother had nine children and lived in the nicest house in Buhl.

[@Jeffrey-Flys]

I knew your family... my grandfather owned the Mobile service station which was directly across the street from the Anderson House.

[@dbcooper692]

@@Jeffrey-Flys Irene Anderson was married to my uncle Jim Murphy. He played for the New York Yankees. Mary Anderson was Richard Anderson's grandmother. Richard was McGiver on a long-running TV show in the 1970s. I met him at my uncle Jim's funeral in 1962. Richard is about three or four years older than I. My uncle Albert Jacob's father was the sheriff of Buhl. I met some real characters when I visited Buhl in 1966. Do you remember Nuchie Malaro who ran the Moose Club? How about Spike Anderson or Sockless Barrett or Sidewinder Johson who was also a cop up in Buhl back in the day. Sidewinder use to wind up his arm and hit the drunk iron ore miners in the bars when it was time for them to go home???? I was born and raised in Southern California in 1953. I now live in Nevada CityCA. near Lake Tahoe. The last time I was in Buhl was in 1996 when I took my dad on a fishing trip up in Ely. I caught a twenty pound Northern on that trip.I still have family in the Twinn Cities. I have always had a very special love for Minnesota and the great people up in your state. God Bless you sir and please let me know if you remember any of the people I mentioned. I still might by a second home up around the range. Maybe on Lake Fourteen where my Great Grandparents had their cottage. One of my relatives still owns it but I am not sure who!! Happy Holidays!!!

[@kilobravo2373]

And you gave it all away to jump out of a plane with a sack of cash. Only to resurface on KZbin and give away identifying information on a documentary about the iron range. In the comment section. That checks out, i suppose. It is bizarro world now days.

[@dbcooper692]

@@kilobravo2373 Don't be so serious, life is short!!!

[@johnchalleen3278]

@@dbcooper692 I remember Richard, he attended school in St Cloud.

[@keaganguiley7285]

So glad to be from the iron range I grew up playing and swimming , cliff jumping in the old mines now I work in them

[@RTC_Raven]

Where’s your Dad Keegan? This is Amber and Amanda’s mom . I haven’t seen him in years. I miss him.

[@keaganguiley7285]

@@RTC_Raven last I heard he is in Hoyt lakes not sure tho don't talk to him

[@littbitterst2328]

My great grandfather, Paul Eagle Nelson, and my great grandmother, Carrie Nelson, lived in Orr. Their families came here from Norway. We visited them from the cities often in summer time. I really loved them. Eventually, I brought my 6 kids up to the range to live. My oldest son is now a millwright in the mines and doing so well for himself. I’ve often doubted myself for leaving the cities but this documentary has me feeling grateful and low key pretty proud that my kids and now grandchildren are being raised on the iron range. 😊 Thank you

[@s27gonier]

my grandfather was a Norwegian immigrant that married my grandmother, who was a full blood Ojibwe/Chippewa Native from the reservation closest to Orr, Mn. His last name was uncommon and not easy to pronounce, but my mom had always talked about him being the best dad and she was proud regardless of her heritage, with him being an immigrant and her coming from an interracial marriage with her upbringing.

[@christinafidance340]

You know I live in Delaware and yet I’m subscribed to the Duluth, MN’s local PBS station here on KZbin and have been watching all these documentaries and I’m really digging it! It’s super interesting to learn about the local history of different places. I know that my local PBS stations (WHYY Philadelphia/Wilmington, DE & NJTV out of New Jersey) are my absolute favorite channels to watch on television but now, through the internet it’s possible to watch programs from not just all over the country, but all over the world and its freakin AWESOME! I’m loving this channel! Thank you for broadcasting on KZbin.

[@samsngdevice5103]

[@casualsweater]

-Not a ton of folk who can enjoy things in that way, but we are :)

[@DSToNe19and83]

Haha, PBS north did a heck of a job with the whole series! I can’t blame yah! 🍻

[@rachellepisa4482]

I grew up in Eveleth and I have family still in Eveleth, Gilbert and Virginia. The last house I lived in with my mother in Eveleth was across the street from part of the Thunderbird mine and when I was a toddler my parents took us to the leonidas overlook in west Eveleth and I thought we were on the top of the world and everyone in my family has called it the top of the world ever since, it was always really fun bringing friends or serious boyfriends on the 3 hour trip up north to meet my family and to show them the mines and bring them swimming in Orebegon ❤

[@randomplayer7313]

Hello how are you Kevin's brother here

[@caroletomlinson5480]

In 1953 I spent a happy summer in a trailer on a hill between Lake Superior and Silver Bay. In 1958-1959, I attended school in Silver Bay, happily traveling by bus 45 minutes each way from Finland, with all the descendants of miners. My heart still belongs to this forest, where my Ojibwe ancestors lived for awhile, too.😢

[@casualsweater]

Much love to you & your ancestors :)

[@PerryPariah]

Beautiful, sacred land of which many hearts belong to. Sad will be the day it is reaped of the precious minerals contained within.😢

[@daltonlevy3581]

45 min bus ride? holy, now its a 20 min drive.

[@caroletomlinson5480]

LOL @daltonlevy3581 😆 Stopping every two miles to pick up kids on the way took a bit of time! It was a school bus 🚌 after all-and we were all part of the Boom (Boomers). Nice to hear from some Northerners to my comment a while back.👍🙋🏻‍♀️

[@daltonlevy3581]

@@caroletomlinson5480 i live on hwy 1 between finland and silver bay just before illgen falls, and i work at the taconite plant in silver bay, was watching trying to learn more about the hidden gems of the area and this came on, when i saw your comment i thought holy hell thats a long drive lol

[@fredfunk4049]

A wonderful documentary. Bringing a tear to eyes watching. Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Shared on a media site to show how hard Minnesota immigrants worked years ago.

[@zegotashalom3881]

Love it, as a Baby Boomer from the fifties this brings me some loving memories. I did not grow up within a Mining town, but this does bring me home, thanks for sharing and for the respect you show for these challenging but loving times. God Bless. God, Family and Country. 1776

[@robertsole9970]

I lived as a kid in a WV steel mill town that used that ore, and I’ll just say it....it stunk like acid metal and polluted everything in my hometown as they used the ore to make steel. The cancer rates were sky high and if you caught fish in the Ohio river they had tumors and were full of toxic metal like chromium and arsenic and lead. In the winter the top of the snow had a black sheen on it from the graphite particles falling from the sky. The roof and hoods of cars had their paint eaten away in two years from it. Clouds of toxic junk would sear your lungs. I’m not sure why people think the old days were so great. They were a polluted and toxic wasteland.

[@jac981]

If you feel so strongly about it you should probably stop using metal. I bet you drive a car so you are contributing to the pollution somewhere else

[@jac981]

? K?

[@rdallas81]

I agree..now it's plastic shit everywhere and rising cancer rates and more superfund sites where living there equals certain death. All this vanity is the reason boys think they are girls and men want to wear dresses.

[@toocutepuppies6535]

My mom used to pick crab apples from the trees left behind by those ghost towns and made the most delicious spiced apples, seeds and all! That was in the early 70's.

[@casualsweater]

That’s a beautiful memory. Thanks to you for sharing it.

[@markjeffels3327]

Love this movie! I grew up in a mining town in northern ontario. It's still there by the skin of its teeth. But it was a great place to live in the 60's and 70's!! Timmins, Ontario!

[@DSToNe19and83]

PBS north did a great job throughout the whole documentary series! Well done and thank you! 🍻

[@Biwabik223]

This show was great! So much history. I live in omaha, ne. and model the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range Ry. and I love the Iron Range.

[@s27gonier]

Mesabi Range

[@gingersnaptrack9337]

Wow, my grandfather worked these mines and lived with his family including my father in Hibbing, Minnesota. He died when I was a baby and I am thankful for this window into his world. Bob Dylan is pretty cool too.

[@sunray8136]

A business I worked in long ago had their first retail store in the same building in Dinkytown where Bob Dylan had an apartment somewhere in the back of the building

[@laurabartoletti6412]

One of the only places on Earth a person CAN be " older than the hills " around the towns. 🙂🙃

[@nedludd7622]

A touching documentary and I could relate to the Finnish family at the end as I grew up in a Finnish family in nearby Wisconsin in the 50's. It was in the countryside near Superior. My grandparents sure had their sauna and we would use it often. Also back then, they were the first ones to have a television, and before my parents got one, we would go there to watch a bit. It would have been interesting to hear more how people lived in the winter. Did the mines still operate. Winters there can be quite severe.

[@ladylo-fi6979]

It's sad the way these very hard working people were exploited by these mining companies. They didn't even own the land they lived on and had little control over their own fates. The towns they built such fond memories in were erased. I understand the nostalgia for simpler times, but wish there was a little more critical thought expressed about the economic system that did this to them and how unsustainable it is.

[@RTC_Raven]

A lot of the towns are still here. Some of the smaller locations aren’t but those houses were moved to a town, I live here on the Iron Range and we are Ranger Strong!!!😊😊

[@KensGarage.]

sigh......There is always one negative nancy

[@johnbaenen5386]

I agree with you but I guess it could be the very first condos or apartments just like people nowadays they live in their condos in their apartments and they don't even own them

[@johnbaenen5386]

I guess that is the first example of apartments for rent

[@jameswester333]

People came to the iron range seeking opportunities not available from where they came from. And they prevailed.

[@davidrasch3082]

As a native Chicagoan I value this series. Helps me understand my state.

[@ericag5346]

This isn't your state of you're a Chicagoan... Chicago is located in Illinois, this is about Minnesota...

[@davidrasch3082]

@@ericag5346 Born and raised in Chicago I now live in Minnesota.

[@casualsweater]

Ahaha y’all are funny :)

[@jamestownvirginia8463]

My family came from Ireland and we're farmers but I'll always be Minnesota strong and understand the things that happened up north. hockey got me an education in Michigan. I'll never forget home, thank you. Silver bay🤔🤔🤔🤔a bit of a mess. Born in 1960, Minnesota is beautiful!

[@pnwRC.]

Fantastic job producing this documentary!

[@jaxsonjaxen3700]

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[@aaravalan1355]

@Jaxson Jaxen Instablaster ;)

[@jaxsonjaxen3700]

@Aarav Alan i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and im trying it out atm. Takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@jaxsonjaxen3700]

@Aarav Alan It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thank you so much you really help me out !

[@aaravalan1355]

@Jaxson Jaxen No problem =)

[@davidlotti5407]

I’m a third generation iron ore miner my.maternal grandfather started mining at age 11 in silver an copper mines in Montana before coming to the iron range an working 40 years for US steels Oliver mining company my father came to the range through the CCC program an started working in the mines in 1941 he worked until 1977 when he was killed in a accident at the mine my 2 brothers an myself worked in the mines and it helped pay for our college educations I would eventually work for the Minnesota Department of Resources for 20 years at the Hill Annex Mine State Park as a Historical interpreter talking about the Mesaba Iron Range an Iron mining

[@expandhealthinc.1887]

Thank you for your service!

[@smokeylabo8736]

Although it was the largest, Mesabi was only one of three iron ranges in Minnesota. There is much more history to be uncovered.

[@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123]

Several years ago I was on a little road trip, camping by myself. On the trip up the north shore I would take each road to the right and I happened onto the taconite harbor & abandoned town, I had never heard of it and was fascinated. There was an old street light, a grown up road but could still see a curb and lines on the road, very few remnants but it prompted be to find out about it ! I dated a guy that lived in hibbing, I would drive over to see him but didn’t see much of the area, I want to go back over there and look around more !!! He lived in a beautiful old house and the town still has steam heat !!!! Gosh, I can’t wait for spring, going to take my camper and go look around over there !!!!

[@casualsweater]

You are a cool person.

[@rdallas81]

I live in a camper with my brother. One day we will visit some of these Ole places

[@rdallas81]

​@@casualsweaterso are you, friend

[@rmsavig2204]

Outstanding! Thank you.

[@jimstokes6742]

Really good program! Thanks for sharing.

[@philipmiles3410]

I miss the mine my dad was a miner from Wisconsin and it was called JCIC , it was an extension from the Minnesota mines and it was fascinating to see the miners hard at it blasting and seeing the iron ore was really interesting to see the operation . I sure as hell miss the mine it was good money .

[@paulsturgul5829]

Was the mine the Jackson County Iron Mine? That was operated in Black River Falls, by Inland Steel, for about 10-15 years in the 1970s. It was frar from the Lake Superior Iron Mining Districts.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

The snippet of video of an open pit mine from 1928 is amazing!

[@michaelguy5151]

Fascinating video.I could feel like I was almost there.

[@allandavis8201]

I can only imagine how difficult life was in the mining industry of the time, but it also strikes me that, unlike other countries mining industry, the workers were not as badly treated by mine owners, they had virtually everything provided for them, although I think that had more to do with productivity and profitability than humanitarian reasons, homes, schools, entertainment, supplies etc etc etc, but what strikes me is that vast sums of money was spent to provide all this “workers welfare” and the mine owners were, obviously,still making huge profits, and I was wondering if they ever had to return the land back to some semblance of its original form, filling open cast mine craters, sealing up pit shafts, removing old equipment etc????, In addition there were obviously going to be deaths, whether that was from natural causes, industrial accidents, or health conditions, so it follows that there would be cemeteries, did they move those to new locations????, it just strikes me that almost overnight some locations would close and very shortly after the company’s would move everything, lock, stock and barrel to a new location without missing a beat, and whole towns would move like swarms of bees, it must have been incredibly hard to keep doing that????. Thanks for sharing another interesting and informative documentary film with us all. Really enjoying the whole series of films. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@IronRangeOutlawBrigade]

Thanks for posting this ❤❤❤

[@brancsic]

Awesome documentary!

[@takeactionwestcoaster3521]

What a great documentary ,what history these people have and photos just great . Thanks for putting this up love history it how you learn about things again thanks

[@oceanrock733]

My great-Grandfather owned a mining company here, married a German immigrant and raised six children in Duluth. He grew up in Quebec, immigrated into the US in 1885, by rail. Started out in logging then mining. At first he struggled, couldn’t come up with a $50 payment on some land, and a guy named Rockefeller bought his land. He would go prospecting in Nova Scotia sometimes. He was on a prospecting trip up in Ontario, Canada with a buddy and a canoe, got lost in the wilderness for 28 days. He died from exposure two days after he was found, age 67.

[@rdallas81]

Wow!😊

[@davenkathy101]

I worked for Erie mining, Hoyt Lakes 76 to 77. Japanese steel was cheaper, union went on strike,I had leave, I needed a job, had a pregnant wife. The fools killed the company.

[@davidrasch3082]

Your experience is why we need a President like Trump who will revitalize the industry.

[@kenkunz1428]

You all should have stayed and worked for a starvation wage.

[@mrbuck5059]

Democrat ran unions fu ked that up.

[@RJFPme]

Unions only survive at the taxpayers expense.

[@kenkunz1428]

@@RJFPme Unions never receive taxpayer dollars, however the Corporations that Unions deal with routinely get tax giveaways.

[@jonrukavina9011]

I grew up in Marble, which is between Grand Rapids & Hibbing, Mn. I remember traveling with my parents through Cooley to get to Hibbing on the old Hwy. 169. They re-routed the hwy. several years ago & made it a 4-lane by-passing Nashwauk, Keewatin, Chisholm & now in later years Bovey on the west end of the range. My uncle & aunt used to live in McKinley which was mentioned toward the end. A few years ago my wife & I were on a trip from our home in the Twin Cities, stayed overnight in Eveleth. The next day we traveled through Gilbert & McKinley which has also been by-passed by Hwy. 135. Took me awhile to get my bearings having not been there in over 40 years but I eventually found the old hwy. & the big field where my uncle used to let us run his snowmobile. Memories.

[@paulinestickney4394]

Well done. I really enjoyed this.

[@acelynfury9992]

I've never heard that history before but Minnesota's Lost Mining Towns that history of Minnesota is getting interesting :)

[@Michael-wy3lr]

My dad used to take me to that area when I was young, and explain the history. The truth is, I was too young to really understand, so my focus was on collecting taconite pellets for my slingshot.

[@casualsweater]

That’s a beautiful memory. Thanks for sharing it.

[@brandonshudy789]

Me too!!! I had a leather pouch full of them!!

[@jsflagstad]

I picked up taconite pellets 150 miles south of there along the train tracks near my home. Not a one there now, and it was like gravel when I was a kid in the 1970's.

[@keaganguiley7285]

Yup good times me and my buddy's used to go to the rail road tracks and pick them up I'm from the iron range

[@jsflagstad]

@@keaganguiley7285 I'm guessing that they were falling off the cars as they headed south? Funny that even 150 miles south, that they were still falling off!

[@douglasmacomber6881]

First of all, thank you for this video!! I love history and this sure was full of history in less than and hour!!! Its a shame that those houses towards the end had to be tore down. And or let the fire department practice fire fighting. Really looks like a very secluded area? I was taking back how the boarding house had 3 shifts of the same room lol. That was like wow!! What happened if one was sick? Or for some strange reason the mining company had to shut down? Say there was a accident (example) where would all 3 men sleep who shared that room in shifts? I think to much but really?? Great video! very well put together and interesting!! Ty for sharing history of America!! These kids today haven't a clue what life was like 100 years ago and threw the 20 century. I had a shoe accessory factory in my house ( which my great uncle owned before my mom) it was in the basement. There were two motors (they actually still worked) with leather belts turning lathes and other equipment. Shoe machines of some sort? I was told 4 woman worked for him. I'll be honest the furnace had asbestos wrapped around it and all the pipes?? Wow first thing my mom did was have all of it removed!! Anyway I don't want to say were i grew up but it was shoe city biggest manufacturer's of shoes in the world. Slowly I watched beautiful brick buildings converted to condos and a lot torn down. Its a beautiful city and we've had a great mayor for decades now. Hes a visionary!!! I grew up @ a time when a lot of change was going on in the world! Some good some bad. Ty for the history lesson!!🇺🇸

[@johnconnell9836]

I spent a bunch of time visiting friends in McKinley during the 70s and 80s. My grandparents grew up around Virginia. I had family scattered across the Range. This brought back some good memories! Thank you.

[@joelleholsman9456]

Born & raised in Grand Rapids Minnesota. Which butts right up to the Iron Range. Lived in a few Iron Range towns, Bovey, Taconite,Taconite, and Coleraine. Grew up swimming in Tioga & Buckeye pits. Loved growing up in the beautiful area.

[@scottanderson7793]

Fascinating. I just moved to the Iron Range and the people here are the salt of the earth. Originally from California. Big, big change for the better.

[@deeeeeeps]

I'm thinking PLM stock is going to go up with all the copper that is going to be needed to supply the electrical energy surge. Minnesota makes up 70% of the iron ore for the USA a lot of copper is located here. I live in the Twin Cities and love going to the north shore...I'm mixed between buying stock and helping the company or not and hoping they fail because I love the area so much and would hate to see it ruined. It was formed 1.1 billion years ago and boundary waters is one of the last areas in the world that hasn't been touched/destroyed by humans.

[@jonrukavina9011]

Forgot to mention as in the later part of this documentary, I witnessed the moving of some homes from Calumet about 1 mile east of Marble to Marble in the late 60s because the blasting from the Hill Annex Mine in Calumet was getting too close to the homes mentioned so they lined 'em up in a row on the south side of Marble. Still there today.

[@amareshroy7732]

Am also a coal miner and salute all miners of all country for dedication for nations

[@harrygleason325]

My grandpa was a engineer for iron ranage and my dad grew up in hibbing has MANY stories about his time

[@christinafidance340]

Hibbing? Isn’t that where Bob Dylan is from? I’m not from around there. I’m watching from Delaware, lol.

[@casualsweater]

@@christinafidance340 you’re funny

[@wanderinginminnesota8591]

Same here!! My grandfather was too! And my dad was born there!

[@normanparthiban4383]

Couchsurfed with a family in the iron range. Met a lot of their friends and they all work in the mines. Really hospitable people.

[@zoey-nh2uk]

I’m just watching this because I’m from Minnesota

[@russellmarkley7536]

I worked with Forrest Koland at US Steel. He was my Track Boss. He always had a funny way of explaining things but a great teacher.

[@dbcooper692]

My uncle Jim Murphy played for the New York Yankees in the 1920s. He was married to Irene Anderson. Irenes sisters name was Marry Anderson. Marry Anderson was Richars Andersons grand mother. I think you all remember Richard Anderson as an actor in many movies and TV shows. His most popular was the 1970s tv show Macgyver.

[@ericag5346]

That's cool

[@mikahakkinen5651]

this was very intresting. my relative did emigrate from finland to minnesota early 1900. a have still relatives in minnesota

[@doubledanzaXX]

i like the guy who sounds like Abe Simpson

[@richardengelhardt582]

Great documentary

[@richardengelhardt582]

This was not long ago.

[@richardengelhardt582]

The Discovery Center is doing a fantastic job of local history and living archaeology.

[@charliecurfman8859]

Just too be alive as a young man through the closings. Wild.

[@janerkenbrack3373]

My family lived in Babbitt when I was born in 1960. We left n '66, but my sister stayed there. Babbitt had moved too. The original town (Old Babbitt), had been part of an early go at mining, but this was before taconite was profitable and the town withered. After the new processing became efficient, the mines built Silver Bay by Lake Superior, and built a new Babbitt down on the town potato field, then connected them together with a train to haul the ore.

[@lynlynch2168]

Mitchell Location was torn down when the DM&IR pulled out its track. Kitzille location hanging on my fingertips in 2019, but sadly to me it is losing

[@benmeneley4698]

My grandparents are Diane andLeroy Flug ....great great grandfather was Jasper Flug... Goodland and Pengilly area I love this place and will never leave

[@MrDorbel]

Super documentary, thanks. Boom and bust, that's the way it goes.

[@Minnesota454]

Tower and soudan on the north side of lake vermilion? Somethings wrong there😂

[@sunray8136]

Northern Minnesota is in my blood. Although my mom and dad moved down to the cities when they were young my favorite place is up there. It smells different up there. Different energy in the air. I don't go up there enough. Still got cousins living up there but most my uncle's and aunts are past on.

[@garylines5755]

I grew up in the iron range in Michigan very similar .

[@pandabear153]

Our Grandfather ran a restaurant and hotel called Holland Hotel and Restaurant in Virginia Mn. My siblings were born there too! However once he passed away the family moved out East in 1960s.

[@micnorton9487]

The guy at 38:00,, he got drafted out of one mining camp in 1940, and when he went back in 1945 he lived down the street... What would be absolutely surreal is thinking, the material to fight that war came from the mine that made his house move....

[@daveivonen1108]

As a child, I remember often stopping at Fraser location with my father. He was a coach at Chisholm High School. This was only a detour of a few minutes from our home in Chisholm. I am curious as to why it is considered a location of Buhl, as it is closer to Chisholm, and it's residents were educated at CHS.

[@charlesmullins3238]

I’m from eastern Ky and mining in my blood so Minnesota always been a place I’ve wanted to go see…

[@jurekolar9102]

Duluth history is in some way linked to me because my grand grand parents migrated to that city and they have been living there for the rest of their lives.....So many Slovenian people went there but we are such a small state in southern Europe that nobody knows of us....only 2 mil of population but we are hearty folks and are proud of our heritage....As so were my ancestors.....But when they visited their old country (Slovenia) they always told us how they are missing it......Small towns, no big industries to ruin landscape and enslave people to work for practicly nothing for all the time......I still remember them and as they passed away i will always have in mind their thoughts.....No matter where you go to seek your fortune, you will always have the link to your home.

[@stephen1515]

what size tire & lift do have on van?

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

My mom grew up in Harold Location. It wasn't there when we went there in the sixties. Her dad was a mine foreman, I think. On our visit there, an aunt with a beard, made us Cornish Pasties. They were delicious. I'm not sure how the Swedish and the Cornish got mixed. Mom was from Swedish stock. The Mesabi Range, quite a story to tell. I still have some Taconite balls somewhere in my memory box.

[@ecouturehandmades5166]

The pasties were the perfect lunch food; hash baked inside bread/pie crust. A real miners pasty had a pocket end with fruit filling - a sweet treat for Dad's long day in the underground mine! Good with the thermos coffee.

[@ericag5346]

An aunt with a beard? 🧔🏽

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

@@ericag5346 It was just the bottom of her chin, but quite full. It certainly made an impression. I remember it 55 years on.

[@ericag5346]

@@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm that's so interesting. I asked because within the context I wasn't sure if you meant bread haha. I once met a bearded lady, she was one of six in the world. It's quite rare.

[@rdallas81]

Well, today men have tits, and some even have vaginas, by choice and tax payers are forced to pay for it. They also indoctrinate your kids into these wicked perversions-and people can't figure out why things seem, well, OFF.​@@ericag5346

[@jeepcommiehunter176]

I grew up on lake vermilion. My folks owned vermilion beach resort back in the 70s went to school in tower! Moved out west colorado when i was 20 never looked back!

[@sunray8136]

I have relatives that own Polly's resort. There's an old huge rustic authentic cabin on that resort that my grandma spent her honeymoon in. I stayed in that cabin as a 11 year old w my family one summer vacation

[@keithsage1593]

My Grand Gather and Great Grand Father worked the Tower mine..1889.

[@wanderinginminnesota8591]

Soudan mine 😁 Tower was the town that had the whore house.😉 ….fact….

[@RTC_Raven]

PBS can you please upload Iron Country hosted by Marvin Llampa?? Thankyou

[@edgarsouthwold7358]

Does anyone know where to find the movie shown at 14:16 ?

[@chriswest8389]

Were there any mines or abandoned mines around walnut Grove, circa 1876 or so.

[@MrEyesof9]

holy crap 12:13 fella just described a literal COMPANY OF ENSLAVEMENT. We're even shown a photo of the armed guards. LOL @12:34 that photo is absolutely void of ANY and ALL joy! "You could tell by the looks of the peoples faces".... Should you, the reader here, opt not to apply your indoctrination of "how things were then" and instead simply view said photo..... pretty CRYSTAL CLEAR!

[@rdallas81]

Happened in every nation all through time. No different today just a different disguise

[@coolietoolie]

Good show. Too bad about the cursor and partial word on screen throughout.

[@whatsyourname4115]

Just south a little bit is Crosby,Cuyuna,Tromald mines lots of history in that area of Minnesota also. My Uncle watched my Grandfather die in Crosby.😞 my uncle tells amazing story’s about those times

[@tomtheplummer7322]

Home home on Da Range...

[@michaelmacgeorge1082]

Ya ya, home on da rainch don't cha know...

[@samsngdevice5103]

Where the deer and cantelope were...

[@Fireball-il7mr]

I worked for Forty, in the late 70s. Quite a personality, there.

[@bigmonmagoomba9634]

When I was a young kid in Duluth about 1960 I remember reading a help wanted ad in the paper for a school teacher on the Iron Range. “Must speak Finnish”, I remember it said.

[@miguelangelvalderrama1808]

I love those Bucyrus steam shovels.

[@rdallas81]

Awesome earth movers

[@DavidHuber63]

They left alot of garbage behind when they scurried to the bank

[@sunray8136]

A couple of my uncle's mined up there. One said there's things that went on that he could never talk about or they'd kill him. I'm assuming some miners were killed mining or by disgruntled other miner then they just made the body go away.

[@guybaker869]

My grandpa worked on the very 1st mine he retired from the mines Our family goes way back on the mines

[@BearBear1959]

I love my state of Minnesota

[@barrybuetel7843]

I don't see any reference on the map noting Elcor. My family, the Butala's had to move from Elcor to Gilbert.

[@asullivan4047]

Interesting/informative/entertaining. Excellent still-motion photography pictures. Enabling viewers to better understand what the orators & guest speakers were describing. Along with detailed maps & schematic diagrams.😉.

[@Jugga_Lotus]

Used to be an old gold mine somewhere between St.Charles and Elba MN. Never found it grandma told me that is “lost”/most likely flooded.

[@ericag5346]

You ever thought about flying a drone or looking on Google Earth to verify?

[@PerryPariah]

Alot has been "lost" over the years.. and or flooded. Why do you think the Army is in charge of the dams?? Seems Minnesota is RICH with minerals and someone knows it but wants to keep it a secret.

[@irenesieckert334]

I am old and I remember Sparta Location near Ely Lake beach

[@mebeasensei]

I want to know about mining communities. But they intrigue and sadden me. It is sad that things decline, but miners are always exploited. And this doco didn't mention much if anything about the environmental damage these mining operations caused, and the legal trials in the 1970s. Still, I'm intrigued and I find myself wanting the community to hang on. The idea of a community is nice. And when it is gone something goes with it.

[@MrEyesof9]

After seeing the methods and techniques used to mine ore post 1900... PLEASE explain to me how exactly, they mined all the brownstone block from say Duluth prior to 1900.

[@PerryPariah]

Some say that parts of North America may have been mined during the bronze age..

[@yamahonkawazuki]

this was reality tv before reality tv got the deservedly bad rap its got now

[@evafitzsimmons3407]

My mother’s parents came to America early 1900 from Finland. Her father worked in the mines and was killed in an accident in the mines. When. My mother and her twin sister were born the mother died. Their names Peter and Katherine Karila. My mother and sister were adopted

[@mrbuck5059]

I'm so glad I moved out of that state.

[@denverspin]

Why?

[@monmixer]

Things haven't changed much have they aside of the owners taking their money over seas to break every ones balls. Now they are back. some on let them all back in a few years ago. Allowed them to bring their money back. Not much has changed aside of it's hard to move up into income today just going on to work an make an honest living unless you do nothing but work all day 6 days a week.

[@mikehunt8375]

I live in the Adirondacks. Was the world's second Iron ore, magnetite, mining industry till the ore beds in Minnesota were discovered. It was cheaper to open pit mine then it was to tunnel mine. It's crazy to me most people including myself had never known the Adirondacks supplied so much ore! So much history through the Adirondacks with Bloomeries, foundries, tunnels, etc. Over the past couple years I've found some pretty amazing artifacts, spots, and amazing tunnels, all around me! I'm 41 and grew up in the Adirondacks, I explored spots when I was a kid and had no idea it was 1800s mining spots! Minnesota killed the mining industry for us. But still plenty of evidence all around if you know what to look for.

[@seameology]

There's a museum in Blue Lake that has the mining information. I never knew the reason it's no longer mined was because of Minnesota. I lived in the Adirondacks for seven years but am from Northern Minnesota. I'm back now.

[@DSToNe19and83]

“Burn the house down” Oh my, that’s a dang shame!

[@maegpye]

I would love to watch this but I need closed captioning. The CC on this video is a hot mess.

[@armedfarm3429]

How's the town of embarrass? doing, isn't that an old mining town. I always hear how cold it is in that town.

[@dickritchie2596]

Minnisoooota!!!

[@ericag5346]

My sister's families last name is Richie, they're from Minnesota ☺️ their grandfather was Italian.

[@dickritchie2596]

@@ericag5346 My handle is borrowed from a character in the movie True Romance with Christian Slater and Patricia Arquete. 🙂

[@ericag5346]

@@dickritchie2596 haha, ooh! Well then 😐🤣

[@BearManNorth]

Sorry ... Minnesnowta dare olie!