Eveleth Heritage Committee is one
of two Independent Councils of the Laurentian Chamber of
Commerce.
The mission
of the Eveleth Heritage Committee is to help maintain and
expand the economic vitality of the community by supporting
and promoting the preservation and interpretation of the
culture, history, and heritage of Eveleth.
The Beginnings
The first appearances of the "Misabay
Heights" on any map was on the one published by J.N.
Nicollet in 1841. Later, government surveyors reported the
occurrence of iron in scattered areas of this region. In his
1866 report, Harry H. Eames, the first Minnesota state
geologist made specific reference to iron ore in the Mesabi
district.
Perhaps the most authoritative
account of the early history of Eveleth was related by Mr.
David T. Adams, one of the early settlers, who resided in
Eveleth into the 1920s. Mr. Adams maintained that ore was
found in the Eveleth group of mines as far back as 1883,
when his attention was called to the possibility of an iron
range existing on the southeastern slope of the Missaba
Heights and the discovery of drift ore on the eastern end of
the Range.
In August 1891, a cyclone passed
over the Mesabi Range uprooting many huge pine trees and
exposing some iron deposits. This led to the discovery of
ore in the Biwabik area (East of Eveleth). With an earlier
(1890) discovery of iron in the vicinity of Mountain Iron
(Northwest of Eveleth), many prospectors expected the iron
formation to be found on a straight line connecting Biwabik
and Mountain Iron. However, geological shifting has caused a
bend (or "horn") in the alignment to include the area where
Eveleth now sits.
The recorded discovery of
deposits of ore in the Eveleth area occurred in July 1892,
when Mr. Adams was using a spring pole drill. However, it
was not until the October 1892 that the Adams Mining Company
was formed. The discovery of ore deposits and formation of
the Adams Mining Company are generally considered the
beginning of Eveleth. In the Winter of 1892-93 the Adams
Mining Company employed 45 men in the mine.
Village
of Eveleth
On April 22, 1893 the first plat
of the Village of Eveleth was filed with the Register of
Deeds (reporting a population of 200 residents). The plat
was about a mile southwest of the present location, on land
then included in the Adams-Spruce Mine (Douglas Avenue
between Jones and Monroe Streets). Other discoveries (Cheeseborough,
Cloquet, Vega, and Fayal Mines) are now part of the
Adams-Spruce Mine. There is speculation that the plat was
prepared in the Fall of 1892 but could not be filed until
Spring Thaw in 1893.
The name of Eveleth was adopted
in honor of Erwin Eveleth, a timber cruiser employed by
Robinson & Flinn, who owned that lands upon which the city
is now located. Robinson & Flinn was interested in the great
white pine forest that covered the area. When Mr. Eveleth
reported erratic behavior of his compass (due to the
presence of iron) Robinson & Flinn reserved the mineral
rights when the timber was sold. At that time there was no
knowledge how vast the iron ore deposits were that were
underlying the hills and lakes of these lands covered with a
great white pine forest. An old story states that some of
residents want to name the city after Mr. Robinson, but Mr.
Adams suggested the name "Eveleth" because it could be
easily pronounced by the many Scandinavians who were coming
to the area to live.
Unfortunately, the disastrous
financial panic of 1893 almost coincided with the founding,
and the tiny settlement was hard-pressed to survive. No new
buildings were added to the four or five that formed the
nucleus, and at times food was so scarce that residents were
reported to have existed solely on moose meat. Mail service
at this time was practically discontinued; the only letters
to arrive came by way of Virginia, Minnesota (6 miles [10
Km] to the North), and dog sled.
In 1895, ore was discovered
beneath the town site and five years later the village was
moved to its present location. Men of all nationalities
worked side-by-side in the mines.
City of
Eveleth
In 1902 the community was
incorporated as a City of the Fourth Class, operating under
a home rule charter.
Mining was Eveleth's chief
industry for many years. The open-pit method was the favored
process here. Visitors can still view the colorful man-made
excavations, from which depths millions of tons of iron ore
have been taken and hauled by rail to Duluth (60 miles [100
Km] to the South). The Adams-Spruce Mine was operated by
both underground and open-pit methods. The Leonidas Mine,
the deepest underground mine in the world at that time, had
reached a depth of over 650 feet (200 meters). Today, with
the development of a low-grade ore called taconite, mining
is again Eveleth's chief industry.
On June 16, 1906, construction
on the present City Hall was completed and a time-capsule
placed in one corner. On June 16, 2006, the time-capsule
will be opened at a ceremony at City Hall.
This is a
continuing story of how we developed an grew. As time and
research permit, we will add to the information we have. If
you have information of historical interest to share
concerning Eveleth, please contact the Rick. You also may
mail your information to:
