Eveleth

Eveleth is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,718 at the 2010 census.[5]

U.S. Highway 53 and State Highway 37 (MN 37) are two of the main routes in Eveleth.

The city briefly entered the national news in October 2002, when U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, along with seven others, died in a plane crash, two miles away from the airport of Eveleth. It was also the site of the conflict that resulted in the court case Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co., and the film North Country, which was based on it. Eveleth is home of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Eveleth also is home to the Eveleth-Gilbert High School, a school in the Rock Ridge Public Schools.

Eveleth is part of the Quad Cities of Virginia, Gilbert, and Mountain Iron.

The Village of Eveleth was platted on April 22, 1893, originally located approximately 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 was moved to its present location. The village was incorporated as a city in 1902.[6] 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 to act as commander-in-chief. Eveleth would also have its first paper, called The Eveleth Star, the same year.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total 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.[7]

Eveleth is in the Duluth MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area according to US Census Bureau

The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Dfb". (Warm Summer Continental Climate). Summers are warm and winters are cold.[8]

As of the census[3] 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 people per square mile (235.7/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 located on the Mesabi Range, one of sub-regions within Minnesota's Iron Range. The town's economy has always been tied to the iron ore mining and processing which occurs in the area. This economic activity peaked during World War II and declined through the second half of the 20th century. A resurgence of demand for iron ore occurred in the 2005-7 timeframe. However, the local economies experienced only mild improvement due to improved mining productivity, which allowed demand to be met with only a modest increase in staffing levels.

Located within the city limits is the Thunderbird Mine, an iron ore mine producing crude ore processed into 5.5 million tons of iron ore "taconite" pellets per year. Opened in 1965 by Eveleth Taconite Company, a subsidiary of the Oglebay-Norton and Ford Motor Companies. The mine is now (2010) operated by United Taconite LLC, a subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources. The ore is magnetite-bearing iron formation of the Paleoproterozoic Biwabik Iron Formation. Ore is crushed at the mine site, and shipped by railroad to the Fairlane Plant in Forbes, MN,[13] for concentrating and pelletizing.

Eveleth at one time was one of a handful of U.S. cities with side-by-side water towers labeled "HOT" and "COLD". Eveleth no longer has two such water towers.[14]

An airplane carrying U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and members of his family crashed into a dense forest about two miles from the Eveleth Airport on October 25, 2002. Senator Wellstone and seven others died in the airplane crash. The crash occurred less than two weeks before Sen. Wellstone was to face re-election to the U.S. Senate.[15]

The United States Hockey Hall of Fame is located here (not to be confused with the Hockey Hall of Fame, in Toronto). The city has long been noted as a powerhouse of hockey talent. They have won several state championships, the latest being 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.

Frank Brimsek was born here in 1913. He was a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie. Also born here were John Mariucci (in 1916) and John Mayasich (in 1933). More recently, Eveleth produced Mark Pavelich, who played on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that memorably defeated the Soviet Union (depicted in the movie Miracle about the Miracle on Ice) and Finland en route to a gold medal. Eveleth also has the" world's largest authentic hockey stick", standing at 107 feet and weighing 3 tons.