Mountain Iron Historical Marker– Mountain Iron, MN
N 47° 31.961 W 092° 37.327
15T E 528441 N 5264430
The Mountain Iron Historical Marker stands near the statue of Leonidas Merritt in downtown Mountain Iron.
Waymark Code: WMGA2K
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 02/04/2013
Views: 1
The Mountain Iron Historical Marker stands near the statue of Leonidas Merritt in downtown Mountain Iron. The text reads:
“The Merritt brothers made the first discovery of iron ore on the Mesabi Range in 1890, declaring it a “mountain of iron.” With this find, their prospectors’ camp lost its temporary aspect and began to swell in size and importance. On October 17, 1892, the village of Mountain Iron was incorporated, an event coinciding with the first shipment of iron ore from the Merritt-owned Mountain Iron Mine*. The Duluth, Missabe, and Northern Railway Company was established to transport ore from the Merritt operations to ore docks in Superior, Wisconsin. In trying to extend their railroad into Duluth, the Merritts overextended their financial capabilities. This was their undoing. Eventually, they lost everything to John D. Rockefeller, who invested heavily in the railroad venture with Merritt holdings as collateral.
“Despite the Merritts’ fate, the town continued to proper. By 1915, a new village hall was constructed along with an elegantly finished Carnegie Library. They, along with the original railroad depot and historic structures and sites, including the Leonidas Merritt home, are part of the Mountain Iron history tour. An overlook provides the view of the historic Mountain Iron Mine, in operation from 1892 to 1908 and 1942-1956.”
*National Register of Historic Places.
Marker Type:: City
|
Visit Instructions:
A photo of the 'Marker' or 'Plaque' is required to identify the location, plus a picture of the 'Historic Site'.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|