Facts about Minnesota
Minnesota….What does that mean?
The name “Minnesota”, was adapted from the Dakota Sioux Indian language. In the Sioux language, “minne” is water, and “sota” is “sky-tinted” or “cloudy sky”. It was originally used in reference to the Minnesota River, and was the basis for the name of the State of Minnesota.
Nicknames:
North Star State; Gopher State; Land of 10,000 Lakes
Organized as Territory:
March 3, 1849
Entered Union:
May 11, 1858 (32nd State)
Total area:
86,938 sq. mi. (12 largest State in the U.S.A.)
Highest Point:
Eagle Mountain, Cook County, 2297 ft.
Lowest Point:
Lake Superior shore, 602 ft
Did you know that?
• A person may not cross state lines with a duck atop his head. • Citizens may not enter Wisconsin with a chicken on their head • It’s illegal to tease skunks. • Hamburgers may not be eaten on Sundays. (St. Cloud) Source: Minnesota Fun Facts
Facts about Chisholm
Chisholm, known as the heart of the Iron Range, began to boom in the early 1900’s. A fire nearly wiped out the community in 1908, but the perseverance of the townspace carried the through. The city was rebuilt and continues to celebrate this “rebirth” with their annual Fire Days Celebration in September. Today, Chisholm’s population is just shy of 5,000 people. Hibbing History Early History Hibbing was founded in 1893 by the town’s namesake, Frank Hibbing. Hibbing was born in Hannover, Germany on December 1, 1856 and was christened Frans Dietrich von Ahlen. His mother died when he was still in infancy and it was her name, Hibbing, which he assumed when he set out to seek his fortune in the New World. In 1887, Mr. Hibbing settles in Duluth where he established a del estate business and began explorations on the Vermillion Range. In 1892, he headed a party of third men at Mountain Iron and cut a road through the wilderness to Section 22, 58-20. An expert iron ore prospector, he soon discovered the surface indication which led him to believe in the existence of extensive ore deposits. In July 1893, the townsite of Hibbing was laid out and named in honor of him. feeling personally responsible as Hibbing’s creator, he took the deepest pride in its development and, by his generous aid, made its progress possible. He used his personal means to provide a water plant, electric light plant, the first roads, hotel, sawmill, and bank building. For the last ten years of his life Mr. Hibbing made his home in Duluth where many of his business interests were centered. He retained close contact with the community which bore his name, until he died of appendicitis on July 30, 1897 at age forty. Hibbing Heights was platted in 1908, which was annexed by Alice in 1910, when Alice incorporated as a city. Between 1919 and 1921, the Village of Hibbing relocated immediately south of Alice and then annexed Alice in 1920. Hibbing remained a village until 1979 when the Town of Stuntz was annexed. An Article of Incorporation was filed in July 1979 with the state and Hibbing became a city from that action in January 1980. Hibbing is home to the world’s larger iron ore mine, which was discovered by Leonidas Merritt. Hibbing grew rapidly in its early years as the huge iron ore mines such as the Mahoning, Hull, Rust, Sellers, and Burt provided the raw material for America’s industrial revolution. In fact, the mines encroached on the village from the east, north and west and it was determined that some of the ore body actually went under the town whose population had hit 20,000 by 1915. Negotiations between the Oliver Mining Company and the village finally brought about a plan whereby the entire village would relocated to a site two miles south near Alice. The company, for its part, agreed to develop the downtown buildings with low interest loans what could be paid off one there years by retailers. In all, about 200 structures were moved down the First Avenue Highway, as it was called, to the new city. These included a store and even a couple of large hotels. The move started in 1919 and the first phase was completed in 1921. Known today as “North Hibbing”, this area remained as a business and residential center through the 1940s when the mining companies bought the remaining structures. The last house moved in 1968.
Famous songwriter/performer Home Grown in Hibbing Bob Dylan Hibbing was the boyhood home of songwriter/musician Bob Dylan. Born on May 24,1941, he was named Robert Allen Zimmerman. His parents, Abraham and Beatty (Stone) Zimmerman had one other child, David. They brought their children up in a Jewish household. Friends and family tell stories of Bob’s singing performances beginning at a very early age. Two of his first remembered public performances were at the age of four, when he sang at Mother’s Day Celebration and an aunt’s wedding in Duluth. The Zimmerman family moved to Hibbing in 1948, when Bob was seven old. He attended public school and began playing the guitar while he was in junior high school. He became increasingly interested in rock ‘n roll and formed several local bands during his teenage years. These included the Golden Chords, The Shadow Blasters, Elston Gunn, The Rock Boppers and The Satin Tones. They performed at community talent shows, Moose Lodge meetings, local cafes and the St. Louis County Fair. For most of Bob’s life in Hibbing, he resisted at 2425 7th Avenue East. he graduated from Hibbing High School in 1959 ( The 1959 yearbook is locked in a cabinet at Hibbing Public Library) and moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota. In 1960, Bob dropped out of the University and moved to New York. His first album, Bob Dylan was released in 1962. THat year, he legally changed his name from Robert Allen Zimmerman to Bob Dylan. Since that time, Dylan has released numerous recordings, received international acclaim for his songwriting and became a legend among musicians. November 22, 1965, Dylan married Sara Lowndes. Their first son, Jesse Byron Dylan was born in 1966 followed by his sites Anna in 1967. Bob returned to Hibbing for a short time to attend the funeral of his father Abraham who died on June 5, 1968. Dylan’s next son, Seth Abraham Isaac, was born that next month. Sara and Bob’s youngest son, Samual, joined the family in 1969.
Other well-known Hibbing Area People • Andrew “Bus Andy” Anderson – Founder of Greyhound • Richard Dean Anderson – Actor on McGyver Series – Buhl • Lud Andolsek – Federal Official, Chisholm • Arthur Ballet – Theater Arts • John Blatnik – Congressman, Chisholm • Pal Brown – Pro Boxer • Vincent Bugliosi – Author/Attorney (Helter Skelter, The Sea Will Tell) • Geno Cappelietti – Pro Football, Keewatin • John Carroll – Business • Tony Charmolli – Choreographer • Bob Collyard – All American Hockey • Judy Garland – Entertainer, Grand Rapids • Dick Garmaker – Basketball • Mrs. Pierre Godart – Dress Designer, Chisholm • Frank Hibbing – Founder of the City of Hibbing • Dorothy Hurlbert – First Bookmobile • Helen N. Kenyon – Entertainer • Roger Maris – Baseball • Kevin McHale – Basketball, Celtics, Timberwolves • Eddie Miller – All American Hockey • Jack Nelson – Pro Football • Jeno Paulucci – Entrepreneur Businessman • Rudy Perpich – Governor of Minnesota • Peter Popvich – MN Supreme Court Chief Justice • Gary Puckett – Entertainer, Gary Pucket & The Union Gap