Facts & History
- Located In: St. Louis County in Northern Minnesota and established in 1893 by Frank Hibbing.
- Known As: The Town That Moved, The Grand Canyon of the North - World's Largest Open Pit Iron Ore Mine, and the Iron Capital of the World
- Home of: Greyhound Bus Museum, Hibbing Historical Society and Museum, Hull Rust Mine View, Paulucci Space Theatre, Bob Dylan Collection and Exhibit
- Former home to:
- Bob Dylan
- Kevin McHale
- Vincent Bugliosi
- Roger Maris
- Jeno Paulucci
- Rudy Perpich
- Gary Puckett
- Dick Garmaker
Annual Events
- Winter Frolic
- Last Chance
- Blast from the Past Car Show (1st Sunday in June)
- Gallery Hop
- Hibbing Jubilee
- Labor Day Shootout
- Spirit of Unity Parade
Hibbing History
Hibbing is located in the Northeast region of Minnesota in St. Louis County. Once called the "Iron Capital of the World", Hibbing traces its origins to a strong, viable mining industry.
The community was established in 1893 by German miner Frank Hibbing, who discovered iron ore nearby. In the 1920's, the town moved two miles south to its present location after iron ore was discovered under the city's old location. Building by building, using steel wheels and logs, Hibbing was moved to where it stands today. The move started in 1919, and took many years to complete. More than 180 houses and 20 businesses eventually relocated to their current sites, costing about $16 million.
What remains of historic Old Hibbing is now home to the Hull Rust Mahoning Mine View and a model airplane field. There is also a large park that is used for summer events. The foundations of many buildings are still in place and signs are posted with information about the buildings that were there before the town moved south.
Hibbing is known for several famous former residents, including music great Robert Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan. Other notables include former Boston Celtics basketball player Kevin McHale, who upon retirement coached the Minnesota Timberwolves; Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor in the Charles Manson case who later became an acclaimed author; and baseball player Roger Maris, who held Major League Baseball's single-season home-run record for 37 years; and entrepreneur Jeno Paulucci.
The mining companies helped Hibbing rebuild itself by building the City Hall and the high school. City Hall was constructed in 1923 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hibbing High School was constructed from 1920 to 1925 at a cost of $3.9 million.
Hibbing Centennial Fountain
The Centennial Fountain is located on the front lawn of City Hall and is surrounded by 4,484 engraved bricks. These bricks are engraved with the names of people and businesses with connections to Hibbing. The walk way also features a memorial to the victims of Flight 5719.