Iron Range Historical Society

The Iron Range Historical Society is a historical society, museum and research library located in Gilbert, Minnesota, United States. A non-profit organization, the Iron Range Historical Society exists on the donations and efforts of volunteers. The Iron Range Historical Society was incorporated in 1973. Prior to coming to Gilbert, the Iron Range Historical Society was located in Biwabik and Aurora. The Iron Range Historical Society has a collection of more than 20,000 photographs in 80 albums, in addition to old newspapers and directories of people who lived in the larger Iron Range cities dating from 1899 until recent times. Other artifacts onsite and in storage include books, photo displays and office machinery, vintage clothing, logging and mining artifacts, and other material of archeological, geological or historical significance. The mission of the Society is to "collect, preserve and share" these materials. The Iron Range Historical Society publishes four newsletters annually entitled Range Reminiscing, in addition to other publications. An Orchid Award was received from the Mesabi Daily News for the publication of their 2009 book Iron Range Beauty. The Iron Range Historical Society is also responsible for the oversight of several off-premises attractions. One of these, the Longyear Drill Site, has recently completed renovation. The Iron Range Historical Society also made efforts in 1976 to save the last remaining smokestack at the Corsica Mine near Elcor, Minnesota. Architecturally significant, it was built by Cornish men of the mining industry in 1901 and was the last of its kind on the Iron Range. In 2010, the Iron Range Historical Society was awarded a Legacy Grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to broaden accessibility to their newspaper records, and a grant from the Eveleth Area Community Foundation for the publication of their 2015 book Iron Range Ghost Locations. The Iron Range Historical Society is located in the old Gilbert City Hall at 19 South Broadway Street in Gilbert, Minnesota. The future of the Iron Range Historical Society was in question for a time due to the sale of the old Gilbert City Hall. The museum houses information from all three of Minnesota's Iron Ranges.