Discover the Community Spirit of Biwabik, Minnesota

The economy of Biwabik is historically rooted in the mining industry, which continues to play a vital role in the town's economic landscape. The presence of major employers such as United States Steel Corporation's Minntac mine ensures economic stability and provides numerous job opportunities for residents. Additionally, tourism significantly contributes to the local economy, driven by attractions like the Giants Ridge Recreation Area, which offers year-round activities and draws visitors from across the state of Minnesota and beyond.

Biwabik is served by the Mesabi East School District, known for its commitment to providing quality education. Mesabi East Elementary and High School, located in nearby Aurora, offers a comprehensive curriculum and a range of extracurricular activities, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience for students. Higher education opportunities are available at nearby Minnesota North College - Mesabi Range, which offers various programs including Construction Management and Supervision and Entrepreneurship that cater to the diverse educational needs of residents.

Biwabik, Minnesota is home to Giants Ridge Recreation Area, a year-round outdoor recreation destination that boasts two championship golf courses, world-class skiing and snowboarding trails, and scenic hiking and biking trails. Giants Ridge is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking, golfing, and fishing in the warmer months. The picturesque Embarrass Lake offers opportunities for fishing, boating, and picnicking.

With the Mesabi Trail connecting the community to Giants Ridge and the Vermilion Trail Campground on Embarrass Lake in one direction and all the way to Grand Rapids in the other, this scenic city is a destination any time of year. ATV and snowmobile trails lead to the east and connections in Aurora and Hoyt Lakes with great views on the way, and west to the Off Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in Gilbert.

Healthcare needs in Biwabik are served both by the nearby Essentia Health-Northern Pines medical facility in Aurora, which provides a range of services to the community, and the larger hospitals and medical centers in Virginia and Duluth.

Biwabik is conveniently located in St. Louis County, approximately 60 miles north of Duluth and about 15 miles east of Virginia. The town's strategic location provides easy access to both the amenities of larger cities and the tranquility of the countryside. Biwabik is accessible via State Highway 135, which connects to U.S. Highway 53, facilitating smooth travel to nearby cities and attractions. For those requiring air travel, Duluth International Airport is the nearest major airport, offering various flights to different destinations.

Located on the Mesabi Iron Range in the valley of the Embarrass River, Biwabik inherited its name from the Ojibwe Indian tribe who once roamed the surrounding lands hunting for meat and foraging for berries. Loosely translated, Biwabik means 'iron' or 'valuable' in the Ojibwe dialect and the town was likely named as a result of the rich iron ore mines of the surrounding region. Several Indian burial mounds have been discovered in the area which now encompasses Biwabik, indicating that this area may once have served as an Indian camping ground. European fur traders flocked to this region in the 19th century due to its wealth of furs, natural resources and the numerous waterways which helped make the terrain easy to traverse.

Around the time of the Civil War in 1865 and 1866, the area was inundated with gold hunters looking to cash in on the reputed gold fields of the Mesabi Iron Range and the Lake Vermilion district. The gold prospectors were succeeded by miners seeking the rich deposits of iron ore throughout the region, but Biwabik didn't emerge as true stronghold until 1891 when miners discovered a rich, high-grade blue ore in what was to become the Biwabik Mine.