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Chisholm, Minnesota

Chisholm is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA. The population was 4,960 at the 2000 census.

U.S. Highway 169 and State Highway 73 are two of the main arterial routes in the city.

A mining town on the Mesabi Range, Chisholm was founded by Archibald Mark Chisholm.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.3 km²), of which, 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it (7.17%) is water.

Chisholm is in the center of the Mesabi Iron Range, one of the four iron ranges in the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota.

Chisholm is also the birthplace of Orvin David Thompson.

History

The site of Chisholm was first explored in 1892 by E.J. Longyear, inventor of the diamond drill, and for whom the lake in town is named. He founded the first mine in town, the Pillsbury. Later, Archibald Chisholm, who was living near Ely, migrated to Hibbing and founded the Chisholm mine there. In 1901, along with the Chisholm Improvement Community, plotted the town and had it incorporated as a village.

With a railroad line to Duluth and plenty of mining work available in and near town, the population of Chisholm grew rapidly, and by 1908, the town had more than 6,000 people and 500 buildings. On September 5, 1908, a fast-moving forest fire obliterated the town due to the dry conditions during the late summer and wood construction of nearly all the buildings in town. Many people sought escape by going into the lake. No one died in the fire. Afterwards, building codes were enhanced, and by the next summer, more than 70 fireproof buildings had been erected. Chisholm became a city in 1934.

References

Education

The Chisholm Independent School District draws students from the city of Chisholm and surrounding Balkan Township. The Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary School (named for the first two superintendents of the Chisholm school system) has classes for children from preschool through third grade. Chisholm Middle school has students in grades 4 through 6, and Chisholm High School has grades 7 through 12.

Chisholm high school sports teams (nickname: "Bluestreaks") participate in Class "A" of the Minnesota State High School League. Competitive varsity sports include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross-country running,,football, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, and volleyball. Chisholm students join with students in nearby Hibbing to participate in alpine skiing, golf, gymnastics, hockey (boys), hockey (girls), and tennis.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,960 people, 2,178 households, and 1,287 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,129 people per square mile (436/km²). There were 2,375 housing units at an average density of 540/sq mi (208.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.9% White, 0.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% from other races, less than one percent Pacific Islander, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. (Percentages may not add to exactly 100 due to rounding.) 12.8% were of Finnish, 11.9% German, 9.9% Slovene, 8.5% Italian, 8.4% Norwegian, 6.4% Irish and 5.8% French ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 2,178 households out of which 28% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44% were married couples living together, 11% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41% were non-families. 37% of all households were made up of individuals and 20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.9.

In the city the population was spread out with 22% under the age of 18, 8% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 22% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,472, and the median income for a family was $40,431. Males had a median income of $35,972 versus $21,406 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,204. About 6% of families and 12% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14% of those under age 18 and 11% of those age 65 or over.

Famous Chisholmites

Former major-league baseball player Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, featured in the motion picture Field of Dreams, although Chisholm scenes were actually filmed in Galena, Illinois.
Original family home and ostensible primary residence of U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar
Birth home of former U.S. Congressman John Blatnik
Former chief executive officer of Pepsico, Roger Enrico
Billionaire Philip Falcone.
2nd Wind Exercise Equipment founder and CEO Dick Enrico
World class heart surgeon Charles Gornick
2006 Winter Olympics men's curling bronze medalists Shawn Rojeski and John Shuster
University of Minnesota athletic director (since 2002) Joel Maturi
Original family home of Minnesota state representative and house majority leader Tony Sertich