# Hibbing, MN and environs



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

OK, I've talked about Hibbing since I think my first day here. Thought I'd post some pics....more to come!

This isn't actually in Hibbing, it's in a nearby town where we're staying.










Betsy


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I hope all the ice has finally melted?


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## sstroble (Dec 16, 2013)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> OK, I've talked about Hibbing since I think my first day here. Thought I'd post some pics....more to come!
> 
> This isn't actually in Hibbing, it's in a nearby town where we're staying.
> 
> ...


Are you from Hibbing?
The photo reminds me of the old Hamm's beer commercials.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

sstroble said:


> Are you from Hibbing?
> The photo reminds me of the old Hamm's beer commercials.


My mom was from Hibbing. She left in 1943 to come to Washington, DC to be one of the "government girls" during WW2. Met my dad and raised her family there and in the burbs. But Hibbing remained the center of the known universe and I am contractually obligated to work Hibbing into as many conversations as possible.




NogDog said:


> I hope all the ice has finally melted?


LOL! In the 50s to low 60s today.

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The house Bob Dylan grew up in. He was born in Duluth but grew up in Hibbing. My cousin lived here for a while.









We visited the Greyhound Bus Museum. It's the 100th Anniversary of the Greyhound bus. The first bus went from Alice to Hibbing.









And my mom's alma mater, the "million dollar high school," Hibbing High School.









Betsy

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## sstroble (Dec 16, 2013)

Thought Hibbing sounded familiar. Remember reading that it had a huge impact on Dylan.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

"And when you're talkin' about Dylan,
He thinks you're talking about Dillon Thomas,
Whoever he was.
The man ain't got no culture!"


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

thought of betsy while flying home from seattle.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Hibbing cannot be left off the map!

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I just realized I never posted more pics...

Hibbing is also the site of the largest open pit iron ore mine in the world. Or at least that's what we were always told growing up. Don't know if that's still true...

Hibbing is in what's known as the Iron Range. Ore from the Iron Range (60% pure) went to the ships and armament for two world wars and then was largely depleted. Eventually, in the 60s, a process for getting iron from less rich ore, known as taconite and about 30-40% pure, was developed. It didn't become an economically feasible method until really, the 90s when the price of iron went up enough to cover the manufacturing process. And even then, the people working on the mines only worked about six months a year. Now, though, the mines are working year round, which is good for the economy up there.

When I was a kid, these big holes weren't as big and they were totally active. Then, in the 90s, they went kind of dormant and the water level rose. The last time we were in Hibbing, over five years ago, there was a LOT of water in the bottom of the pits. The bottom in the second picture was totally flooded. Now that the taconite plants are working round, they've pumped the water back out of the most of the mine and are processing the ore in the bottom.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I just realized I never posted more pics...
> 
> Hibbing is also the site of the largest open pit iron ore mine in the world. Or at least that's what we were always told growing up. Don't know if that's still true...
> 
> ...


Gosh, didn't all that water rust out the iron? 

At last we see the real Hibbing.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> Gosh, didn't all that water rust out the iron?
> 
> At last we see the real Hibbing.




All the red part is rusty dirt, the black part is new digging.

You are actually seeing the real Hibbing. Hibbing used to be located where the mine is. They moved the whole town to get at more iron in 1919-1921.

Betsy


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