Split Rock Lighthouse - 1910
Lake County was founded on February 20, 1855, as Superior County,
though its name was changed on March 3, of that year to Saint Louis
County. On March 1, 1856, Saint Louis County became Lake County, while
Newton County to the west was renamed Saint Louis County.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the
area had long been inhabited by Native American groups. At the time of
European contact, the principal Native American groups in the region were
Ojibwe (also called Anishinabe or Chippewa). The economy of these groups
was based on hunting, fishing and gathering, with wild rice being of
particular importance. The first Europeans to explore the area were the
French in the late 17th century who were followed by trappers, fur traders,
missionaries, and explorers.
Beaver Bay was the first city in Lake County in 1855.
In 1868, iron ore was discovered on
Vermilion Range by George Stuntz. In 1884, the first shipment of ore
left Agate Bay, marking Minnesota's entry into the iron ore industry. During
the late 1880s, commercial fishing began on Lake Superior with the coming of
Swedish and Norwegian immigrants to the North Shore. In 1890, the Merritt
brothers discovered the
Mesabi Range. The
Two Harbors Lighthouse was built on Agate Bay in 1892. Ten years later,
five Two Harbors businessmen signed the articles of incorporation for a new
mining company named 3M.
The 3M Corp, which today has over
70,000 employees worldwide and produces more than 50,000 adhesive household
products, now has its headquarters in Saint Paul. In 1906, the
Court House, which stands to this day, was built.
1880 Census /
Beaver Bay District 95
1900 Census /
Fall Lake District 91
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