Mining and hockey run deep in the Eveleth community
Eveleth, since the late 1800s, has had mining at the forefront, which is home to the United Taconite mine, operated by Clevland-Cliffs. “It’s a mining community, and similar to Virginia, it has affordable housing,” says Realtor Riley Lind with eXp Realty, who grew up in the area. Eveleth is part of the Quad Cities in the Mesabi Iron Range, which also includes Virginia, Mountain Iron and Gilbert, with Virginia being the commerce center of the four.
For more than 100 years, hockey has also identified this community, which has produced dozens of NHL and Olympic Hockey players. “A lot of people play hockey in high school; we have the world’s largest hockey stick and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame," Lind says. "Hockey is just a big deal here.”
Houses from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s
Eveleth has a grid-pattern residential layout with many streets named after former presidents. A majority of houses were built between the late 1800s and mid-1900s. Some of the oldest houses include bungalows, American Foursquares and national-style architecture. Midcentury, ranch-style homes and split-leves are also common. A lot of homes are a few feet apart with small yards. In the southeast corner, houses are a bit more spaced out on approximately quarter-acre lots. The median sale price for a home is nearly $180,000.
Hockey at Eveleth Hippodrome, curling and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
The hockey community is centered around the Eveleth Hippodrome, an indoor hockey arena that opened in 1922. It’s home to the Minnesota Wilderness, an NAHL junior hockey team that competes nationwide. Eveleth is also home to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, which honors legendary American Hockey Players. It’s right next to the Range Recreation Civic Center, where the Curl Mesabi curling club meets. The Mesabi Trail runs through Eveleth, which leads 162 miles through the Iron Ridge range. Downtown is home to the “World’s Largest Hockey Stick,” a point of pride for locals. It’s where the community gathers to celebrate Thunder Over Eveleth Fourth of July to enjoy live music, food trucks and fireworks.
Local eats and hockey-themed hangouts define Eveleth dining
Eveleth’s downtown area is about one block long with a few small businesses. Locals can get a slice from Snickers Pizza Shop and try its famous raspberry inferno chicken wings. Residents also enjoy going to Roosevelt Bar for drinks and billiards. A few more restaurants are on the other side of town on Hat Trick Avenue, including The Rink Sports Bar & Grill. The hockey-themed restaurant has TVs for watching NHL games, a bubble hockey game and hockey memorabilia on the walls. Boomtown, a Minnesota chain, is just up the road and is known for its woodfire-grilled meats. Eveleth has some convenience stores, but locals head to the big-box retailers in Virginia for everyday groceries.
A competitive hockey team at Rock Ridge High School
Kindergarten through sixth grade students may attend Laurentian Elementary School, which Niche has not yet graded. Students in grades 7th through 12th go to the B-graded Rock Ridge High School, which was formed in 2022 by combining the student bodies of the former Virginia High and Eveleth-Gilbert High schools. Several NHL players went to both former high schools. Since opening, the Rock Ridge Wolverines hockey team has already appeared in one state championship. The team’s head coach is Matt Niskanen, a Stanley Cup champion who grew up in the city of Virginia.
U.S. 53 to Virginia, Duluth and Canada
U.S. Route 53 is the main highway in town and leads about 7 miles to Virginia. It runs 60 miles to Duluth, which takes about an hour drive. Travelers can fly out of Duluth International Airport. The Canadian border is also roughly 100 miles away, about a two-hour drive.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
