Cold winters and cross-border ties shape life in International Falls
Nicknamed the “Icebox of the Nation,” International Falls frequently records the lowest year-round average temperature in the continental United States. “You just adapt to the cold and get bundled up when you decide to go out,” says Cari Rostie, a Realtor with Move It Real Estate Group, born and raised in International Falls. “A lot of people get around by snowmobiling. You can take them across the lake and go all over the place.” About 20 minutes from Minnesota’s largest national park, the small city of 6,000 also shares a border with Canada, separated only by a few bends in the Rainy River. Rostie says many people move to International Falls for work, whether at the Packaging Corporation of America paper mill or even across the river in Fort Frances, Ontario. “We’ve always had a good relationship with Canada,” Rostie says. “Sometimes they’ll come over here to shop for groceries because it’s not as expensive, and it’s fun to go over there because they have a whole different set of restaurants.”
Homes from the early 1900s to early 2000s
The median home sale price is $140,000. Single-family homes from the early 1900s include bungalows and National-style houses, while ranch-style and bi-level homes were built between the mid-1900s and early 2000s. Most of the small lots sit on numbered grid-pattern streets, with detached garages accessible from back alleyways. The community also has some waterfront homes, though they don’t sell very often.
Local parks, museums and Voyageurs National Park
Smokey Bear Park is close to downtown, featuring a 26-foot-tall fiberglass statue of Smokey Bear. “During the holidays, they’ll dress up Smokey Bear and light up all the trees in the park,” Rostie says. The park also has basketball courts and a bandstand for community events. A building next door houses the Koochiching Historical Museum, which explores area history, as well as the Bronko Museum, dedicated to local legend Bronko Nagurski, who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Though much of the Rainy River shoreline is residential or taken up by the paper mill, there’s also a fishing pier and boat launch by the national park headquarters. Those who take their boats to the Canadian side of the river need to get a Remote Area Border Crossing permit and, in some cases, report it to the Canadian Border Services Agency. Voyageurs National Park, the largest park in Minnesota, is less than 20 minutes away, featuring over 200,000 acres of lakes, trails and camping.
Big-box stores on U.S. 71 and local downtown businesses
Some big-box retailers are located on the west side of town along U.S. 71, including Super One Foods for groceries and other essentials, and Menards, a Midwest regional home improvement store. Downtown has a mix of local shops and restaurants. For dining out, there’s Coffee Landing Café for breakfast, and Border Bar for pizza and poutine. Some other restaurants can be found away from downtown, including Chocolate Moose Restaurant Company, which offers hearty American food, and The Library, a bistro and pub with cozy couches and shelves full of books for visitors to read.
Falls Elementary and Falls High in the same building
Falls Elementary School and Falls High School both receive B-minus grades from Niche and are located in the same building. The high school serves students in grades 6 through 12. High schoolers have the opportunity to get a head start on post-secondary education by earning college credits at Falls High through Bemidji State University, Lake Superior College and Minnesota North College.
Icebox Days and a combo celebration of Canada Day and Fourth of July
Every January, the popular Icebox Days festival features frozen turkey bowling, the Freeze Your Gizzard Blizzard Run and “smooshing,” which was invented in the community. “In smoosh racing, four people nail boots to two-by-fours and everyone has to coordinate walking in them together,” Rostie says. “There’s only so much you can do in the winter, so you kind of have to make it up.” The city has a unique tradition of celebrating both Canada Day (July 1) and Independence Day. On Canada Day, locals gather along the Rainy River to watch fireworks across the border. Several events follow until the Fourth of July, when the community has a parade downtown and fireworks at the local high school.
Two highways, a bridge to Canada and an airport
Two major highways run through International Falls. U.S. 71 runs west, while U.S. 53 goes north and south. To get to Canada, locals can either drive or walk across the International Bridge. Drivers must pay a toll, and everyone who crosses goes through the CBSA. Just south of town, the small Falls International Airport offers flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where travelers can make connecting flights to other major cities.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
