Not far from Embarrass, Minnesota, on the far eastern end of the Mesabi Iron Range, there was once a thriving town named Mesaba, Minnesota. It was among the first of the towns settled by Europeans and their descendants in northern Minnesota. Years later, people would refer to it as âOld Mesaba,â perhaps to separate it from the rest of the Iron Range with which it shared a name. Like so many small towns and Mining Locations on the Iron Range, Mesaba was beloved by many of those who lived there, even long after its streets were overgrown and buildings stood empty.
One hundred years ago the world was a very different place – in some ways, but not all ways! High school yearbooks from the past show us that high school
If you want to find something new, look for destruction.
Over a few billion years on Earth, planetary disasters created new forms of life. A meteor here. Volcanic eruptions there. Each time new plants and critters emerged until, one day, we put on pants.
Look at what happens after a northern Minnesota forest fire. New growth takes over quickly. Whole new ecosystems evolve. Some species like the jack pine even thrive after such desolation.
Where I live along the Mesabi Iron Range, old mines beget new landscapes. Savagely tilled extraction fields become unexpected laboratories of natural rehabilitation, mountain bikes and assorted teenage debauchery.
The beautiful environs of Bennett Park in Hibbing have been enjoyed by generations. The history of the park and its changes through the years adds to an appreciation for it today.
So many people have wonderful memories and stories about the park. Whether it was a certain baseball game, a family reunion, a musical play performed or a band concert enjoyed, Bennett Park has been the scene of many a memorable event.
People may not know it, but at Bennett Park there once was a zoo. Hibbing schoolteachers who share Hibbingâs history with their students often say childrenâs eyes light up at stories about the zoo. When the classes enjoy an end-of-the-year picnic in Bennett Park, students will again ask about the zoo.
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