You’ll find Elcor’s ghost town remnants on Minnesota’s Iron Range, where a thriving mining community of 1,000 residents once lived until 1954. When the Corsica mine closed, residents faced a stark choice: relocate their homes or abandon them. Many opted to move their houses along Highway 135, creating caravans as land prices skyrocketed from $75 to $500. Today, only concrete foundations, weathered sidewalks, and rusted fire hydrants whisper stories of this multicultural mining town.
Key Takeaways
- Elcor was established in 1897 as a mining town in Minnesota, reaching its peak in the 1920s with about 1,000 residents.
- The town was built around two major mines: the Elba mine and Corsica mine, employing mostly European immigrant workers.
- When the Corsica mine closed in 1954, Elcor rapidly transformed from a thriving community into a ghost town.
- Residents were forced to relocate their homes or abandon them, with many buildings moved along Minnesota State Highway 135.
- By 1956, the entire town was either moved or demolished, leaving only concrete foundations and remnants buried under mining waste.
The Birth of a Mining Community (1897-1920)
Like many mining settlements that dotted Minnesota’s Mesabi Range, Elcor sprang to life in 1897 with the opening of the Elba mine. Under the direction of Minnesota Iron Company president Don H. Bacon, you’d have found early settlers living in wooden houses surrounded by four-board-high fences along dirt roads. While the name Elcor has been used in multiple contexts, the town’s mining heritage defines its unique historical identity.
By the town’s peak in the 1920s, the community had grown to include two churches, a post office, and a general store. The town’s growth accelerated when the Corsica mine opened in 1901, drawing immigrant labor from across Europe. You’d have met Croatians, Slovenians, Finns, Italians, Germans, Scandinavians, and Cornish miners building their lives in this company town.
Life in a Company Town
While iron ore defined Elcor’s economic foundation, daily life in this company town revolved around more than just the mines.
You’d find a vibrant mix of community dynamics shaped by Croatian, Finnish, Italian, and other European immigrants who brought their traditions to this bustling settlement of nearly 1,000 residents.
Though you could own your home, the mining company kept control of the land beneath it – a typical arrangement in company towns of that era.
In these mining communities, your house might be yours, but the company always owned the ground you built it on.
Your daily routines would’ve centered around the Elcor Mercantile, where you’d shop for groceries, catch up on local news, and maybe fill up your car with Conoco gas.
You’d walk on cement sidewalks past bright red fire hydrants, send mail at the post office, and cheer for the Elcor-Conoco’s hockey team at local matches.
The town’s dirt road network connected residents to essential community spaces like the two churches and school building.
The final orders to vacate the property came in 1954 when the last mine closed, marking the end of this once-thriving community.
From Boom to Bust: The Mines Close
After nearly six decades of iron ore mining, Elcor’s fate was sealed when Pickands Mather and Company shuttered the Corsica mine in 1954.
The economic decline hit swiftly – you’d have witnessed the rapid transformation of a once-thriving community of 1,000 residents into a ghost town within just two years.
The community displacement that followed was dramatic. You could’ve bought your company-owned house at a bargain price, but you’d have faced steep costs to relocate it to nearby Gilbert or McKinley.
Land speculators drove lot prices in surrounding towns from $75 to $500, capitalizing on your limited options.
By 1956, every building was either moved or demolished, and the vibrant immigrant community scattered.
The companies later buried Elcor’s remains under iron ore overburden, erasing nearly all traces of your former mining town.
The Great Move: Relocating an Entire Town
When Pickands Mather and Company ordered Elcor’s complete evacuation in 1954, residents faced a stark choice: purchase and relocate their company-owned homes or lose everything.
Despite the financial strain, community resilience prevailed as families opted to move their houses rather than abandon them. You’d have witnessed an extraordinary sight along Minnesota State Highway 135 – entire homes rolling west in caravans toward Gilbert and McKinley. The former mining settlement now stands empty as one of Minnesota’s numerous ghost towns.
The corporate decision triggered a land rush, with local lot prices skyrocketing from $75 to $500. While homeowners salvaged their investments by relocating, the move shattered longstanding social bonds within Elcor’s multicultural mining community. The closure of Corsica Mine in 1954 marked the final chapter in Elcor’s mining history.
Within months, the mass exodus transformed the landscape. By 1956, only concrete foundations and scattered remnants remained before mining overburden eventually buried all traces of the town’s existence.
What Remains: Traces of Minnesota’s Mining Heritage
Today’s visitors to the former Elcor townsite encounter a haunting collection of concrete foundations, weathered sidewalks, and persistent yard shrubbery that hint at the once-thriving mining community.
You’ll find mining artifacts scattered throughout – rusted fire hydrants, stove fragments, and old bottles tell silent stories of daily life in this company town.
The Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway track partially remains, while boarded-up mine shafts with weathered timber mark the town’s boundaries.
Community remnants paint a picture of immigrant life, with traces of Croatian, Slovenian, Finnish, and other European settlements visible in the archaeological record.
Though the last buildings vanished by 1956, porcelain fixtures still bolted to concrete floors and iron ore-lined roads preserve Elcor’s legacy as a tribute to Minnesota’s mining heritage.
Like many ghost towns that offer unique educational opportunities, Elcor serves as an outdoor classroom for understanding Minnesota’s industrial past.
Frequently Asked Questions
Were There Any Major Accidents or Disasters in Elcor’s Mining Operations?
While mining safety records show typical hazards and accident reports from the Mesabi Range era, you won’t find evidence of major disasters specifically in Elcor’s mining operations during its active years.
What Happened to the Cemetery and Burial Sites After the Town’s Abandonment?
You won’t find any trace of eternal resting places – no cemetery preservation efforts or burial site discoveries exist. Mining operations completely transformed the landscape, leaving no known graves beneath the mine’s overburden.
Did Any Original Elcor Buildings Survive in Their New Locations?
You won’t find any original structures from Elcor in new locations today. Historical preservation wasn’t prioritized during the town’s swift abandonment, and there’s no evidence that buildings were successfully relocated elsewhere.
What Was the Average Wage for Miners Working in Elcor?
Like miners panning for gold, you’d find mining wages varied with economic conditions, but Elcor miners typically earned between $2-4 per day in early 1900s, adjusting upward through union agreements.
Were There Any Notable Crimes or Significant Law Enforcement Events?
You won’t find any records of major crimes in Elcor, as the mining town maintained basic law enforcement focused on minor disputes and property protection without documented serious incidents between 1897-1956.
References
- https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/daily-article-l@lists.wikimedia.org/message/XTVR5LY5U54TGWEC2QSQKNMQ3DJMGUFG/
- https://kids.kiddle.co/Elcor
- https://raregoldnuggets.com/?p=3959
- https://thievesriver.com/blogs/articles/ghost-towns-in-minnesota
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elcor
- https://www.lrl.mn.gov/docs/pre2003/other/781145.pdf
- https://www.scribd.com/document/374195978/New-Microsoft-Office-Word-Document
- https://www.scribd.com/document/374195619/New-Microsoft-Office-Word-Document
- http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2006/05/rangetimeline/index.shtml
- https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Iron_Range_Historical_Society
