The Iron Range Historical Society (IRHS) is a historical society in northeastern Minnesota. Located on the Mesabi Range in Minnesota’s Arrowhead, it has offices in Gilbert. The Society was founded in 1973. IRHS is a research library and archival house specializing in family and historical research. At present, the all-volunteer, nonprofit, charitable trust, is governed by a Board of Directors.

The Iron Range Historical Society is handicap-accessible, has photos and artifacts on display, does not charge admission, and serves the general public with moderate fees. All records and files are available for patrons to browse through. The Society holds information on all three of Minnesota’s Iron Ranges. Members receive free research time, but pay for copies of printed materials. Current hours for the research library and archival house are Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 am to 2 pm. Appointments may be made for other times.

Please visit the pages of this website to learn more about the Iron Range Historical Society.

Thank you for visiting and be sure to check out the IRHS page on Wikipedia and on Facebook, where we share newspaper articles, photos from our archives, and other items of historical interest.

IRHS awarded $10,000 IRRRB Culture & Tourism grant

IRHS is excited to announce the Society was awarded a $10,000 Culture & Tourism grant from Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) for work on the Skibo Vista Overlook project. The overlook is east of Hoyt Lakes and over the next year will get a major update including a large parking area, overlook deck, picnic area, and better access to the site.

Partners in this project are IRHS, City of Hoyt Lakes, Scenic Byway Council, United States Forest Service, and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.