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 McKinley. 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.

Minnesota's Lost Mining Towns

WDSE Channel 8, Duluth's PBS station, created a documentary on the lost mining towns of northeastern Minneosta. IRHS provided photos, oral histories, and research for this documentary.

There will be a premiere showing at the Minnesota Discovery Center on Thursday, February 21. Doors open at 5:30, the free screening is at 6, and a social at 7.

If you can't make the premiere, the documentary will air on Channel 8, PBS NORTH, on March 5 at 7 pm, March 9 at 10 am, March 14 at 7 pm, and March 17 at 1 pm.

From March 5 at 7 pm until March 18 it will also be streaming on WDSE's Facebook page.