Bengal, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bengal
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 Bengal, Minnesota
Location in Minnesota
Bengal, Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Saint Louis |
| Elevation | 1,352 ft (412 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 10 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
55746
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| Area code(s) | 218 |
| GNIS feature ID | 654598 |
Bengal was a small, unincorporated community in Minnesota, United States. It was located about three hours north of Minneapolis. This means it wasn't a city or town with its own local government. Bengal was once known by another name, Powers. It sat right on the border between Itasca County and Saint Louis County.
Bengal was founded in 1914. It grew up along the Great Northern Railway line, right next to a lake also called Bengal. People in Bengal mostly worked in farming and mining.
Contents
Bengal: A Small Community in Minnesota
Where Was Bengal?
Bengal was located in northern Minnesota. It was just southwest of the city of Hibbing. The community was also south of Keewatin. You could find it near where Stuart Road and County Road 944 meet. Nearby roads included County Road 16 and State Highway 73.
The site of Bengal is about 100 miles (160 km) from Duluth. The border between Saint Louis County and Itasca County runs very close to where Bengal was. Another small community, Silica, was also nearby.
The Story of Bengal's Founding
The area where Bengal was built was first a railway stop called Powers. In 1914, a couple named Volney and Carrie Jones from Duluth, Minnesota officially planned out the community. This process is called "platting."
Bengal was located in a specific section of Itasca County. It was right next to St. Louis County. The plan for Bengal was approved in July 1914. An engineer named Burt Farrell surveyed the land.
Bengal was built on the north side of Bengal Lake. The town area was divided into ten blocks. It was connected to the Great Northern Railway. This railway line connected Swan River and Virginia. By 1915, newspapers were already calling Bengal a "town on the Great Northern Railway."
Life in Early Bengal
When Bengal was founded, people thought it would be a good place for mining. There were some iron deposits nearby. The area was known for both mining and farming. Farmers in the region grew mostly vegetables. These crops made up about 30 percent of the total crop value.
Around 1918, Bengal had its own school. It was one of 82 schools in the Itasca School District 1. Later, the school became part of School District 9.
Challenges and Changes
In March 1919, some communities in St. Louis County faced a tough time. Many people got sick with the flu. Bengal was one of the communities that was hit hard. Most of the people who got sick were schoolchildren.
Bengal's population was very small. In 1920, only 5 people lived there. By 1940, the population grew to 35 people. Today, the population of Bengal is estimated to be around 10 people.
