Virginia, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Virginia
City
View of Virginia, showing a water tower and a line of wind turbines in the distance
Seal
Nickname(s):  Queen City of the North
Location of the city of Virginia within St. Louis County, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	St. Louis
Established	March 1892
Incorporated	February 1895
Named for	U.S. state of Virginia
Area
• Total	19.10 sq mi (49.46 km2)
• Land	18.77 sq mi (48.61 km2)
• Water	0.33 sq mi (0.85 km2)
Elevation	1,440 ft (439 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,421
• Estimate  (2022)	8,332
• Density	448.67/sq mi (173.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	55741, 55777, 55792
Area code(s)	218
FIPS code	27-67288
GNIS feature ID	0662719
Sales tax	8.375%

Virginia is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. It is located on the Mesabi Iron Range. The city's economy mainly depends on large-scale iron ore mining. Virginia is known as the main business center of the Mesabi Range. In 2020, about 8,423 people lived there. Virginia is also part of the larger Duluth metropolitan area. U.S. Highway 53 goes right through the city.

History of Virginia

Virginia was started by O. D. Kinney in 1892. He owned the land where the city was built. He named it after the state of Virginia. Many lumber workers in the area at that time were from Virginia. A post office opened in Virginia in 1893. The city officially became a city in February 1895.

Virginia first grew as a logging community. Then, it became an important iron mining city. By the late 1890s, the mines in the Virginia area were doing very well. They were even setting new records for how much iron they could dig up.

The city's population grew a lot when mining camps were built. These camps attracted many important business people. Some famous names included Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. Workers used special drills, mules, and a huge workforce. They moved millions of tons of iron ore each year. This ore was then shipped from ports like Duluth and Superior.

The City of Franklin later joined with the City of Virginia.

Geography and Climate

Virginia covers about 19.18 square miles (49.68 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 18.85 square miles (48.82 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.33 square miles (0.85 square kilometers), is water. Some lakes in Virginia are Silver Lake and Bailey Lake. The Ojibwe tribe originally called this area Qeechaquepagem. This name means "lake of the north birds."

Virginia is one of the Quad Cities. These are a group of cities close to each other. The other cities are Eveleth, Gilbert, and Mountain Iron.

What is Virginia's Climate Like?

Virginia has a "Warm Summer Continental Climate." This means that summers are warm, and sometimes hot. Winters are very cold.

Population of Virginia

How Many People Live in Virginia?

In 2010, there were 8,712 people living in Virginia. There were 4,242 households. About 21.8% of households had children under 18. Many households, 46.3%, were made up of single people. About 20% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone.

The average age in Virginia was 44.9 years old. About 18.9% of residents were under 18. About 22% were 65 or older. The city had slightly more females (52.1%) than males (47.9%).

Economy and Business

Virginia is located in the Mesabi Range, which is part of Minnesota's Iron Range. It is known as the main business center of the Mesabi Range. Virginia is a hub for shopping, industry, education, and medical services for the towns around it.

The Rouchleau open pit iron mine, which is now closed.

Arts and Fun Activities

Virginia hosts the Land of the Loon festival every year in June. It's a popular event for the community.

Places to Visit in Virginia

• B'nai Abraham Synagogue
• Laurentian Divide
• Lyric Center for the Arts (Historic Lyric Opera House)
• Mesabi Trail
• Olcott Park Greenhouse

Virginia's Urban Area

The Virginia urban area is quite large. It spreads out to about a 30-mile (48-kilometer) radius. The main cities in this area include Virginia, Hibbing, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Gilbert, and Chisholm. Virginia is the main place for businesses. Hibbing has a large number of homes.

About 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of Virginia is Duluth. Duluth is a much bigger city. Virginia is also part of the Duluth MN-WI Metropolitan Area. This Duluth Metro area is the second-largest metro area in Minnesota.

Parks and Recreation

Olcott Park is a city park in Virginia. It has a fountain in the northern part, built in 1937. There is also a bandstand in the middle. This bandstand is mostly used for city band performances. The park is next to Parkview Learning Center, 9th Avenue West, 9th Street North, and Greenwood Cemetery. The Olcott Park Greenhouse is also located in Olcott Park. The park is named after William J. Olcott. He was in charge of the Oliver Iron Mining Company, which was the biggest mining company on the Iron Range for many years.

Education and Schools

Virginia has public schools for students. The public high school is Rock Ridge Public Schools. The public elementary schools are Parkview Learning Center (for young children up to second grade) and Roosevelt Elementary (for grades three through six).

For higher education, the city has Mesabi Range Community and Technical College. The Virginia Public Library is also a great place for learning for all ages. Marquette Catholic School is a private elementary school. It is run by the Duluth Diocese. Northland Learning Center is a special school for students who need extra support. It is located in the old James Madison Elementary School building.

Sports in Virginia

Virginia High School was once home to the Blue Devils sports teams. Starting with the 2022–23 school year, Virginia High School and Eveleth-Gilbert High School joined together. They formed a new high school called Rock Ridge High School. Their new mascot is the Wolverines. This name combines the Virginia Blue Devils and the Eveleth-Gilbert Bears.

The most popular high school sport in Virginia is ice hockey. Virginia's main hockey arena is the Miners Memorial Building. A new building, the Miners Event and Convention Center (MECC), is being built. It will have two ice arenas. The MECC will use parts from the old Miners Building, like its ice arena seats.

News and Media

Local News

• The Mesabi Tribune is a newspaper. It is published in Virginia and Hibbing.

Television Channels

Television stations that serve Virginia come from the Duluth area:

• 3 KDLH – CBS
• 6 / 11 KBJR – NBC
• 8 / 31 WDSE – PBS
• 10 / 13 WDIO – ABC
• 21 KQDS – Fox

Transportation

Virginia is a major transportation center in the Mesabi Range. Important roads include U.S. routes 53 and 169, and State Highway 135 (MN 135). Other main roads are 2nd Avenue West, 9th Avenue West, 12th Avenue West, 13th Street South, 8th Street South, and 9th Street North. Downtown Virginia is mainly along Chestnut Street. Arrowhead Transportation also provides bus services in the Virginia Metro area.

In 2017, the U.S. 53 Bridge was built. It is the tallest bridge in Minnesota. It is the main bridge connecting southern Minnesota to the northern part of the state. In 2021, the bridge was renamed the Thomas Rukavina Memorial Bridge.

Famous People from Virginia

Actor Chris Pratt was born in Virginia, Minnesota.

Many notable people have come from Virginia, Minnesota. Here are a few:

• W. T. Bailey, a leader in the lumber industry
• Daniel Berrigan, a peace activist
• Jack Carlson, a professional hockey player
• Jeff Carlson, a professional hockey player
• Steve Carlson, a professional hockey player
• Mark Cullen, a professional hockey player
• Matt Cullen, a professional hockey player
• John Gruden, a professional hockey player
• John Harrington, a hockey player who won an Olympic gold medal in 1980
• Warren Johnson, a famous auto racer
• Pete LoPresti, a professional hockey player
• Robert Mondavi, a well-known winemaker
• Matt Niskanen, a professional hockey player
• Chris Pratt, a famous actor
• Tom Rukavina, a Minnesota state legislator

Images for kids

• 

  The Rouchleau open pit iron mine, now closed

See also

In Spanish: Virginia (Minnesota) para niños