Babbitt is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,397 at the 2020 census. Saint Louis County Highway 21 (CR 21) serves as a main route in the community.

History

The city grew out of the formation of a

taconite Taconite () is a variety of banded iron formation, an iron-bearing (over 15% iron) sedimentary rock, in which the iron minerals are interlayered with quartz, chert, or carbonate. The name ''taconyte'' was coined by Horace Vaughn Winchell (1865– ...

mine built by

Armco AK Steel Holdings Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in West Chester Township, Ohio. The company, whose name was derived from the initials of Armco, its predecessor company, and Kawasaki Steel Corporation, was acqui ...

and

Republic Steel Republic Steel is a Mexican steel manufacturer that was once America’s third largest steel producer. It was founded as the Republic Iron and Steel Company in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899. After rising to prominence during the early 20th Century, ...

starting in 1944.Silver Bay & Babbitt History
, Retrieved July 7, 2010. The company town was built near the eastern edge of the

Mesabi Iron Range The Mesabi Iron Range is a mining district and mountain range in northeastern Minnesota following an elongate trend containing large deposits of iron ore. It is the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Ir ...

. The city of Silver Bay was built simultaneously along

Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...

(60 miles to the southeast), and connected by train, for transportation of iron ore to cities along the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...

. Babbitt is named after Judge Kurnal R. Babbitt of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Judge Babbitt, who died on February 15, 1920, was general counsel for and a director of several mining companies. Before removing to New York in 1908, he practiced law in

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

Aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus. Species These species are called aspens: * ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'') * ''Populus da ...

, Cripple Creek and

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous c ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of ; is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,475 people, 707 households, and 435 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 818 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.1% of the population. There were 707 households, of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.60. The median age in the city was 51.1 years. 17.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 31.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,670 people, 735 households, and 530 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 801 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.86%

, 0.12%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.30% American Indian, 0.12% Asian, and 0.60% from two or more races. 20.0% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 16.6% Norwegian, 15.1% Finnish, 6.8% Swedish, 5.8% English and 5.2% Irish ancestry. There were 735 households, out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were

living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.67. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,229, and the median income for a family was $37,137. Males had a median income of $38,214 versus $24,531 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,853. About 3.6% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 8.5% of those under the age of 18 and 1.9% of those 65 and older.

Government

* Mayor Duane Lossing

Notable people

* Buzz Schneider, Olympic and professional hockey player.

References

External links

City of Babbitt – Official Website
{{authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in St. Louis County, Minnesota Company towns in Minnesota Mining communities in Minnesota Populated places established in 1944