The city of Tower renovated the Train Depot & Museum with a new roof and interior improvements including repair and painting of the ceiling and ticket office walls. The roof had reached the end of its useful life and was beginning to leak, causing water damage to the depot’s interior. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $29,550 Culture & Tourism grant and $3,000 in Grant Writing Assistance to the city of Tower. Total project investment was $63,440.

The city used the Grant Writing Assistance to hire professional grant writer Nancy Larson to apply for additional project funding from the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS). Larson successfully secured $10,000 from MHS plus $1,000 from Lake Country Power. With the multiple funding sources and grants, the city, in partnership with the Tower-Soudan Historical Society, made the needed improvements to the Tower Train Depot & Museum which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Historical society grants can be very complex, so hiring someone with Nancy’s expertise increased our chances at a successful application,” said Michael Schultz, city clerk and treasurer. “Also, because the depot is an official historic site, the renovation work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, which can increase costs. The grants she was able to secure, coupled with the Culture & Tourism grant, allowed us to complete the project to standards that honor this community treasure.”

The depot was built in 1916 by the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad Company (D&IR). With service of up to three trains per day, tourists and passengers had convenient access to Tower prior to the development of the state’s highway system. By providing passenger train service until 1951, the community experienced an influx of tourists wishing to visit Lake Vermilion and the many resorts, some of which were accessible only by boat. This trend spurred the resort and tourism industry on Lake Vermilion and eventually earned the community’s reputation as being the gateway to the large northeastern Minnesota lake.

Located at the entrance of Tower, the train depot complex features a 1910 steam locomotive engine, passenger car and caboose. The museum tells stories of life at the turn of the century through a collection of hundreds of historic pictures and logging and mining artifacts. The museum serves as an information center and has a small gift shop. The surrounding grounds offer a picnic area, playground, a two-room trapper’s log cabin and a monument honoring United States President William McKinley who was assassinated in 1901.

Learn more about the Tower Train Depot & Museum.

Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

Email Whitney Ridlon or call her at 218-735-3004 for Grant Writing Assistance information.

A three-quarter mile walking/hiking trail located adjacent to Blackberry Township’s community park was completed, providing a safe route for pedestrians along Highway 2 who are accessing the park. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $29,737 Regional Trails grant to the township. Total project investment was $59,475.

The new trail increased amenities within the township and improved access to the community center, outdoor pavilion, playground and baseball field. Blackberry Township is located in Itasca County.

Other project partners included Blandin Foundation and Minnesota North College-Itasca Forestry Department, who designed the trail layout and assisted with site preparation and trail construction. The partnership between Blackberry Township and the Forestry Department reduced project costs and provided hands-on experience for forestry students.

Email Jim Plummer or call him at 218-274-7006 for Regional Trails grant information.

The city of Virginia completed construction of a new historically-inspired entrance to Olcott Park. The northern entrance (9th Street) was also widened to allow for two-way traffic and increased accessibility. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $20,000 Culture & Tourism grant to the city of Virginia. Total project investment was $200,000.

The park is home to the Olcott Park Electric Fountain and Rock Garden which the city refurbished in 2018. The fountain is officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places, placing it in the company of sites across the nation that have been declared worthy of preservation in order to protect America’s historic and archaeological resources. The park is also the site of youth baseball, music in the park, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, a disc golf course, a paved walking trail, a community greenhouse and the local historical society. Three of the region’s major festivals take place each summer in Olcott: Land of the Loon, Sand Lake Shuffle and Brewfest.

Other project partners included US Steel, Olcott Park Brewfest, Virginia Community Foundation and the city of Virginia.

Learn more about Olcott Park.

Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

The city of Aitkin refaced five community entrance welcome signs. The signs call attention to the city that is home to about 2,200 residents, businesses, restaurants, a school district and a health care system. Three of the five signs are located along the highways that serve as the major arteries into the Aitkin area: Highways 169, 210 and 47. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the project with a $3,000 Culture & Tourism grant. Total project investment was $8,990.

The high-visibility signs will help welcome visitors to the Aitkin area, which draws tourists who utilize the outdoor recreation and other amenities such as camping, trails, concerts, performing arts center and opera house, dining and mini-breweries.

“The signs were in desperate need of refurbishing, and the town is abuzz about how beautiful the new signage is,” said Jennifer Thompson, city clerk. “A beautiful city attracts businesses, tourists, community buy-in and hopefully future investors. The signs exemplify the pride we take in our community and represent the welcoming nature we strive to extend to residents, visitors, and existing and potential new businesses.”

Other project partners included the city of Aitkin, Aitkin Economic Development Authority and Aitkin County Business Development & Recreation Grant Program.

Email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022 for Culture & Tourism grant information.

November is National Entrepreneurship Month in America. Northeastern Minnesota is full of entrepreneurs who have a relentless spirit of launching and operating businesses. They are men and women who have taken financial risks to turn their ideas and innovations into a profitable business. They are dedicated and hard-working pioneers in many of the region’s industries including: manufacturing, mining, timber, health care, retail, apparel, construction, industrial equipment, communications, outdoor recreation, transportation and aviation.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation has the privilege of knowing and working with many of the region’s entrepreneurs who are at the center of the area’s economy. Their small, medium and large-sized businesses provide products, services and jobs to local residents. Some of them ship their products around the nation and globe, and some provide services here in our local communities.

The business development staff at Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation work to help local entrepreneurs and their businesses gain access to funding for building acquisitions and renovations, new building construction, machinery and equipment purchases, land improvements and equity capital.

Learn more about how Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation can help entrepreneurs launch a new or grow an existing business.

Congratulations and thank you to all of the entrepreneurs in northeastern Minnesota. Thank you for making our economy and communities better and stronger.    

Even if you are not required to file Minnesota income tax returns, you can still file to claim valuable Minnesota tax benefits. The Child Tax  and Working Family Credits deliver tax relief to individuals whose income is below a certain level. Both credits are refundable, meaning you can receive a refund even if you do not owe tax.

What is the Child Tax Credit?
The new Child Tax Credit is available to Minnesotans who have children under age 18. By filing a Minnesota tax return, you may qualify for $1,750 per child with no limit on the number of children.

What is the Working Family Credit?
The Working Family Credit is available to Minnesotans who earned income during the year. The maximum Working Family Credit is $350 if your earned income is $8,750 or more, and it can increase by:

• $350 for no qualifying child.
• $1,275 for one qualifying child age 18 or older.
• $2,450 for two qualifying children age 18 or older.
• $2,850 for three or more qualifying children age 18 or older.

Both the Child and Working Family Credits are phased out if your income is over $35,000 for Married Filing Jointly or over $29,500 for other filers. The credit is reduced by 12% of  earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater.

How do I claim these credits?
For tax years 2022 and earlier, claim the Working Family Credit using Schedule M1WFC, Working Family Credit. The Child Tax Credit is not available until tax year 2023.
For tax years 2023 and later, claim both the Child and Working Family Tax Credits using Schedule M1CWFC, Minnesota Child and Working Family Credits, available in the next filing season.

Free Tax Preparation
You may also qualify for free tax return preparation. Go to www.revenue.state.mn.us and enter free tax preparation into the Search box to find free tax preparation services near you.

Grants up to $50,000 each are being made available to businesses located in counties bordering Canada. For-profit businesses that lost 10% or more in revenues during the closure of the Canadian border since 2020 and/or the 2021 closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will be eligible.

The Northland Foundation has been tapped by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to help manage the process and award funding of more than $2.5 million. The funding and eligibility guidelines were established in law during the last legislative session.

View details about the Canadian Border Counties Economic Relief Program.