Gilbert Minnesota City Guide

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.6 km² (12.6 mi²). 30.5 km² (11.8 mi²) of it is land and 2.0 km² (0.8 mi²) of it (6.28%) is water.

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,847 people, 842 households, and 495 families residing in the city. The population density was 60.5/km² (156.7/mi²). There were 900 housing units at an average density of 29.5/km² (76.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.21% White, 0.22% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.

There were 842 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,859, and the median income for a family was $44,931. Males had a median income of $40,625 versus $19,333 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,407. About 9.0% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Gilbert's beginnings can be traced to a mining location which began around 1892 and became the Village of Sparta in 1896. When the town had to move to clear the way for iron ore mining, it took the name of the nearest group of mines - Gilbert. Today the Gilbert mine is gone, but the City of Gilbert is located just outside of Virginia, on Highway 135, and Sparta is a smaller community between Eveleth and Gilbert. Gilbert was hailed at birth as the prospective "principal city of the Range." Ore in the Gilbert district was discovered as early as 1891 at the McKinley Mine but none was shipped until 1896 when the Genoa Mine was opened. Development was slow because of the hard taconite formation, quicksand, and a large amount of water beneath the deposits.

Gilbert was incorporated as a village in 1908 despite a protest filed by the Pitt Iron Company insisting that part of the area was mining land not "conditioned"...to be subjected to village government." The State Supreme Court upheld the company and the newly elected officials were ousted. During this period, Gilbert's population was increased by the residents from the town site of Sparta, one-half mile south; Sparta had been purchased by the Oliver Mining Company when high-grade iron ore was found beneath it. The village of Sparta, organized in 1897, was dissolved in 1911.

Gilbert, finally incorporated in 1909, was built substantially. The road that became Broadway was hewn from the stand of pine that covered the town site; at one time, this road was part of a twenty-eight-mile boardwalk connecting the eastern Mesabi Range towns.

Gilbert was also the eastern terminus of the Mesabi Electric Railway, an interurban streetcar line which ran from Gilbert to Hibbing.

The vote to incorporate Gilbert as a village came in 1908, and in a tradition that was to be Gilbert's trademark for years to come, the Village Council's first act was to grant a liquor license. See other information from 90 years ago.

The Iron Range Historical society has opened a museum in the old Gilbert City Hall. Photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia reflect the area's heritage. There is also a research room filled with historical books for those interested in researching their family tree. See Genealogy and History Publications.

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