Northome Minnesota Guide

Primary occupations in the area are timber, farming and resorts/fishing. The town is on the shores of Bartlett Lake, to the south is Island Lake, popular for fishing and swimming. Other smaller lakes are in the area as well. In the winter, snowmobiling is a growing activity, supporting a small industry and a network of trails leading to nearby communities, including across the Big Bog State Recreation Area to Waskish Township, Minnesota. Winters also support ice-fishing, as the occasional -40° (F or C) temperatures create ice that can support small snowplows to clear roads on the lakes. Many Christmas wreaths are made here from local balsam and spruce trees.

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 230 people, 87 households, and 46 families residing in the city. The population density was 58.4/km² (151.3/mi²). There were 113 housing units at an average density of 28.7/km² (74.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.96% White, 1.74% Native American, and 1.30% from two or more races.

There were 87 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 2.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.1% were non-families. 42.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 32.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 30.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 71.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 61.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,417, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $20,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,758. About 13.0% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under the age of eighteen and 20.8% of those sixty five or over.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Northome, a city in T. 151N, R. 28W (Englewood), sections 19, 20, 29, and 30, was incorporated as a village on September 16, 1903; it was first settled by Claude Fish and C. W. Fields on the homestead of A. M. Brohiem, Fields having had a business earlier at Bridgie and Orth in Itasca County; the site was called New Bridgie; when the post office was established in 1902, it was named Phena; when the Northern Pacific Railroad came in August 1903, the post office department requested a name change, and the community became Northome.

Northome (1,451 alt., 343 pop.), its name contracted from North Home at the request of the United States Postal Service, is one of the Koochiching County communities that are turning from lumbering to farming.

With white pine, cedar, elm, balsam, maple, birch, and basswood covering the area, the village, settled about 1897, grew as a typical lumbering center. Sawmills were built, and the Big Fork and Northern Railroad was constructed between Northome and Big Falls (see Big Falls). In 1912, Chris P. Ellingson bought 200 acres of timber land on the north shore of Island Lake, put up a sawmill that had a ten-hour capacity of 40,000 feet, and organized the Island Lake Lumber Company, which gave the community new life. Sawmills are still operating in Northome, and pulpwood is shipped to the mills at International Falls.

The rich, black loam prevalent in this vicinity attracted settlers, who have developed cut-over lands for farming. Many of the lumber workers have also turned to agriculture. The soil is adapted to the growing of alfalfa and clover, and a principal source of income in the Northome region is the sale of clover and alfalfa seed. Northome has a cooperative creamery that handles most of the dairy products of the district.

The Northome Consolidated School (cor. State 46 and Lake St.) is a grade and high school for Koochiching County pupils in the unorganized school district. In 1922, a fireproof, shale-brick addition to the original four-room frame structure was built at a cost of $50,000.

Northome is popular as a vacation town. Several lakes offering good fishing are within easy driving distance, and there are many scenic attractions for tourists, among them Island Lake, three miles south of Northome, which has 12 resorts and lodges. Game is plentiful, and the hunting season brings an influx of sportsmen.