AREA ATTRACTIONS Arts & Culture

Music On Main Project

Historic Main Street Crosby has seen a huge transformation in the last several years. Along with the reconstruction of Highway 210, the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, was able to successfully complete the Music On Main project in late 2021. With a generous grant from IRRRB of $16,500 to the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber along with matching funds raised by the Chamber’s Downtown Committee, a total investment of $33,000 was used to purchase and install a state-of-the-art speaker system in Crosby’s main business district. Visitors to Main Street can enjoy music year-round that provides a lively soundtrack as they shop, eat, drink and enjoy all Crosby has to offer. It also provides seasonal fun, with carols played throughout the Christmas season, which adds to Crosby’s renowned hometown feel.

Music In The Park

Another great event hosted in the CrosbyIronton area, Music in the Park is hosted every second and fourth Thursday in the months of June, July and August in Crosby’s Memorial Park. A free community event made possible through a generous grant from the Five Wings Art Council and donations from area businesses through the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber, Music in the Park hosts local music artists as they perform a three-hour concert for everyone to attend.

Nestled on the shores of Serpent Lake, Crosby Memorial Park’s concert stage offers a perfect atmosphere for adults and families alike to bring along a chair and relax on a summer night. With local vendors in attendance each week, you can treat yourself to a delish food truck fair, a sweet treat or even a massage while in attendance.

Soo Line Museum

The Soo Line Depot was built in 1910. It was part of a 1908-1910 project to build a rail line from Superior, Wisconsin, to Thief River Falls, Minnesota, with a branch (Crosby) to the Cuyuna Iron Range. It is now the home of the Soo Line Depot Museum which is filled with artifacts, photos and documents telling the stories of everyday life and historical events on the Cuyuna Iron Range. The museum features information and pictures pertaining to the Mining History in the Cuyuna Range, including the Milford Mine disaster, Minnesota’s largest mining disaster. There is also a life-sized replica of the capsule that Dr. David Simons rode to the stratosphere. There is also 100-year-old tools from logging and mining and photos of the miners and mines that were so plentiful in this region, and built what has now become the Cuyuna Lakes area. Named in “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” as the only depot in the world where the trains came in but never went past.

Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area boasts 25 miles of forested shoreline providing peaceful relaxation for those who desire a rustic experience. Embrace the sun dancing on quiet, crystal blue waters, the crackling warmth of a campfire and the haunting call of loons. Start the day by mountain biking over 30 miles of groomed trails. Spend a lazy afternoon paddling in a canoe or kayak. Slip over the side in scuba gear and explore the remnants of an iron mine hundreds of feet below the still surface. Plan a day or a week to camp, bike, hike, and fish. Motorized off-road vehicles are not allowed in the park. Get a great overview of the area atop Miner’s Mountain, from Pennington Lake near Ironton, bike, hike or drive up the outlook trails’ winding switchbacks to the highest point in the area. There you will have a beautiful vista of numerous lakes and forests. Thirtythree primitive campsites are available at the Portsmouth Campground off County Road 30 north of Ironton. Reservations are required. For the latest information and trail maps, call 218-772-3690 or visit 307 Third St., Ironton.