Crosby is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,360 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area. Crosby is adjacent to its twin city of Ironton, in the Cuyuna Iron Range.

History

thumb|left|Cuyuna Range MuseumCrosby was built for the sole purpose of mining. It was named for George H. Crosby, a businessman in the mining industry.

Crosby was the location of Minnesota's worst mining disaster, the Milford Mine disaster. On February 5, 1924, a new tunnel was blasted too close to nearby Foley Lake, and water rushed in, killing 41 miners.

In the 1932 local elections, Karl Emil Nygard was elected president of Crosby's Village Council, making it the first city in the United States to have a Communist mayor. 27-year-old Nygard won by a vote of 529 - 359, with goals to raise money for families on welfare, declare a moratorium on government debts to local banks, and guarantee water and electricity services to all citizens.

Once Nygard was elected in 1933, he and village workers rallied for the First National Bank of Crosby to release $23,000 in village funds which it was withholding, which it did, allowing the government to feed unemployed citizens. In January 1933, Nygard also organized an "Unemployed Council," who subsequently demanded relief stipends, free city water and lights, freedom to purchase food from any store, and the abolition of the "Relief Administration" where citizens had to ask the council for financial assistance. The council agreed to all demands except the last. Nygard's and council members' salaries were reduced, as were those of the Crosby police force.

Also in early 1933, Crosby drew regional attention for its policies, with multiple newspapers reprinting the headline and story “Crosby Citizens! How Do You Like This?” detailing Nygard’s radicalism. Unemployed workers went on strike in May, refusing to provide "free labor" for local Federal Emergency Relief Administration projects. However, by November, the Civil Works Administration had co-opted the communist campaign promise of cash payment for relief projects, leading many workers to join the Civilian Conservation Corps and abandon the party. During 1933 mayoral election, Crosby citizens united to campaign for Nicolai Wladimiroff, a Finnish storeowner, who defeated Nygard in his fourth run for office by 735 - 277.

In August 1957, David G. Simons, a 35-year-old Air Force major, climbed to nearly above the earth as part of Project Manhigh. The flight, which was launched from Crosby's Portsmouth Mine Pit Lake, helped the United States take its fledgling steps into space exploration. Simons returned to Crosby in 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the project.

Geography

Crosby is in eastern Crow Wing County at the intersection of Minnesota Highways 6 and 210. Ironton is adjacent to the west and Deerwood lies to the east along route 210. Serpent Lake is adjacent to the southeast and the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is to the northwest. The Mississippi River flows by four miles to the north.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Crosby had a population of 2,360. The median age was 44.9 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 26.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.1 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,057 households in Crosby, of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 30.7% were married-couple households, 27.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 2,386 people, 1,065 households, and 552 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,241 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.4% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 1,065 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 48.2% were non-families. 42.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 43.2 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.3% were from 45 to 64, and 24.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census