Grand Rapids is a city in, and the county seat of, Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,126 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the long rapids on the Mississippi River that was the uppermost limit of practical steamboat travel in the late 19th century. Today the rapids are hidden below the dam of UPM Paper Company.
History
thumb|left|[[Itasca County Historical Society|Itasca Heritage Center]]
thumb|The gateway to the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway in Grand Rapids welcomes visitors to one of the terminus towns of the Byway.
Grand Rapids became a logging town, as the Mississippi River provided an optimal way to ship logs to population centers. Blandin Paper Mill opened in 1902. The Forest History Center, in Grand Rapids, is a State Historic Site and a living history museum that recreates life in a turn-of-the-20th-century logging camp. Costumed interpreters educate visitors on the history of white pine logging and its relevance to today's economy. Miles of nature trails, educational naturalist programming, and an interpretive museum are also at the site.
Old Central School, in downtown Grand Rapids, was built in 1895 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture. The three-story building served as an elementary school from 1895 to 1972. A community effort restored the building in 1984 and it now serves as a location for commerce and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1991, Enbridge's Line 3 pipeline ruptured, spilling 1.7 million gallons of oil into the area, including the Prairie River, in the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Major highways
Grand Rapids is at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 169. U.S. Highway 2 runs west toward Bemidji and east toward Duluth. U.S. Highway 169 heads south to Hill City and ultimately to Minneapolis. In the opposite direction, U.S. Highway 169 heads up the Mesabi Range, passing through Hibbing and several smaller towns until it reaches the city of Virginia. Grand Rapids is also the starting point of State Highway 38, designated a National Scenic Byway by the United States Department of Transportation and marked as the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway as it travels toward Effie. The following routes are within Grand Rapids:
- 20px U.S. Highway 2
- 20px U.S. Highway 169
- 20px Minnesota State Highway 38 – Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway
Climate
Grand Rapids has a Humid continental climate (Köppen Climate Classification Dfb) with warm summers and long, cold winters, typical of its location on the Mesabi Iron Range.