thumb|Carved wooden black bear statue at Northome
Northome is a city in the southwestern corner of Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 155 at the 2020 census. The county seat is International Falls, about away.
U.S. Highway 71 and State Highways 1 and 46 meet in Northome.
Fair
The Northome Fairgrounds hold the Koochiching County Fair on the second weekend of August. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2006.
Fair events include:
- Mudding
- Fireworks
- "Scenic Sinkhole Scramble" (since 1982): runs of a sanctioned 5k race and a "fun run" of with a stroller category
- Animal and crafts judging and a related Bear Fest parade
- Barrel racing and other equine activities
History
Northome was founded in 1903 and enjoyed a boom early in the 20th century as a logging town. It is possible that the name "Northome" derives from the Norwegian place name "Norheim", which is found in four places in Norway. The name literally means "north home".
By the 1930s the big white and red pines were gone and all local pine trees were essentially extirpated due to unsustainable logging practices. Farming gained importance. Many farmers relocated to Northome from the Dust Bowl conditions in the Dakotas.
The Burlington Northern Railroad had a depot in Northome until the 1980s, but passenger service discontinued in 1960. Today the abandoned railroad bed forms the Blue Ox section of a large network of snowmobile trails.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Northome is located at (47.871986, -94.280248).
There are named former townships around Northome (Bridgie, Englewood, Wildwood, etc.) but in Koochiching County all townships are unorganized. Therefore, for Census and other government purposes, the city of Northome also lends its name to the surrounding Unorganized Territory of Northome (approximately of SW Koochiching County, excluding Northome and Mizpah, with 500 people in the 2000 census).
Economy
Important sources of employment in the area include the Northome School, independent resorts, logging and farming, and several stores, including the Shining Light Cafe. The Northome Record was the local newspaper from 1905 to 2007. Shortly after it ceased, a local family created the Northome Area News.
The nearest stoplight is 40 miles away in Bemidji, the regional shopping hub.
Wildlife
Northome is on the shores of Bartlett Lake; to the south is Island Lake, popular for fishing and swimming. The lake holds Northern pike, crappie, perch, and bullhead. Other smaller lakes in the area support a variety of fish, including walleye. Unlike in most of the rest of the lower 48 states, timber wolves (the grey wolf) were never eradicated from this area, and can be heard at night, though rarely seen. Bald eagles and black bears are commonly sighted. There have also been occasional reports of cougar sightings. This area is in the southern part of the Taiga, or boreal forest, with a mix of quaking aspen (colloquially called popple), balsam fir, northern white cedar, and others, including some remaining white pine and Norway pine.