Although the 8th district is not Minnesota’s largest, it does come in at a close second with 27,583
square miles. With over 99% of the land being rural, it’s not surprising that the economy focuses around the agricultural, shipping, and mining industries. About half of the district consists of the Iron Range, which includes the Mesabi, Vermillion, Gunflint, and Cuyuna Ranges.

There is also a sizable tourist industry, with such attractions as the Paul Bunyan and Babe statues, Lutsen Ski Resort, and many camping, fishing, and hiking opportunities in the beautiful state parks and breathtaking shoreline.

The 8th district is also home to several “world’s largests,” including the largest floating loon in Virginia, MN and the world’s largest (or second-largest, depending who you’re talking to) hockey stick in Eveleth, MN.

Many notable companies have also been founded in this innovative district, among them the Greyhound Bus Company in Hibbing, MN, which houses a bus museum to commemorate its founders. Unusual museum topics must be a trend around here, because the 8th district also contains the Sandpaper Museum where the 3M Company started in Two Harbors, MN.

As for state records, the highest and lowest points occur in the 8th district, ironically only fifteen feet away from each other. The highest point of 2,301 feet in Minnesota occurs at Eagle Mountain and lowest point is at the nearby Lake Superior shore. This district is also a weather record-setter with the lowest temperature ever recorded in Minnesota a chilling -60°F in Tower. Continuing the trend for extreme temperatures, the eight district also holds all of the “snow records,” including maximum 24-hour and single storm snowfalls, 36 and 46.5 inches respectively. It also holds the record for the maximum seasonal snowfall at a whopping 170.5 inches.

All in all, the eighth district likes to break records.