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–Not graded
History · Deer River Township

Half of Deer River Township’s homes were built after 1981

Most of Deer River Township was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. Below: maps from 1954 on and the census since 1900.

0on the National Register
4%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0

What stands out about Deer River Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Deer River Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
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Start Deer River Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Deer River Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Deer River Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Deer River Township.

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Until 2011, Deer River had a site on the National Register of Historic Places, the Itasca Lumber Company Superintendent's House, built in 1904 by the area's leading lumber company.

Late in World War II, a logging camp manned by prisoners of war was at the site of an old CCC camp near Deer River.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Deer River Township, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Vets Club2025Vets ClubUnited Methodist Church2025United Methodist ChurchSt. Mary's Catholic Church and United Methodist Church2025St. Mary's Catholic Church and United Methodist ChurchPost office2025Post officeLight pole banner2025Light pole bannerFirst National Bank building2025First National Bank buildingCyrus M. King Elementary2025Cyrus M. King ElementaryCommercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-022025Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-02Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-012025Commercial storefronts, Deer River, Minnesota-01Commercial on Great River Rd2025Commercial on Great River RdCommercial businesses on First Street SE2025Commercial businesses on First Street SECity Hall2025City Hall
On the map

Deer River Township on the map, 1954 to 1992

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Deer River Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Deer River Township on the 1954 USGS mapDeer River Township on the 1964 USGS mapDeer River Township on the 1992 USGS map1954Hibbing sheet · 1:250,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Deer River Township.

People over time

Deer River Township, census by census

02004006008001,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 1,044

Between 251 and 1,044 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Deer River Township’s Wikipedia page.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Deer RiverIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townOteneagen TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townZempleIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMorse TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Deer River Township’s history

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.