Hibbing Memorial Building (1935), Hibbing, Minnesota
After a December 1933 fire gutted the original 1925 memorial in twelve hours of subzero-temperature fighting, Iron Range Hibbing rebuilt with Public Works Administration funds — the resulting 1935 building introduced artificial ice refrigeration to the region and became an arena where the Chicago Blackhawks trained and John F. Kennedy addressed more than 10,000 people.
At a glance
The Hibbing Memorial Building is a civic multipurpose arena in Hibbing, Minnesota, on the Iron Range. Originally constructed in 1925 as a World War I memorial at a cost of approximately $400,000, it was destroyed by fire on December 28, 1933, and rebuilt in 1935 with a $123,400 PWA grant. Architect E.R. Erickson designed the rebuilt structure in Art Deco style using steel-reinforced concrete and terrazzo flooring. The arena introduced the first artificially refrigerated ice sheet on the Iron Range and seats 3,460 permanently. The Chicago Blackhawks held six training camps here during the 1930s and 1940s; Senator John F. Kennedy addressed a crowd of over 10,000 here in 1960. The building continues to operate as a community arena and curling venue.
Key facts
- Original building: 1925 (dedicated September 18, 1925; destroyed December 28, 1933)
- Rebuilt: 1935 (rededicated November 20; opened December 2, 1935)
- Architect: E.R. Erickson; engineer: Clark Henry
- Style: Art Deco (PWA rebuild)
- Construction: steel-reinforced concrete, terrazzo flooring, dome-shaped roof
- PWA grant: $123,400 (1934)
- Ice sheet: 200 × 90 ft; first artificially refrigerated rink on the Iron Range
- Capacity: 3,460 permanent seats (5,460 with floor/standing)
- Address: Hibbing, MN 55746 (City of Hibbing Memorial Building Arena)
History
The original Hibbing Memorial Building, honoring veterans of World War I, was dedicated on September 18, 1925, in a ceremony attended by an estimated 5,000 people. Financed at approximately $400,000, it housed a skating rink, curling facility, bowling alleys, an auditorium, and veterans’ meeting rooms.
On December 28, 1933, faulty electrical wiring ignited a fire. Hibbing firefighters fought the blaze for more than twelve hours in subzero temperatures; the structure was declared a total loss. Insurance paid $312,995; salvage from steel components yielded an estimated $100,000. A $123,400 PWA grant awarded in 1934 made reconstruction possible. Architect E.R. Erickson designed the rebuilt structure with fire-resistant reinforced concrete throughout. The dome-shaped roof was installed during a winter with temperatures reportedly below −30°F. The new arena rededicated on November 20, 1935, and opened on December 2 of that year.
The 200-by-90-foot ice sheet incorporated artificial refrigeration technology — the first of its kind on the Iron Range. The Chicago Blackhawks recognized the facility early: they held six consecutive training camps at the Memorial Building during the 1930s and 1940s; the WHA’s Chicago Cougars also trained there in the 1970s. During World War II, the US Army Air Corps used the building as barracks and classrooms for trainees stationed in Hibbing. Politically, the building hosted President Harry Truman in 1952 and Senator John F. Kennedy in 1960, when a crowd of over 10,000 turned out in a city that would not reach 20,000 residents until decades later.
What you see
The Hibbing Memorial Building presents a clean, functional mass in the New Deal PWA tradition: Art Deco in its geometric lines and material choices, but unadorned in the manner characteristic of public works buildings constructed under Depression-era budget constraints. The dome-shaped roof is the exterior’s defining element — an engineering decision driven in part by the span required for the arena floor, and carried out, according to local accounts, in temperatures that fell below −30°F during installation. The entry facade features the restrained geometric ornament typical of 1930s civic Moderne.
Inside, terrazzo flooring, reinforced concrete walls, and careful spatial organization reflect both the lessons of the 1933 fire and the PWA’s preference for permanent, durable civic investment. The arena proper holds 3,460 permanent seats around the 200-by-90-foot ice surface; a seven-sheet curling facility, the Little Theater (260 seats), and multiple meeting rooms fill the balance of the building. The Hibbing Historical Society maintains a presence here, housing materials on the Iron Range mining and social history in which this building played a central civic role.
Practical information
- Address: Hibbing, MN 55746 (see City of Hibbing for specific address and hours)
- Status: Active community arena; open for events and public skating sessions
- Curling: Hibbing Curling Club operates a seven-sheet facility in the building
- History: Hibbing Historical Society maintains exhibits and collections on site
- Events: hockey, figure skating, trade shows, graduations; schedule via City of Hibbing
Getting there
Hibbing is in St. Louis County on Minnesota’s Iron Range, approximately 75 miles north of Duluth and 185 miles north of Minneapolis. Hibbing Regional Airport (HIB) offers daily connections to Minneapolis–St. Paul; the airport is a 10-minute drive from the Memorial Building. By car from Duluth, take US-53 North for approximately 75 miles. The city’s main commercial street, Howard Street, is minutes from the arena; the Hull-Rust-Mahoning Mine overlook is a 10-minute drive north.
Nearby
- Hull-Rust-Mahoning Open Pit Iron Mine — 1.5 miles; National Historic Landmark; one of the largest open-pit iron mines in the world
- Bob Dylan Childhood Home — Hibbing is Dylan’s hometown; childhood home at 2315 East 7th Avenue
- Greyhound Bus Museum — 1201 Greyhound Boulevard; Greyhound Lines was founded in Hibbing in 1914
- Soudan Underground Mine State Park — 65 miles northeast; 27-level underground iron mine open for tours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Hibbing Memorial Building
- Hibbing Historical Society Newsletter, Q3 2017 (fire, reconstruction, PWA grant details)
- Vintage Minnesota Hockey — Hibbing Memorial Building history
- City of Hibbing — Memorial Building Arena official page
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