Carey Lake Park is the City of Hibbing’s largest city park, offering hiking and biking trails, swimming and boating access, and a fishing pier. Barr assisted the city in planning improvements, which include new tent and RV camping areas and upgrades to the swimming beach.
Because the city sought state funding for the improvements, the project needed to comply with the Minnesota Historic Sites Act, which requires consultation with the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) so that improvements will not affect properties listed on the State or National Registers of Historic Places. To identify listed, eligible, or potentially eligible resources, Barr conducted a Phase I archaeological reconnaissance investigation.
The investigation followed the field, laboratory, and reporting standards in the State Archaeologist’s Manual for Archaeological Projects in Minnesota. Because the work was on non-federal public property, we also secured a license from the Office of the State Archaeologist before beginning fieldwork.
Our survey identified two archaeological sites. The first—two small scatters of historic artifacts likely from isolated dumping—was determined ineligible for state or national register listing.
The second site contained remnants of a foundation linked to the former DuPont Powder Plant, a significant part of Iron Range history. The plant supplied explosives essential to iron ore mining and to national wartime production during World War I. We concluded the site was potentially eligible for listing and recommended either further investigation or design measures to prevent disturbance.
We documented our methods, findings, and recommendations in a report to the city, supporting continued consultation with SHPO and informing early project adjustments to avoid impacts on archaeological resources. As a result, the city could pursue improvements that meet community needs while protecting regional heritage.
