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History · Black River

Black River’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold no old photos of Black River. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

0old images & papers
0recent photos

The story so far

from Wikipedia & the U.S. Census

Black River Township is a township in Pennington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 98 at the 2000 census. This township was named for the Black River.

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell from 82 to 67 (-18%). Half of its homes were built before 1945.

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Black River yet — the old photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Intro from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Population and housing: U.S. Census Bureau.

Be one of the first

Start Black River’s collection

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

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Famous people from Black RiverWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Black River.Meet them →
By decade

Black River, decade by decade

Before
2000
No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
National Register of Historic Places

Nothing in Black River is on the National Register yet

That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Black River has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Red Lake County Courthouse in Red Lake Falls, 7.4 miles away.

Black River and the nearest listed places

Dashed line = Black River. Tap a dot.
Red Lake County CourthouseRed River Trail: Goose Lake Swamp SectionThief River Falls Public LibraryThief River Falls Auditorium and Municipal BuildingMinneapolis St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie DepotChurch of St. Peter-Catholic

Closest to Black River

Red Lake County CourthouseRed Lake Falls · Building7.4miRed River Trail: Goose Lake Swamp SectionPolk Centre · Site8.6miThief River Falls Public LibraryThief River Falls · Building10miThief River Falls Auditorium and Municipal BuildingThief River Falls · Building10miMinneapolis St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie DepotThief River Falls · Building10.2mi

How a place gets listed

1Talk to the stateEvery nomination goes through the State Historic Preservation Office. Owners, towns and historical societies can start one.
2Try a local or state list firstMany states keep their own register with a shorter form, a common first step for old barns, halls and schoolhouses.
3Write it upA nomination covers the history, photos and a map. Red Lake County Courthouse’s page links to a real one.
Know an old place in Black River?A mill, a schoolhouse, a cellar hole, a church: add a photo of it to Black River’s story, or a memory of it.
📷 Add a photo of an old place
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places · photos from Wikimedia Commons

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Browns Creek📜 St. Hilaire📜 Sanders📜 Polk Centre
We left the porch light on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Black River, MNPennington CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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