Staff are happy to see the tour schedule return to normal at the Soudan Underground Mine.

This comes after the pandemic, and then two years of maintenance and upgrade projects.

Jim DeVries, Assistant Manager of the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, explained more. “Crews took out old debris and steel. Then they rebuilt 500 feet of structural steel in the shaft. We’re glad we’ll be able to bring down generations of tourists.”

There are now professionally done exhibits in the Visitor’s Center, including a 3D model of the 54 miles worth of mining done underground.

“The Soudan Underground Mine is a geologically complex time capsule, revealing human change and technology innovation. It’s also a living memorial to the immigrants who came to the Iron Range to provide a better life for their families,” shared Sarah Guy-Levar, Interpretive Supervisor at the park.

Reed Pedersen was our guide on Thursday. He showed us how dark it was down there, before electricity came around. Miners had to use candles, and then to save money, would blow them out and work in the dark.

Mining began here in 1884, on the surface. But it became too dangerous. So they moved it underground, and it continued until 1962. It became a state park right afterwards.

Reservations are strongly recommended for the tours. They sold out when they opened up again for Memorial Day weekend.

Here’s more information: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_vermilion_soudan/tours.html