Inside Tower, one of the coldest cities in the US, with a record -60F temperature and a 2,341ft deep mine-turned-physics lab
- Tower’s lowest recorded temperature – minus 60 Fahrenheit – was taken on February 2, 1996
- Given its chilly bite, the town remains sparsely populated with just over 400 residents
- The Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is one of the town’s biggest attractions
This northeastern city in Minnesota is one of the coolest in the US, not for its hipster bars or happening music scene but for its chill-inducing temperatures.
Tower’s lowest recorded temperature was taken on February 2, 1996, with the thermometer giving a reading of minus 60 Fahrenheit. This also set a record low for the entire state.
According to WorldClimate.com this was an anomaly, with the city’s average low traditionally being about 1 Fahrenheit in December and the high being about 78 Fahrenheit in July.
Given its chilly bite and remote location, the former mining town remains sparsely populated with just over 400 residents. Hugging the shores of Lake Vermilion, the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is one of the area’s biggest attractions.
Tower’s lowest recorded temperature was taken on February 2, 1996, with the thermometer giving a reading of minus 60 Fahrenheit. This also set a record low for the entire state
According to WorldClimate.com this was an anomaly, with the city’s average low traditionally being about 1 Fahrenheit in December and the high being about 78 Fahrenheit in July
A photo of Tower taken on November 1, the day after the 1991 Halloween Blizzard. The city received 40 inches of snow in 24 hours. Topping it off, winds of 50mph were recorded with temperatures dropping from 55F to 10F
Given its chilly bite and remote location, the former mining town remains sparsely populated with just over 400 residents
In terms of the city’s name, it was christened after mining financier Charlemagne Tower, who is credited with introducing the mining industry to Minnesota
The park boasts a network of picturesque hiking trails and the iron mine, which opened in 1884 and closed in 1962.
The cavernous space went on to serve as an underground physics laboratory after a physicist from the University Of Minnesota took a tour of it and saw its potential.
According to the lab’s website, it was ‘the leading deep underground science and engineering laboratory in the US for decades,’ and ‘scientists from around the world have been working at Soudan for 35 years trying to answer basic questions about the Universe in which we live.’
Today, however, the lab – which is located 2,341ft deep – is in the process of being decommissioned as existing experiments finish and new projects go into ‘newer, deeper facilities.’
For this reason, lab tours are no longer being offered.
One of the lab’s most unique features is a giant mural on one of the cavern walls, which measures 25 feet by 60 feet, depicting images of people important to the development of both physics and the mining industry.
The painting, which was completed by Joseph Giannetti over the course of several months, required 25 gallons of primer and 50 gallons of paint.
A page on the lab’s website reveals that ‘the extreme texture of the wall added to the difficulty of the project.’
Hugging the shores of Lake Vermilion, the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park is one of the area’s biggest attractions
The city’s mine opened in 1884 and closed in 1962. The cavernous space went on to serve as an underground physics laboratory after a physicist from the University Of Minnesota took a tour of it and saw its potential. Pictured is Professor Marvin Marshak in 2002
According to the lab’s website, it was ‘the leading deep underground science and engineering laboratory in the US for decades’
For those after a cultural fix, there are two museums in the pint-sized city with one dedicated to its mining history. Pictured are several locomotives in use at the Tower-Soudan mine
For visitors looking for more of a buzz on their trip to Tower, Tripadvisor recommends visiting the Fortune Bay Casino, which is located close to the lake
For visitors looking for more of a buzz on their trip to Tower, Tripadvisor recommends visiting the Fortune Bay Casino, which is located close to the lake.
The sprawling entertainment hub features a 172-room resort, an RV Park, a marina, a golf course, and a number of dining options.
For those after a cultural fix, there are two museums in the pint-sized city including the Bois Forte Heritage Center dedicated to the Bois Forte tribe or ‘band,’ and the Tower-Soudan Historical Society, which is a museum housed inside an old depot with trains and a steam locomotive on show.
After building up an appetite touring the city’s sites, there are a few restaurants in the center including a grill serving hearty bites and a sports bar with cold beer on tap.
However, one of the best-rated eateries is the Vermilion Club close to the lake on Old Hwy 77.
On Tripadvisor many patrons rate the pizza, with two of the more unusual options being the ‘bacon cheeseburger’ topped with beef, bacon, mozzarella and American cheese, and the ‘taco’ combining beef, black olives, onions, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.
One visitor noted that you could get to the restaurant ‘by boat, by car or on a snow machine in the winter.’
In terms of the city’s name, it was christened after mining financier Charlemagne Tower, who is credited with introducing the mining industry to Minnesota.
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