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Clearwater County, Minnesota

30 topographic sheets cover 23 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

2 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Minnesota within the United States
Clearwater County within Minnesota

What the record shows

  • 223 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 1 building and 1 district.
  • 1 of the 2 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 23 populated places in this county; 23 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

2

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Gran Evangelical Lutheran Churchbuilding198888000593
Itasca State Parkdistrict197373000972

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

1,374 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,374 of them, burning about 102,618 acres. 8 started naturally and 492 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning512
Arson/incendiarism492
Missing data/not specified/undetermined188
Misuse of fire by a minor83
Equipment and vehicle use54
Recreation and ceremony16
Natural8
Smoking8
Other causes4
Railroad operations and maintenance4
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Fireworks2

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 April 2003Debris and open burning19,782 acresRed Lake AgencyRL304
15 May 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined8,480 acresRed Lake AgencyRL468
6 April 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined7,455 acresRed Lake AgencyRL13
17 March 2000Missing data/not specified/undetermined5,120 acresRed Lake AgencyRL208
18 April 1994Missing data/not specified/undetermined4,200 acresRed Lake Agencynot named
6 April 2006Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,650 acresRed Lake AgencyRED LAKE 16
9 April 1995Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,500 acresRed Lake AgencyR92
18 March 2000Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,250 acresRed Lake AgencyRL207

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1959 to 2025

60 of 246 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 246 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 1 injury and about $3,515,230 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail121
Thunderstorm Wind85
Tornado21
Flash Flood9
Flood6
Funnel Cloud3
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 1985Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
July 2013Tornado (EF2)Zerkel$750,000This tornado began in Mahnomen County, just southeast of Mahnomen, at 12:50 am CST. The total tornado track was about 21 miles. The tornado damaged structures at three locations along the route with long tracks of tree and crop damage. Peak winds were estimated at 115 mph.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindZerkel$700,000Ground survey and high resolution satellite confirmed a long swath of widespread destructive straight-line winds estimated between 80 and 90 mph starting across south central Clearwater County north of Highway 200 and south of Highway 2. The swath was 8 miles at its widest and easternmost point in Clearwater County. This surge of straight-line winds continued east into southern Beltrami and northern Hubbard counties where more significant winds and impacts were observed around Bemidji. The 30 mile long swath started in Clearwater County and ended near the southeastern Beltrami county line. There was approximately 60,388 acres of Clearwater County impacted with widespread tree damage within this single swath.
June 2017HailLake Itasca$500,000The hail fell at Itasca State Park and was reported via social media.
June 2002Flash FloodClearbrook$350,000Water flowed over streets and roads as 7 to 11 inches of rain fell. Most of the road damage occurred along Silver Creek. The city park and 3 homes were also flooded. Several roads were washed out in Itasca State Park.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindBerner$300,000A downburst wind damage path developed across west central Greenwood Township. Numerous trees were toppled with some falling on the Greenwood Township Hall roof. A one to two mile wide swath of wind damage extended for over three miles and indicated peak winds of 60 to 80 mph.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindGonvick$250,000Trees were blown down on cars and powerlines.
June 1959Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2008Tornado (EF1)Lake Itasca$200,000This tornado originated in Becker County at 844 pm CDT. It travelled about 2 miles across extreme southeast Clearwater County to around 5 miles south-southeast of Lake Itasca by 854 pm CDT. From there it continued into Hubbard County. Several large trees were knocked down or uprooted along its path. Peak winds were estimated to 105 mph.
July 2013Tornado (EF1)Berner$50,000This tornado began in Polk County, about one mile north of Trail, at 12:33 am CST. The tornado snapped and uprooted numerous trees along its entire seven mile path. Peak winds were estimated at 90 mph.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindBagley$50,000no account filed
August 1960Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 2022Flash FloodBagley$20,000Highway 92 south of Highway 2 was closed off due to debris jams and flooding near the Clearwater River Bridge, and for a short distance upriver along the Clearwater River and the confluence of the Walker Brook.
June 2008HailShevlin$20,000The hail continued for about four minutes, or from 7:37 PM to 7:41 PM.
May 2003Tornado (F0)Gonvick$10,000A brief tornado touchdown caused minor tree damage and lifted shingles on several roofs. A tin building was lifted into the street, causing minor damage.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindGonvick$10,000A large tree was blown down and roof damage was reported to homes and businesses.
May 2013FloodBerner$5,000no account filed
April 2013FloodBerner$5,000no account filed
March 2009FloodBerner$5,000no account filed
July 1998Thunderstorm WindLake Itasca$3,000Trees were blown down at Lake Itasca.
August 1981Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500no account filed
August 2020Flash FloodShevlin$2,000Fields and farm access roads were flooded across southeast Copley and southern Shevlin townships. Street flooding was reported in Shevlin.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindBagley$2,000A 60 mph wind gust blew down some small trees and a screened porch.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindGonvick$2,000Trees were blown down.
June 2023Flash FloodBagley$1,000Law Enforcement reports flash flooding with a squad car under water.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindClearbrook$1,000Trees were blown down.
June 2023Flash FloodBagley Muni Arpt$500Public reports a foot of standing water on HWY 92 S of Bagley.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindLake Itasca$500A large tree was blown down.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindBagley$500Trees were blown down.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindBagley$200The strong wind blew down large branches.
July 1979Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
July 2025Thunderstorm WindShevlin-Multiple trees down and broken tree branches in Shelvin, MN. Time estimated by radar.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindZerkel-High resolution satellite imagery reveals numerous swaths of significant tree damage in portions of southern Clearwater County MN. This includes one noteworthy area of widespread tree destruction near Long Lost Lake, particularly south and east of the lake. Maximum wind estimated from numerous trees snapped at the trunk blown down in a unidirectional and divergent pattern indicative of destructive straight line winds around 100 mph.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindBagley-Small tree downed in addition to pea-sized hail and very heavy rain. Time estimated from radar.
May 2023HailEbro-Social media report of quarter-size hail.
May 2023HailZerkel-Report of quarter sized hail relayed via Facebook.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindClearbrook-Public reports medium-sized branches down and pea-sized hail 3 NE Clearbrook. Wind speed estimated.
July 2023HailShevlin-Public reports quarter sized hail in Shevlin.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindLeonard-A few large trees were blown down in northern Sinclair Township.
June 2022HailAlida-Received a public report of quarter-sized hail.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindBerner-A few trees were blown down near Minnesota HWY 1 and BIA 19. Time estimated based on radar.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindLake Itasca-Several pine and poplar trees were snapped or uprooted along CR2, from southeast Bear Creek Township into eastern Itasca Township. Time estimated based on radar and nearby wind sensor reports.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindBerner-Peak wind was measured at a personal weather station. Dime to quarter sized hail fell for a short period of time.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindZerkel-Several pine and poplar trees were blown down along MN200. Time was estimated based on radar.
May 2022HailBerner-Received a report of quarter-sized hail and strong winds.
August 2020HailZerkel-The hail fell along highway 113.
August 2020HailLake Itasca-The hail fell near the main lodge.
August 2020HailEbro-The hail fell near the Shooting Star Casino.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindLeonard-Multiple trees were blown down, one falling on a house. A garage and barn were also damaged.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindClearbrook-A small tree was blown down in town.
July 2020Thunderstorm WindAlida-Numerous large branches were blown down.
September 2020Thunderstorm WindLeonard-Several tree branches were blown down.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindBerner-A few trees were snapped in a grove.
May 2019Thunderstorm WindClearbrook-Very heavy rain and strong winds were reported along with pea to marble sized hail.
June 2019HailBerner-Large hail damaged crops across central Windsor Township.
June 2019HailAlida-Most of the hail was 0.25 to 0.50 inches in diameter.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindAlida-Large tree limbs were blown down.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindGonvick-Several large branches were blown down.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindZerkel-Large tree branches were blown down.
July 2018HailBagley-The hail fell with very heavy rain.

Mines and quarries

16 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 16 workings inside this county. 14 still produce and 2 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction14
Limestone, General2

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Clearwater County Marl Beds No 1Limestone, GeneralOccurrence
Clearwater County Marl Beds No 2Limestone, GeneralOccurrence
Anderson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Broin PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Colstrom PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Dahlke PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Gesell East MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Gesell No 2 East PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Lavine PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mathison PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Murray PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
North Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pawek PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Spike Lake Pit & MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Thompson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Thorson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

23

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Clearwater County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.