BlockFrom the record
4 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Pennington County, Minnesota
26 topographic sheets cover 13 settlements here, and 4 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 110 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 4 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 3 buildings and 1 site.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 14 populated places in this county; 13 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
4Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Minneapolis St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Depot | building | 1995 | 95000852 |
| Red River Trail: Goose Lake Swamp Section | site | 1991 | 90002202 | |
| Thief River Falls Auditorium and Municipal Building | building | 2020 | 100005247 | |
 | Thief River Falls Public Library | building | 1983 | 83003763 |
Wildfire, 1992 to 2020
115 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 115 of them, burning about 13,974 acres. 3 started naturally and 60 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 60 |
| Debris and open burning | 26 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 14 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 8 |
| Natural | 3 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. Five of them were set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 May 1992 | Arson/incendiarism | 1,150 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 28 April 2004 | Debris and open burning | 1,120 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | ST HILAIRE |
| 9 April 2003 | Arson/incendiarism | 960 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | REINER 36 |
| 6 April 2015 | Equipment and vehicle use | 807 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 8 April 2003 | Arson/incendiarism | 700 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | HICKORY ONE |
| 14 April 1994 | Arson/incendiarism | 680 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 28 April 2004 | Arson/incendiarism | 640 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | ACK THREAT |
| 7 October 2003 | Equipment and vehicle use | 600 acres | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1956 to 2025
60 of 209 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 209 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $2,938,750 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 102 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 73 |
| Tornado | 11 |
| Flash Flood | 10 |
| Funnel Cloud | 8 |
| Flood | 4 |
| Lightning | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1980 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| September 2019 | Flash Flood | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | $250,000 | Streets, low spots, rivers, and basements were flooded by 4 to 9 inches of rain over a short duration of time. Cars that got stuck in the flood waters were abandoned where they stalled. Farm fields and access roads were also flooded. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $50,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds damaged several buildings and blew down trees in the Thief River Falls area. Estimated damage was $10,000. |
| July 1978 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1968 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $20,000 | Large cottonwood trees were uprooted and a grain bin was demolished. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Hilaire | $10,000 | A few 4 to 8 inch diameter tree branches were blown down in farmsteads across southeast Sanders Township. Tin roofing was blown off of one farm outbuilding and some cattle pen fencing was blown down at another. |
| July 2014 | Flash Flood | Thief River Falls | $10,000 | Over two inches of rain fell in an hour, which caused street flooding throughout the city. |
| May 2010 | Flash Flood | High Lndg | $10,000 | The Red Lake River at Highlanding rose six feet rapidly and crested near flood stage. Local fields and farm yards nearby were flooded as excessive runoff flowed into local ditches and streams. |
| July 2001 | Flash Flood | Thief River Falls | $10,000 | Street flooded was reported with numerous cars stalled. |
| May 2010 | Flash Flood | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | $5,000 | Fields and farm access roads were under water in and around the greater Thief River Falls area. |
| July 2000 | Flash Flood | High Lndg | $5,000 | Four inches of rain fell southeast of Highlanding, where some basement flooding was reported. |
| March 2009 | Flood | Dakota Jct | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2009 | Flood | Dakota Jct | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2020 | Flash Flood | High Lndg | $2,000 | Four to five inches of rain fell across much of Deer Park and High Landing townships. Fields and farm access roads were inundated. The runoff quickly raised the Red Lake River by two feet. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $2,000 | Trees were blown down. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $2,000 | Numerous trees were blown down. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $1,000 | Trees were damaged by the wind. |
| July 2023 | Lightning | Thief River Falls | $500 | Mayor of Thief River Falls, MN reports a tree in his backyard took a direct strike from lightning. Still standing but damaged. No fatalities or injuries. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mavie | $500 | Several large branches were blown down. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | $500 | Branches were blown down. |
| August 1983 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | Gust measured at awos station KTVF. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | - | Road sign damaged by wind and twisted. |
| August 2025 | Hail | St Hilaire | - | Report of up to quarter size hail falling over a 20 min period. Time Estimated by radar. |
| August 2025 | Hail | Dakota Jct | - | Report of quarter size hail. Time estimated by radar. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | Thief River Falls MN airport awos station KTVF. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | - | Broken tree branches reported. |
| June 2024 | Hail | Goodridge | - | Broadcast media relays report of 2.75 inch hail in ESE of Goodridge. |
| August 2023 | Hail | Erie | - | Delayed report from social media. Broadcast Media reports golf ball to egg size hail 6 east of Goodridge. |
| June 2022 | Hail | Dakota Jct | - | Received a report of dime to quarter sized hail covering HWY 1. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Erie | - | Peak winds were measured at an RWIS station along Hwy 1. |
| June 2022 | Hail | Erie | - | Received a public report of large hail that fell for around 10 minutes. |
| June 2022 | Tornado (EF0) | Erie | - | Tornado tracked for less than a minute through an open field. The ground based dust swirl was filmed or photographed by at least three spotters. A persistent and low wall cloud structure was tracked into the area and was above the swirl, with only a brief condensation cone apparent. First reported via social media and through broadcast media sources. Time estimated based on radar, along with photo and video records. Peak winds estimated to 70 mph, with a maximum width to 75 yards. |
| June 2022 | Funnel Cloud | Erie | - | Law enforcement reported a persistent wall cloud and a brief funnel. |
| June 2022 | Tornado (EF0) | Erie | - | A brief touchdown was noted in an open field just north of MN Hwy 1. A dust swirl was evident but no damage was apparent. A nearby MNDOT RWIS station registered a peak wind of 71 mph. Maximum width estimated to 40 yards. |
| June 2022 | Hail | Erie | - | Received a public report of ping pong ball to hen egg sized hail. |
| July 2022 | Hail | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | Received a public report of mainly dime to nickel sized hail, with a few quarter sized pieces mixed in. |
| July 2022 | Hail | Thief River Falls | - | Dime to nickel sized hail covering the ground was reported by a trained spotter. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Hilaire | - | Several large trees were blown down, along with numerous large tree branches and limbs. Report and photos posted via social media. Time estimated by radar. |
| August 2020 | Tornado (EF1) | Dakota Jct | - | This tornado likely became wrapped in heavy rain and downburst winds at times along its intermittent path. The tornado snapped numerous trees in shelterbelts along its path, and cracked at least two power poles. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | St Hilaire | - | Two oak trees were snapped in a farm yard. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | The wind gust was measured at the Thief River Falls airport. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | - | Trees were uprooted on the northwest side of town. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | The wind gust was measured at the Thief River Falls airport. |
| September 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mavie | - | The wind gust was measured by a NDAWN mesonet sensor. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | The wind gust was measured at the Thief River Falls airport. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thief River Falls | - | Roofing was torn off a trailer home and numerous large tree branches were blown down. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Erie | - | A few 10 to 12 inch diameter trees were snapped and other large branches were blown down in a grove. |
| August 2020 | Hail | Hazel | - | Large hail fell in east central Smiley Township. |
| August 2020 | Hail | Mavie | - | Nickel to half dollar sized hail fell. |
| August 2020 | Tornado (EF1) | Hazel | - | A tornado knocked down several trees and branches in shelterbelts along its path. One power pole was snapped. The track was based on a combination of reports and satellite imagery. Peak winds were estimated at 90 mph. |
| August 2020 | Hail | St Hilaire | - | Dime to quarter sized hail fell. |
| August 2020 | Hail | (Tvf)Thief Rvr Falls | - | Dime to quarter sized hail fell. |
| August 2020 | Funnel Cloud | Hazel | - | A persistent wall cloud with a funnel were reported. |
| August 2020 | Hail | St Hilaire | - | Dime to nickel sized hail fell. |
| September 2019 | Hail | St Hilaire | - | The hail was mostly pea size. |
| July 2018 | Hail | Thief River Falls | - | The hail nearly covered the ground. |
| July 2018 | Hail | Erie | - | The hail was accompanied by very heavy rain. |
| May 2018 | Hail | High Lndg | - | Hail dime sized or larger covered the ground. |
Mines and quarries
4 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 4 workings inside this county. All of them still produce. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 4 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete Inc Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Garry Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Halverson Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Moe Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Every populated place in the county
14Named 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.
-
Basswood Court
Thief River Falls city · 56701 · On Thief River · Thief River Falls quadrangle
10 sheets, 1943 to 1992
-
Challenger Court
Thief River Falls city · 56701 · Thief River Falls quadrangle
10 sheets, 1943 to 1992
-
Greendale Manor
Thief River Falls city · 56701 · On Thief River · Thief River Falls quadrangle
10 sheets, 1943 to 1992
-
Thief River Falls
Thief River Falls city · 56701 · On Thief River · Thief River Falls quadrangle
10 sheets, 1943 to 1992
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.