Soudan, The Cadillac of Mines: The Story and What Is True

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Soudan, the Cadillac of Mines is a Minnesota story with a documented core at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, Soudan, St. Louis County. The sources are named below.

HistoryKind of story
2Named sources
Iron Range and VoyageursRegion
Nov 1Checked, 2026

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A story with a documented core.

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Soudan, The Cadillac of Mines

People say Soudan was the Cadillac of Mines, the oldest and deepest iron mine in Minnesota. Miners rode a cage down more than 2,000 feet into the dark, then a little train carried them nearly a mile to the last place they worked. Today visitors can make the same ride, in a rock chamber that stays cool all summer.

What The Record Shows

The Minnesota DNR says the mine operated for 80 years, from 1882 to 1962, and miners called it the Cadillac of Mines. The Minnesota Conservation Volunteer says Minnesota Iron Company started with seven open pits before moving underground, and U.S. Steel later operated it through Oliver Mining Company. In the early 1960s U.S. Steel closed it and donated the mine and 1,000 surrounding acres to the state. The DNR tour page says it became a state park in 1963 and tours began in 1965. The cage descends 2,341 feet to the 27th level, then a train goes nearly a mile to the Montana stope. The tour is 90 minutes and the mine stays 51 degrees. The magazine article calls it a National Historic Landmark and the state's largest bat hibernaculum.

Sources: Soudan Underground Mine tours (Minnesota DNR); Bucket List: Tour the Renovated Soudan Mine (Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, DNR).

A Note

Not confirmed: the opening year. The DNR pages we read say 1882 and some other sources say 1883. Tour dates and prices change, so check the DNR page.

Its home: Soudan Underground Mine tours (Minnesota DNR). Official page.

On this site: Historic Sites, National Historic Landmarks, Iron Range and Voyageurs Events.

Looked for and Not Found

A recent flood closure at the mine

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the story of Soudan, the Cadillac of Mines true?

The Minnesota DNR says the mine operated for 80 years, from 1882 to 1962, and miners called it the Cadillac of Mines.

Is this a legend?

It is a story with a documented core. The facts are listed on this page with their sources.

Where do these facts come from?

From the named sources listed on this page: Soudan Underground Mine tours (Minnesota DNR); Bucket List: Tour the Renovated Soudan Mine (Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, DNR).

Sources

Read on November 1, 2026. Stories are for fun; the facts come from these sources. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? tell us.

Cite this page: It's Minnesota, “Soudan, The Cadillac of Mines”, itsminnesota.com/legends/soudan-underground-mine/ (updated 2026-11-01). By the It's Minnesota editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.