Oliver Boarding House
Jessie Street, Marble
Historic Iron Range Housing
Housing the Iron Range Workforce
Before 1930, nearly every Iron Range community had a number of boarding houses, which were essential to meeting the housing needs of the flood of miners who came during the Range boom of 1901–25.
The Oliver Boarding House, owned by Oliver Mining and operated by a lessee, is the only known Oliver house remaining on the Western Mesabi Iron Range.
It was built in about 1909, when Marble was known as “Tent City” because of the mushrooming of miners’ housing.
It is a two-story, gable-roofed frame structure on a stone foundation. The interior retains the original design: a first floor with a kitchen, sitting room, and large dining room, with sleeping rooms upstairs.
It ceased to be a boarding house in the 1920s and is used today as a private residence.
The Iron Range Boom
During the Range boom of 1901–25, miners arrived faster than many communities could construct permanent housing. Boarding houses provided essential rooms and meals for this growing workforce and became a familiar part of nearly every Iron Range community.
Marble’s “Tent City” Years
When the Oliver Boarding House was built around 1909, miners’ housing was appearing so quickly that Marble became known as “Tent City.” The boarding house provided more substantial accommodations during this period of rapid growth.
A Practical Boarding House
The building’s straightforward construction reflects its original purpose as durable, efficient housing for miners.
Frame Construction
The boarding house is a two-story wooden frame structure.
Gable Roof
A traditional gable roof gives the building its straightforward residential form.
Stone Foundation
The wooden structure rests on a durable stone foundation.
The Original Interior Design
The interior retains the arrangement created for shared meals, social life, and upstairs sleeping accommodations.
Shared Living and Dining
- Kitchen
- Sitting room
- Large dining room
Sleeping Accommodations
- Sleeping rooms
From Boarding House to Private Home
Range Boom
A flood of miners arrived on the Iron Range, creating an urgent need for boarding houses and other housing.
Boarding House Built
Oliver Mining constructed the boarding house during Marble’s “Tent City” period.
Boarding Use Ends
The building ceased operating as a boarding house and later became a private residence.
A Rare Western Mesabi Survivor
The Oliver Boarding House preserves an important part of daily life during the Iron Range mining boom. Owned by Oliver Mining and operated by a lessee, it is the only known Oliver house remaining on the Western Mesabi Iron Range.
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