Gilbert's beginnings can be traced to a mining location which began around 1892 and became the Village of Sparta in 1896. When the town had to move to clear the way for iron ore mining, it took the name of the nearest group of mines - Gilbert. Today the Gilbert mine is gone, but the City of Gilbert is located just outside of Virginia, on Highway 135, and Sparta is a smaller community between Eveleth and Gilbert.

Gilbert was hailed at birth as the prospective "principal city of the Range." Ore in the Gilbert district was discovered as early as 1891 at the McKinley Mine but none was shipped until 1896 when the Genoa Mine was opened. Development was slow because of the hard taconite formation, quicksand, and a large amount of water beneath the deposits.

Gilbert was incorporated as a village in 1908 despite a protest filed by the Pitt Iron Company insisting that part of the area was mining land not "conditioned"...to be subjected to village government." The State Supreme Court upheld the company and the newly elected officials were ousted. During this period, Gilbert's population was increased by the residents from the town site of Sparta, one-half mile south; Sparta had been purchased by the Oliver Mining Company when high-grade iron ore was found beneath it. The village of Sparta, organized in 1897, was dissolved in 1911.

Gilbert, finally incorporated in 1909, was built substantially. The road that became Broadway was hewn from the stand of pine that covered the town site; at one time, this road was part of a twenty-eight-mile boardwalk connecting the eastern Mesabi Range towns.

Gilbert was also the eastern terminus of the Mesabi Electric Railway, an interurban streetcar line which ran from Gilbert to Hibbing.

The vote to incorporate Gilbert as a village came in 1908, and in a tradition that was to be Gilbert's trademark for years to come, the Village Council's first act was to grant a liquor license. See other information from 90 years ago.

In 2008, Gilbert will be celebrating it's 100th year. For more information about this please visit the Official Website at: http://www.gilbertcentennial.org/

The Iron Range Historical society has opened a museum in the old Gilbert City Hall. Photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia reflect the area's heritage. There is also a research room filled with historical books for those interested in researching their family tree. See Genealogy and History Publications.

With its modern campground, Lake Ore-Be-Gone, and inviting downtown atmosphere, Gilbert is one stop not to pass up on your tour of the Iron Trail.