To Tipple A Prince: Michael Hogan Godfrey the Man Who Moved Hibbing

The Mesabi Iron Range village of Hibbing was founded in 1893. In the space of twenty-five years, Hibbing had grown to the quite sizeable population of around 12,000. Its businesses and citizens were thriving. Life looked good, the town was stable, and the future looked undisturbed. But Hibbing sat on a treasure, and it was unaware of it: a giant deposit of iron ore. This is the story of how Mike Godfrey and the Oliver Iron Mining Company deceitfully managed to move the village, how they managed to recreate Hibbing two miles away, how much it cost, where the money came from, and why the great guardian of the people, ten times mayor Vic Power, said virtually nothing critical about all this. Once it was all over, the man who planned, executed, paid for and directed the entire operation disappeared.