Editing Taconite, Minnesota (section)

==History==
Taconite was established in 1907 and is one of several whistlestop cities located on Highway 169 collectively known as 'Range Cities'. These cities were branded as such when they sprang up in parallel with the nearby iron mining operations that began in Coleraine and headed in a northeasterly direction. The mines and cities comprise part of what is known as Minnesota's Iron Range, specifically the Mesabi Range.

Taconite is a derivation of the word Taconic, which is related to the Taconic Mountains of the eastern United States and contain similar geologic formations.  'Taconic' is based on a Native American word, documented in use as early as 1685,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Edward W. |title=Taconite: The Derivation of the Name |url=http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/33/v33i07p282-283.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320114755/http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/33/v33i07p282-283.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-20 |url-status=live |agency=Minnesota Historical Society |publisher=Minnesota History}}</ref> and spelled a number of ways including:

- Tachkanick  
- Taghconic
- K'takantshan 
- Tachanizen
- Tackinick 
- Tocconuc
- Taughkaughnick 
- Taghonic
- Toghconnuck 
- Taconick
- Toghconnuc 
- Tacon'ic 
- Taghkan'nuc 
- Taconyte
- Taghkanick 
and - Tac'onite

Taconite abuts what was originally called the Holman Mine, with independently operated mines located on either side of the city.

With closure of the mines, the withdrawal of dewatering equipment led to rain, runoff and underground springs raising water levels in the nearby mine pits.  The abandoned pits that surround Taconite – including the Holman Mine—have been filled and joined into what is now called the Canisteo Mine complex.