Milford Mine Memorial Park near Wolford in Crow Wing County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Milford Miners Memorial
In Memoriam
Milford Mine Memorial Park
Photographed by McGhiever, June 27, 2025
1. Milford Miners Memorial Marker
Inscription.
Milford Miners Memorial. In Memoriam. , The Milford Mine tragedy affected the entire community on a deeply personal level. Forty-one miners lost their lives that afternoon. Thirty-eight women lost their husbands. Eighty-three children lost their fathers. It is the worst mining disaster in Minnesota's history. The loss of these miners cast a great sadness over the tight-knit Cuyuna Range community. The grieving was compounded by the fact that it took nine months to recover all the bodies., Through this tragic, nine-month ordeal, families and friends helped one another endure. Time has not entirely healed this great emotional scar, but the community of the Cuyuna Iron Range has survived and grown. This shared experience, passed down through generations, has helped the Cuyuna Iron Range community develop its unique and special character., This walkway and this county park are dedicated to the Milford miners, their families and their descendants, who worked, suffered, and sacrificed to provide for their families and build their community.,
In Memoriam , Miners who lost their lives in the Milford Mine disaster on February 5, 1924:. Earl Bedard . Mike Bizal . Oliver Burns . George Butkovich . Emil Carlson . Valentine Cole . Evan Crellin . Roy Cunningham . Minor Graves . Clinton Harris . Fred Harte . Elmer Haug . John Hendrickson . John Hlacher . George Hocevar . Herman Holm . Frank Hrvatin, Sr. . William Johnson . Alex Jylha . Victor Ketola . Leo LaBrash . Arvid Lehti . Peter Magdich . John Maurich . Ronald McDonald . John Minerich . Arthur Myhres . Simmon Palomaki . Nick Radich . Clyde Revord . Gaspar Revord . Nels Ritari . Jerome Ryan . Tony Slack . Joseph Snyder . Marko Toljan . Mike Tomac . Martin Valencich . Arthur Wolford . John Yakelich . Frank Zeitz,
Miners who climbed to safety: , Carl Frals, Harry Hosford, Emil Kainu, Matt Kangas, Jacob Ravnik, Mike Zakotnik, Frank Hrvatin, Jr..
The Milford Mine tragedy affected the entire community on a deeply personal level. Forty-one miners lost their lives that afternoon. Thirty-eight women lost their husbands. Eighty-three children lost their fathers. It is the worst mining disaster in Minnesota's history. The loss of these miners cast a great sadness over the tight-knit Cuyuna Range community. The grieving was compounded by the fact that it took nine months to recover all the bodies.
Through this tragic, nine-month ordeal, families and friends helped one another endure. Time has not entirely healed this great emotional scar, but the community of the Cuyuna Iron Range has survived and grown. This shared experience, passed down through generations, has helped the Cuyuna Iron Range community develop its unique and special character.
This walkway and this county park are dedicated to the Milford miners, their families and their descendants, who worked, suffered, and sacrificed to provide for their families and build their community.
In Memoriam Miners who lost their lives in the Milford Mine disaster on February 5, 1924:
Earl Bedard Mike Bizal Oliver Burns George Butkovich Emil Carlson Valentine Cole Evan Crellin Roy Cunningham Minor Graves Clinton Harris Fred Harte Elmer Haug John Hendrickson John Hlacher George Hocevar Herman Holm Frank Hrvatin, Sr. William Johnson Alex Jylha Victor Ketola Leo LaBrash Arvid Lehti Peter Magdich John Maurich Ronald McDonald John Minerich Arthur Myhres Simmon Palomaki Nick Radich Clyde Revord Gaspar Revord Nels Ritari Jerome Ryan Tony Slack Joseph Snyder Marko Toljan Mike Tomac Martin Valencich Arthur Wolford John Yakelich Frank Zeitz
Miners who climbed to safety:
Carl Frals, Harry Hosford, Emil Kainu, Matt Kangas, Jacob Ravnik, Mike Zakotnik, Frank Hrvatin, Jr.
Erected by Crow
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Wing County.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is February 5, 1924.
Location. 46° 32.093′ N, 93° 58.203′ W. Marker is near Wolford, Minnesota, in Crow Wing County. It is in Milford Mine Memorial Park. It can be reached from Milford Lake Drive. The marker is near trail intersection #4. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Crosby MN 56441, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker and memorial is in Minnesota’s Northland. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Great North Woods, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Milford Miners Memorial (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named
Photographed by McGhiever, June 27, 2025
2. In Memoriam Marker (farthest) in Milford Mine Memorial Park
Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos:1. submitted on June 24, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 2. submitted on March 29, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
