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History

“It would be a hard proposition to find a more ideal sightly location for a town, lying as it does, overlooking beautiful Hill Lake, and backed by the magnificent forests of hardwoods.”  The sincerity of the words written by Gaylord Huntley, Publisher of Volume 1, Number 1, of the first newspaper dated May 5, 1910, Hill City News, was matched only by the tenacity which characterizes our Hill City forebearers.

The charming City of Hill City owes its very existence to the beauty that surrounds it.  In 1900 Al Wandel came to burn the meadows for the Hill City Realty Company.  When Al arrived, about all that suggested a future village was the Miller Bros. Logging camp of 7 log buildings situated on Morrison brook (near what is now the intersection of Hwy 169 and 200).  The Realty Company composed of James Harper, James Gill, and E.L. Buck originated promotion of this area.  They laid out the original nine-block plat of the town site.

Hill Lake is named for the prominent hill in the township.  The Ojibway called the area “Pikwadina” or “Piquadinaw”, which translated to “it is hilly”.

Originally functioning under Hill Lake Township, Hill City seceded and became officially incorporated on March 8, 1910.

Bridging the past with the future, Hill City maintains its beauty and its pride.  Along with it, without deterring from the small-town atmosphere is the progression of an active community.  The friendliness that abounds here will always make you feel right at home.

If you would like more information on the history of Hill City you can to www.rootsweb.com/~mnaitkin/hill_city.htm

Ask any one of our residents, year-round and seasonal, it’s the people, the friendly faces and the feeling of community that beckons and keeps people returning year after year and those that live here wouldn’t live anywhere else.

It’s the pride that shows on the faces of this small community. Plenty of work goes into making sure that everyone enjoys their stay in Hill City…there is always something to do.

Hill City sits in the middle of four main deer hunting blocks.  An average of two to three deer per square mile is harvested in the Hill City area.

Two wildlife management areas border two sides of the City.  They are Little Hill located six miles West with 1,500 acres:  Moose-Willow, located three miles South with 1,800 acres.  Both provide good pools for goose and duck.  Hunting for ruffed grouse is also a popular sport in the Hill City area.

Hill City offers municipal water and sewer, fire/rescue protection and lots of hometown pride.