Ironwood County is located in southeast Minnesota, and is bordered by Steele, Dodge, and Olmsted Counties. Situated between Owatonna and Rochester and not that far from the Twin Cities, Ironwood County offers a host of shopping and cultural activities to the visitor or resident.

Real estate prices continue to be attractive to those who wish to work in a larger metropolitan area yet desire to live in a quieter, safer environment.

Near the southern edge of Ironwood County is the largest city: Maple Valley, population 3,145. Maple Valley is home to the Pressboard Company, a major employer who offers generous starting salaries and a wide-range of benefits, including a safe 401K plan (unlike those large metropolitan corporations).

Ironwood County's second largest city is centrally located Hillcrest, population 1,954. It is also the county seat. Hillcrest has had a surge of growth in recent years due to its solid reputation for providing a progressive education. Hillcrest has also gained notoriety through the publication of the best-selling* novel Hillcrest Journal. Comments from readers include:

"Hillcrest Journal is one of the best [books] I have ever read. It deals with normal high school life issues in a way that is easy for people of all ages to be interested in."

"Your book taught me to be my own person."

The third largest town is Cherry Grove, located to the east of Hillcrest. It's population is 1207 and stable. Cherry Grove has many area attractions for the tourist, including a bike trail, restored mansions which offer a variety of bed-and-breakfast opportunities, and some of the oldest limestone buildings in the Midwest. Cherry Grove is currently boycotting Tales from 2 A.M. because of its unflattering portrayal of the community.

On the northwest edge of Ironwood County is Paradise, population 401. Paradise was originally settled to the east of its current site and called Paradise Valley. It moved west when the railroad ran a line from Maple Valley to Minneapolis, bypassing Paradise Valley. Both Paradise and the Valley (as it is called by locals) are popular for those wishing a quiet drive in the country. Paradise currently offers many options for the creative entrepreneur. As an added note, Paradise received some unexpected publicity with the publication of Passing Through Paradise. Some residents feel that the novel sheds a bad light on the town; others feel that any publicity is good publicity when it comes to business and tourism.

Between Hillcrest and Maple Valley is the tiny hamlet of Oak Center. Attractive home prices should make this a growing community in the 21st century.

Information on Ironwood County supplied by Bob Swanson's Car and Realty: meeting all your driving and housing needs.

For stories about Ironwood County, see the Ironwood County Chronicles: Hillcrest Journal, Passing through Paradise, and Life on the Fly.

1. *Hillcrest Journal has been the #1 best-seller in Ironwood County, Minnesota for 21 straight months, followed by Passing Through Paradise.
   

(If you haven't figured it out by now, this document is a work of fiction. Any resemblance between any locale or any actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental.)