KBJR 6 tours Hibbing's Bob Dylan Collection
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HIBBING, MN — After spending the first few years of his life in Duluth, Bob Dylan moved to Hibbing, where he went to high school, and lived until he was 18.
This is where his music career began while in high school, when he formed several bands.
And while his career took him far away from here, Hibbing has done its part to honor and commemorate its most famous son, deep inside the Hibbing Public Library.
There, the the ultimate ode to a man considered one of the greatest musicians of all time, is on display.
In 1991, the Bob Dylan Collection, which includes memorabilia, photos from every era of his career, even a life-size paper mache sculpture of Dylan, created by a local artist, sits.
"Folks will bring in things from Bob Dylan they have around, and it's just kind of accumulated and those old librarians got together and put together this nice display," says Tyler Pulkkinen of the Hibbing Public Library.
Also inside is a guitar played in one of Dylan's high school bands, pictures of his childhood home — even a copy of his birth certificate – items people come from far and wide to see.
"It's an international sort of deal. When he won the Nobel Peace Prize too, we saw a huuuuge uptick of people coming to see the exhibit," says Pulkkinen.
"What better place to have it than right here in Hibbing," says Jari Valikorpi, who is visiting the display from Finland, in order to learn more about the area's Finnish roots. He says visiting the Bob Dylan collection is a must while in town.
"It's amazing. Guitars, posters and birth certificate. Yeah, great," says Valikorpi.
Whether you're visiting from half a world away or live right here in the Northland, few places are better to learn more about Dylan, than where his music career began.
You can also go on a self-guided tour of Dylan-related landmarks in Hibbing, like his childhood home, his schools and places around town he used to hangout.
Click here for information on the self-guided tour.
Dan Wolfe