40 Acres with a Winding River Running Through It
$365,000
Just outside Embarrass, in Minnesota's Iron Range country — 40 acres of homestead land with a river winding straight through it.
Inside, warm wood floors and tile countertops keep things simple, but the real story is outside: a 40-by-36 pole building big enough for every piece of Northwoods gear you own, two loafing sheds already set up for animals, and a river that runs right through the property. 3 bd / 1 ba, 1,317 sq ft, built 1934, on 40 acres.
Listed at $365,000, cut $14,000 since July. Listing courtesy of Sherry Anderson, Vermilion Land Office, Inc.
Homestead Potential
Water & Infrastructure
The home itself runs on well and septic typical of rural St. Louis County, but the real water feature here is the river running through the property — good for wildlife, recreation, and simply having moving water on your own land, though it is not something to draw drinking water from without real filtration.
Crop & Income Potential
This is Northwoods forest and wetland, not farmland — the growing season this far north is short, and the soil suits a hardy garden more than field crops. What the land supports well is exactly what it is already set up for: pasture space near the loafing sheds for animals, and the kind of self-reliant homesteading that leans on hunting and foraging as much as anything planted.
Sustainability
Both the house and the pole building carry their own 200-amp electrical panels, real infrastructure most rural properties do not have without paying for it separately. The metal roof is built for heavy snow loads, and the pole building alone gives you the kind of dry storage that makes wood heat, equipment, and gear management realistic up here.
The Boundaries
With a river actually crossing the property, get a current survey and check with St. Louis County on any wetland or riparian setback rules before you plan where anything new goes — rivers like this one can carry buffer requirements that are not obvious just from walking the land.
Beyond the Property Line
Local Flavor & Small-Town Character
Embarrass was settled by Finnish immigrants in the early 1900s and still carries that heritage forward — Sisu Heritage, Inc. preserves the area's remarkable concentration of Finnish-American vernacular architecture, including seven sites on the National Register of Historic Places, and runs guided Finnish Heritage Homestead Tours each summer. The Embarrass Region Fair fills the weekend before Labor Day, and Babbitt, 15 minutes away, adds Peter Mitchell Fun Days and everyday town amenities.
Agricultural Resources & Neighbor Networks
The University of Minnesota Extension office for St. Louis County, based in Duluth, provides research-based agricultural and natural-resource support for anyone working land like this, including a dedicated Agriculture and Natural Resources educator.
Outdoor Recreation & Natural Surroundings
The Superior National Forest is right next door, with over 400 miles of hiking trail and roughly 700 miles of snowmobile trail through some of Minnesota's wildest country. The Mesabi Trail runs paved from Embarrass to Wahlsten for biking and walking, and Birch Lake nearby adds kayaking and some of the region's best walleye fishing.
Listed on Zillow
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