Pine City, Minnesota
Pine City is a city of 3,468 people in Pine County, Minnesota, founded in February 14, 1881.
Why visit Pine City
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails and 11 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Snake River Fur Post.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 79°F; January lows average -1°F, and about 45 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Pine City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pine City
Pine City is a city in and the county seat of Pine County, in east central Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,130 at the 2020 census. Part of the city is on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. Founded as a railway town, it soon became a logging community and the surrounding lakes made it a resort town.
From the Wikipedia article Pine City, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Snake River Fur Post
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historical site in Minnesota
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
City Softball Complex
Park · 1.9 mi
Four Fields, Playground, Consession Stand, Restrooms and Parking
Restaurants and cafes11
Don Julio
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
1120 Hillside Avenue Southwest
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Keziah's Kitchen
Restaurant · Thai · 1.4 mi
515 8th Avenue Southeast
Su-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00
Three Twenty Brewing Co.
Brewery and winery · 1.0 mi
135 5th Street Southeast, Pine City
Shopping3
History
The Dakota Indians were the first in the area. With the Ojibwe expansion, the area became a mixture of the two. By the early 19th century, the area became predominantly Ojibwe. They trapped and hunted on the land and traded furs at the nearby trading posts. With the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, dubbed the "White Pine Treaty", lumbering began in the area, but was limited by access to available waterways.
In the late 19th century, European settlers came to the Pine City area, which was still heavily forested with thick stands of white pine, some of the state's largest. When the railroad arrived in Pine City, a logging expansion began. Pine City prospered and grew to have everything it needed to serve residents, farmers, and the expanding lumber industry. It was platted in 1869 and incorporated in 1881.
When Buchanan County merged with Pine County in 1861, the county seat was consolidated to Pine City because it was already well-established. Because of its location on the far southern edge of Pine County, there have been attempts over the years to move the county seat to more central Hinckley or Sandstone.
In 2005, Pine City became the first city in rural America with an annual gay pride event, East-Central Minnesota Pride. A book capturing Pine City's history in vintage photos, part of the Images of America series, was published in 2010.
From the History section of Pine City, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Map of Pine City
39 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19°F | -1°F | 0.9 in | 7.3 in |
| Feb | 25°F | 3°F | 0.9 in | 7.7 in |
| Mar | 38°F | 16°F | 1.6 in | 7.7 in |
| Apr | 52°F | 28°F | 2.8 in | 3.7 in |
| May | 65°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 50°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 55°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 52°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 44°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 55°F | 32°F | 3.5 in | 0.7 in |
| Nov | 39°F | 21°F | 1.6 in | 8.8 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 8°F | 1.3 in | 8.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hinckley (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pine County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2012-07-06: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Grantsburg Municipal Airport (GTG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Hinckley 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Mora 16 mi west, about 25 min by car
- North Branch 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Cambridge 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Isanti 28 mi southwest, about 44 min by car
- Lindstrom 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- Chisago City 33 mi south, about 52 min by car
- Milaca 33 mi west, about 54 min by car
- East Bethel 36 mi south, about 58 min by car
- Oak Grove 38 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Pine City, MN 1, AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0
- NorthWestCompanyFurPost, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.