Ironwood County

The fictional Ironwood County, created by American author John Schreiber, is located in southern Minnesota between Steele County, Minnesota, Dodge County, Minnesota, and Olmsted County. The leading towns in Ironwood County are Hillcrest, (setting of the novels Hillcrest Journal and Life on the Fly), Paradise, (setting of the novel Passing Through Paradise), Maple Valley, and Cherry Grove (referred to in some of the stories in Tales from 2 A.M.)
Fictional microcosms
The Ironwood County series portrays small towns as realistic microcosms of humanity, not as idyllic, romantic locales nor as backwater societies. The fictional county is described as follows:
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 controversial novel Hillcrest Journal.
The third largest town is Cherry Grove, located to the east of Hillcrest. Its 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.
Ironwood County novels
* Hillcrest Journal
* Passing Through Paradise
* Life on the Fly
Short stories
* Heartstone
* Tales from 2 A.M.

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