These 5 Celebrities Hail From Some Of Minnesota's Most Charming Small Towns

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is not California or New York, but there is still a pretty fair number of Minnesota celebrities who hail from our fair state. While most of them, like Prince, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joe Mauer, or Paul Molitor, are from the Twin Cities, there are many who once called some of the North Star State’s smaller cities and communities their home towns. And there’s something that’s extra special in rooting for a small-town kid done good. Here’s a handful of famous people from Minnesota who come from our smaller communities.

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Actress Jessica Biel hails from the charming town of Ely, Minnesota.

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Ely is an outdoor mecca. As a gateway to the Boundary Waters and Superior National Forest, Ely is considered Minnesota's headquarters for North Woods adventuring. We imagine that Ms. Biel's outdoor skills are top-notch with that kind of pedigree.

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Born Robert Zimmerman in a Duluth hospital, Bob Dylan grew up in Hibbing, where he is hailed as a hometown hero.

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The Iron Range city of Hibbing has deep mining roots, which brings with it a boom-and-bust economy. Perhaps this helped to inspire Dylan's interest in folk music and protest songs.

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Originally named Frances Gumm, Judy Garland went on to become one of Hollywood's best-known stars in the first half of the 20th century.

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Today, her childhood home is part of the Judy Garland Museum, which is one of Grand Rapids' popular attractions. The town is also known as a gateway city to the Chippewa National Forest.

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Academy Award-winning actress Jessica Lange comes from Cloquet. (Later in life, she returned to the state for a while and lived in the Stillwater area).

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Cloquet sits at the confluence of two rivers and is close to both Jay Cooke State Park and the Sax-Zim Bog. We imagine Ms. Lange grew up loving the burgers from Gordy's Hi-Hat, a beloved Cloquet institution.

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There could be stranger things than the fact that Winona Ryder was named for the city in which she was born. At the time, her family lived in rural Olmsted County, but Winona is Ms. Ryder's official birthplace.

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The charming city of Winona sits on the Mississippi River in Minnesota's Bluff Country. Ms. Ryder once lent her name and image to one of the city's tourism campaigns, which included a Super Bowl commercial.

If you’ve ever wondered where you might run into a celebrity in Minnesota, whether local or big-time, the Hi-Lo Diner is good bet. In its short history, the Hi-Lo in Minneapolis has become a favorite among both local luminaries and visiting big shots. We’re sure these famous people from Minnesota are proud of their roots, and we’re sure you are, too – so why not show off you pride?

What is your favorite celebrity encounter in Minnesota? Tell us about it in the comments!