The original Town of Fayal consisted of 36 sections. The northerly sections of one through six were located in the southerly part of the Mesabi Iron Formation. Because of this, much of the land was held by Iron Mining Interests and was not for sale to the public. U.S. Steel still owns much of the land north of Ely Lake. Many homes in Sparta are still paying land rent to mining companies. In the 1920's after the Adams Mine became exhausted and open pit mining was just starting, the City of Eveleth looked to annex section one of Fayal Township. Section one included the Spruce Underground Mine, Troy Mine, Alice Mine, and part of the Fayal properties. The DM&IR Fayal Railroad yards were also included in the area. Annexation of this area would broaden the tax base for Eveleth. In order to annex this area the people who lived here would have to vote in favor of the annexation. To entice the people of Chicken Town, Spruce Hill and Troy Location to vote in favor of the annexation, they were promised that the City of Eveleth would provide these areas with city water and sewer. Many of the people who lived in these areas had water wells that were going dry due to the mines pumping water to dewater the underground areas that were being mined. The annexation vote resulted in Section one being annexed by the City of Eveleth.
Many of the residents of Eveleth and Fayal Location raised cows and pigs as they had been accustomed to doing in the "Old Country." The city provided these people with pasture land where the cows could graze during the summer months. In order to provide hay for these cows, many of the residents purchased land in Fayal Township where they could raise hay and have gardens where they could raise vegetables to help feed their families. Many had wood burning stoves so these small farms also provided wood lots. These small farms sprung up along West Long Lake Road, Peary Road, and along Miller Trunk Highway. It was not unusual to see someone hauling hay into town with a horse drawn sled. The mayor of Eveleth still had cows in Eveleth as late and 1947.
Fayal Township was blessed with many lakes. Ely, St. Mary's, Horseshoe, Long, Pleasant, Half Moon, and Moon Lakes were the major lakes. People who owned property along these lakes soon found it profitable to plat these lakeshore areas into lakeshore recreation lots for the residents of Eveleth, Fayal, and Gilbert. Small cabins large enough so they could spend weekends at the lake were built by area residents and many of these cabins still remain. Because most of these areas didn't have electric power, there were very few year round homes on the lakes.
In the early 1900's, the underground mines were not electrified. Steam power was the principal source of power. Compressed air which was compressed with steam driven pumps was used underground to drive pumps and other underground mining equipment. Steam driven dynamos provided the lighting that was needed. In the late 1920's the mines converted their power source to electricity which prompted the construction of the power plant on the lower end of Hayes Street in Eveleth by Minnesota Power and Light Co. This power plant provided the area mines and cities with electric power. Exhaust steam from the generators provided the steam heat for the Main Street of Eveleth and the Eveleth Schools. Because the power plant was unable to provide the power for mine expansion in the area, MP&L Co. constructed a forty-four thousand volt power line along the Miller Trunk Highway to the Thompson Dam power plant near Duluth. Because electric power was available along the Miller Trunk Highway, many new homes were built. Most of them by MP&L employees.
Land in Fayal that was not controlled by the mining companies was controlled by logging companies and the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad. Timber for the mining companies and lumber for home construction expanded the logging industry into Fayal and surrounding rural land. Railroads needed timber for railroad ties and fuel for their locomotives. Many of the loggers were of Scandinavian descent and after the logging was completed, they stayed behind and started small dairy farms. Some of the land was purchased and some was acquired by homesteading. At one time there were twelve to fifteen dairy farms in Fayal Township. Today, not a single one remains. A few beef farms still exist. Legislation was passed which required large capital investments by dairy farmers in order to continue to sell milk. In order to be profitable, the farmer needed more land to operate which was not available in the Fayal area.
Electric power was made available in the lake areas and has resulted in more areas being platted and home construction has caused the population to be greatly increased. According to the 2000 census, Fayal Township now has 1906 people, 769 households, and 586 families. The increase in population has prompted the installation of a sewer system in the lake areas of the Township. Most of the homes around the lakes are year round homes in contrast to the recreation cabins in the early days. With all the changes that have been made, Fayal Township is a great place to live and raise a family.
