Located 740 km northwest of Winnipeg, Flin Flon lies in the middle of mountainous and very wooded country, marked by steep rocky slopes. All round the town are stores of ore and raw materials, including gold, copper, zinc and silver, so it will come as no surprise to learn that mining is the dominant industry, the main mines being those belonging to Flin Flon Mines and the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company.
In 1915 gold-seekers found a tattered copy of a penny novel about Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin who discovered a gold-town. They named the place after this fictional character, and the name soon became shortened to "Flin Flon".
The Flin Flon Station Museum is located in the CN building at the Flin Flon tourist Park. The Flin Flon Station Musuem exhibits items from the pioneering period as well as tools and impressive minerals belonging to the Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Company. The exhibits are well done and provide an excellent overview of Flin Flon to visitors interested in the town's unique history. The Flin Flon Station museum is also referred to as the Flin Flon Heritage Museum. Open only in the summer, the Flin Flon Station museum also arranges special exclusive tours.
In the town center stands a 71/2 m (25 ft) tall statue of the legendary Mr Flonatin.
The Flonatin Statue was designed by the caricaturist Al Capp of L'Abner fame. The history of the statue and the city name of Flin Flon are one in the same. It was from the dime novel character that the town of Flin Flon got it's name. Early prospectors adopted Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin as their hero in 1915 and subsequently shortened the name to Flin Florn.
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