[4] The city is located within Crystal Falls Township, but is a separate municipal entity.

The area first developed as a major center for iron mining and the timber industry; it has become increasingly popular for tourism in recent years.

[8] The city is very hilly and the castle-like county courthouse (built in 1890) sits on the highest point, overlooking the downtown business district.

Michigan State University's study of Crystal Falls weather concluded that precipitation was well distributed throughout the year with the crop season, April–September, receiving an average of 20.30 inches (516 mm) or 68% of the average annual total for the 1962-80 period.

The National Weather Service's 1971–2000 data shows a 30-year normal annual precipitation of 29.65 inches (753 mm).

Although there are no longer official temperature observations in Crystal Falls, Michigan State University concluded that temperatures are similar to those at the National Weather Service office in Marquette, Michigan.

[2] 17.1% were of Finnish, 15.5% Italian, 11.5% German, 9.4% Polish, 9.4% Swedish, 6.6% English and 5.3% French ancestry according to Census 2000.

Crystal Falls was the last town to still celebrate V-J Day until the early 2000s.

Highlighted by the annual “WOPS” vs Sweeds softball game, the mushroom festival replaced the V-J Day celebrations and that has the Polack vs Finns softball game.

Head to the ice the last weekend in February on the Michigamme reservoir for the annual Fisheree tournament.

In April 1992, Crystal Falls received international attention due to the discovery of a giant fungus, Armillaria bulbosa, in the nearby forest.

At the time it was believed to be one of the oldest living organism on earth, as well as one of the largest.

Although the fungus is actually located in nearby Mastodon Township, Michigan, the city of Crystal Falls adopted it as a tourist attraction, and holds a "Humungous Fungus Fest" as an annual event.