Ely Summer Times 2024

The Ely Summer and Winter Times is published twice a year by Raven Words Press. For editorial information or advertising rates, contact us at 218-365-3375, ads@ravenwords.com, PO Box 188, Ely, MN 55731. For a subscription within the US, send check or money order for $8.00 for a year or $40 for a lifetime, or order at www.RavenWordsPress.com. Archived articles from 1996-2023 can be found on this website. Scan the QR code for a digital edition of this issue and archived issues.

Cover: The Ely Marathon, the only marathon in the world to include portaging canoes © Raven Words Press, 2024

The kids’ start at Hidden Valley’s Hammer Race

A Marathon Like No Other

Photos by Chris Ellerbroek

Every year more than 1,000 marathons are held in the U.S. with more than half a million participants. There are many more worldwide. But the Ely Marathon is unique. No other includes a category for portaging a canoe along the course. None publish their distance in rods. And until others imitated Ely, none had a kids race like ours. Director Wendy Lindsay, 350 volunteers, 70 Ely organizations, and several commercial businesses work hard to ensure a safe and enjoyable race for about 250 local runners and the 750 or so who come from out of town. According to last year’s winner, who has done 14 marathons and some half and ultra marathons in

and Mike Fitzgerald except as noted locations as diverse as Singapore, Boston, and Iceland (four in Ely), Ely’s race is one of the best experiences for the racers. It’s well organized, the route is spectacular, the dates are perfect, the community is welcoming, and the aid stations are the best. The marathon started when an Ely Chamber of Commerce committee was tasked with expanding Ely’s brisk summer and winter tourism to the shoulder seasons—spring and fall. Having participated in marathons herself, Wendy saw the potential for Ely. A skilled organizer and business woman, she was able to make it happen for the first time in 2015, offering both the half and full marathon.

The Ely Marathon start area

Echoing Ely’s Canoe Capital marketing message, the 2016 Ely Marathon was billed as a 8,930-rod portage. LynnAnne saw that and thought, “I’m a canoe guide. I should be able to do that with a canoe.” She tested herself by doing a 70-minute run carrying a canoe. She knew she could keep the pace needed for two hours, but wasn’t sure she could do it for 26 miles, so opted for the half marathon. Wendy was surprised by the request to carry a canoe in the marathon, but sure, why not?

Outward Bound instructors Abby Dare and Dan Drehmel were part of an aid station for the first marathon and noticed the rod count on the Tshirts. They wondered if a person could actually portage 26 miles. Training by carrying a Grumman up the Echo Trail, they decided to enter the full race as a relay team. They succeeded with a time of 5:48.

With LynnAnne, Abby, and Dan’s

enthusiasm for portaging, this unique feature of the Ely Marathon developed. Now there are portage categories for individuals and teams of up to seven people in both the full and half races. The canoe has to be Boundary Waters worthy, adequate to carry paddlers and supplies for a twoweek trip and weighing at least 18 pounds. Now portagers choose the lightest canoe they can find, usually a solo weighing 18 to 35 pounds. For LynnAnne, the yoke was most important. She chose a tandem canoe because it had a horseshoe yoke— very sturdy and secure, keeping the canoe lower than most yokes for solo boats. Dan and Abby also carried a tandem because they chose the canoe that had been paddled to Washington DC with petition signatures for the Save the Boundary Waters campaign.

After that first year, the portage race became more competitive. Dan did it a few more times solo, cutting 45 minutes off the relay time.

Portagers can get a rest at aid stations where volunteers give them a bridge while racers get a drink and snack. Runners carrying canoes use much more of their body, using a lot of

The first person to cross the finish line with a canoe

LynnAnne

core strength to support the canoe and keep it steady in any wind. Wendy has noticed that portagers finish more exhausted than runners—so glad to put that canoe down.

The Glow Run was added for Friday night fun—just 5K along a fairly flat route with people of all ages and abilities encouraged to participate. Strollers, wheel chairs, wagons, and walkers can be seen along with serious young runners who compete to win—all decked out to glow in the dark. (No scooters, bikes, or dogs please.) Held at sunset, the Glow Run’s 400+ participants and hundreds of fans create a glimmering river along the route. Fun in the park follows. This race, put on by Northern Lights Clubhouse, is an important fundraiser for this non-profit that

CAMP VOYAGEUR

A camp for boys 10-18 with water and land sports plus wilderness canoe trips. Guided trips for girls. Located at the edge of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. 800-950-7291, www.campvoyageur.com

provides mental health services to Ely residents.

Dorothy’s Rootbeer Run for children is a full 26-mile experience that was added in 2018, sponsored by the Dorothy Molter Museum. Unlike the traditional all-26-miles-at-onetime marathon, participants in Ely’s kids marathon log 25 miles between spring and race day. The 26th mile is run in Ely. Coaches, parents, and PE teachers in area schools help youngsters in grades one through four get started before school is out for

Kids Marathon Winner 2023

Glow Run Finish

summer vacation, registering and starting the punch card where they keep track of their mileage. More kids register over the summer. Scholarships are available for the $20 entry fee. On race day the kids get the full starting line treatment with the Honor Guard, the Star-Spangled Banner, and the excitement of family and friends cheering them on. The fastest kids cross the finish line before the fastest Half Marathoners arrive, and they’re treated to a root beer, a swag bag, and a finisher T-shirt.

Wendy coordinates the hundreds of volunteers; finds sponsors to help with expenses in exchange for plenty of visibility on race day; contracts the

timing company and road sign business (the single biggest expense because the nearest DOT certified company is from Bemidji); arranges for more than 100 porta-potties and 500 gallons of potable water to be placed strategically; purchases and hands out hundreds of T-shirts, winners’ and finishers’ medals, GU and Gatorade, and countless other items; signs up volunteers for the 12 aid stations; arranges for all the permits to use the roads and the park (including a special waiver for dogs this year); buys the insurance; markets the Ely event with booths at other marathons as far away as Chicago; organizes the finish line

Ely Track Team aid station in 2018

© Heidi Pinkerton

festivities and awards; marks the route; and responds to the inevitable crises small and large that emerge along the way. Her biggest concern is the weather, especially lightning, which could mean cancelling the race in progress. She also manages the finances, donating any proceeds to the many sports teams and nonprofits that support the race with volunteers. She herself is a volunteer. What motivates her? Seeing how the community comes together to make it happen—people of all ages, abilities, and political persuasions. And the six million dollars that the event brings to town during the shoulder season.

Aid stations are hard work but rewarding, according to Sue and Brielle who staff the Rotary Club table at Mile 19 along with about eight others. These volunteers enjoy seeing the many different kinds of people who do the marathon, some hobbling and some still running strong. They recognize those who have done it every year and look forward to seeing them again. Amazed that racers are still smiling and expressing thanks, the group has perfected the fast pep talk to send them on to the finish line. They treat runners to music, bubbles, and sometimes ibuprofen and ice packs, and they vie to be the one to

give the portagers a bridge. This year they added dog treats to their handouts. These folks leave the long distances to others and just do the Glow Run. They love showcasing the Ely community—the kind of people we are, smiling and friendly and happy to be helpful. And the beautiful environment.

Although marathons are races, and we think of a race as an effort to get to the front of the pack and be first across the finish line, only a small percentage of marathon participants have any expectations of being in the top ten. Hudson, an Ely lawyer and last year’s full marathon winner, is one

Rotary Club aid station gives a bridge

of those few. (He also won in 2017 and won the half in 2018.) Even for Hudson, winning is more about a personal best than about being first. Humbly he states that his winning the Ely marathon is largely about who doesn’t show up.

Admittedly not competitive with elite marathon runners, and less passionate than the best, Hudson still devotes enough time to training to lose out on other summer activities he’d like to pursue. Paddling and portaging, biking, and backpacking

just don’t get him into the condition he requires to run 26 miles at a winning pace in September. It’s largely about avoiding injury. One summer he did training runs just once a week and rode a bike strenuously and for long distances on the other days, thinking he was in great aerobic condition. But the marathon that followed was painful because his knees hadn’t developed the toughness they needed to pound on pavement for three hours.

Hudson eats well, but is more careful about getting enough sleep. He once did a summer ultramarathon in Iceland and couldn’t sleep well with the 24-hour daylight. That experience ended any dreams he had about moving to Alaska. He eats more just before the start than most experts would recommend. People stared in amazement as he downed a huge bowl of oatmeal, five bananas, and a few bagels shortly before the starting gun in 2023. “I didn’t feel great for the first six miles,” he says. “But I avoided cramps and didn’t run out of energy.” He ate and drank plenty at aid stations, too. For him, it was a winning strategy.

At 40, Hudson’s aspirations are to do more trail running. He’s doing the

Crystal Hudson

full Grandma’s this year and the half Ely, so won’t have time to include many trail miles, but he’s looking forward to someday running the Kekekabic Trail—40 miles from the Gunflint Trail to Snowbank.

Crystal, an Ely native living in California, is also a lawyer. She had done 39 other marathons, but put off the full Ely race because she considered it a tough route. She visits her parents here a few times each summer and had done the half twice. Considering her times during the summer of 2023, she was ready to try the full, hoping she could be in the top five, or at least win her age group. She took the lead at about mile 13 and never looked back, finishing strong as

first woman and third overall.

Crystal loves the weather and the beauty of the fall northwoods course, and she’s buoyed up by all the cheering at aid stations. She is also impressed by the ease of registration and packet pick-up and the fun at the finish line. She signs up at the VIP level even though it’s more expensive, enjoying a van ride to the start and a massage at the end.

Sunshine Gardner has never run a marathon without a canoe. A topnotch skier, his only planned races each year are the Birkie and the Ely Marathon. “Could I just wake up this morning and go run a marathon?” he asks. “Yes, but it would probably hurt,” he answers. A winner twice, he

Sunshine

Abby and Dan

©

John Comunale

holds four of the top 10 finishing times for the Individual Full Portage Marathon. He started when Dan, his friend, decided to go for the Guinness World Record. “I couldn’t let someone try for that without doing it myself,” he claims. Director and lead teacher at Ely Adventure School, he spends his day inspiring youngsters to love being active outdoors.

Tom has run 134 marathons and walked just one—the first Ely Marathon in 2015. At age 75 and with two knee replacements, he plans to

do the full marathon in September. Compared to other courses, he finds Ely’s route challenging but beautiful. He was delighted to finish that first race, coming in seconds before the cut-off time. “Training for walking is harder than training for running because it’s a longer time,” he explains. But on the years he couldn’t participate as a racer, he found great pleasure in helping with an aid station. ”After all those races, it was a joy to be on the other end.”

If there were an award for “Most Inspirational Participant,” Nikki would win it. In 2013, after getting sober and returning to Ely from rehab, Nikki was urged by her sponsor to set a goal for herself. She had never been athletic. Asthma excused her from running during PE in school. She danced, but eschewed any other athletic efforts. As she sat at her desk at the Revenue Department looking out at the Trezona Trail, it occurred to her that she could walk on her lunch hours with the goal of making it the four miles around someday. The first day she walked ten minutes—five out and five back. In a few weeks she was walking 15 out and 15 back. Slowly

Tom

Lead biker Alexia

she increased her time and mileage and added a few seconds of running. The day she made it all the way around (in just a little over an hour, so a bit late getting back to work from her lunch hour), her co-workers met her in the parking lot, cheering her on. By the first Ely marathon in 2015, she was ready for 13 miles and completed the half marathon in 2:23.

But Nikki didn’t stop when she reached her goal. She has done every Ely half marathon, many others out of town, and a full Grandma’s. Nikki’s Mom asked to join her, so they walked together the first time. Soon her older children joined in. Then her sister-inlaw, niece, and nephew. Her youngest son, turning 10 soon, will do it for the first time this year. The whole gang now wears matching T-shirts and gets

together at the finish line for a group photo. Countless others have been inspired by Nikki’s accomplishments, which include staying sober, losing 90 pounds, making healthy food choices, being a good employee, and becoming a trustworthy and muchloved wife, parent, and friend. In a marathon, what happens in your head is as important as what happens in your legs. Hudson says his mind is often in a meditative dream state. Like dreams, his thoughts feel real and vivid but often fade shortly after he stops. After a run he sometimes shares with his partner some of the creative ideas that arose. She finds them a bit less compelling than he does. Humor also comes to mind as he runs. He jokes that in coming years he should eat more of

Nikki, 4th from right

Brainstorm Bakery’s blueberry scones because owner Brian Strom says that you knock off a full minute per mile with every scone eaten. "Assuming the science is sound, just six scones should shave over two and a half hours off of your overall marathon time!"

Sunshine likes having someone to talk to. One pacer friend recounts aloud the plots of books or movies as they run. When he doesn’t have a pacer, he finds someone along the course for a conversation. He never wishes he could quit, but does wish he was at the finish line. LynnAnne thinks about how much worse it could be— raining, windy, hotter or colder. She also follows advice she got at the Iron Man: dedicate each mile to something or someone you love or admire.

In her mind, Crystal breaks the route up into two 10-mile chunks and then a 10K, so when her legs start to ache at mile 20 and she wants to slow down, she can think “just a 10K to go.” She also tries to stay aware of the sights along the way. Dan uses a musical breathing pattern and talks to other runners. Abby likes the feeling of being totally in her body—”No executive function going on. Just highly aware of the physical.” Tom just focuses on the rhythm, only varying

when he pauses at an aid station. But he likes hearing someone call his name and shout encouragement. Are these stories making you think about participating? Hudson says he rarely recommends that people do a full marathon, which he considers at the edge of a reasonable human activity. But the half is fun and within reach of nearly everyone. Sunshine and Dan think everyone is capable of doing the 26 miles, and encourage people to try it. (But their physique and age give them a perspective different from 40-year-olds.) Nikki finds that halves are much more fun, and easier to talk others into trying. The Rotary aid station crew encourages people to do the Glow Run, if they must race, and then have fun of being a volunteer.

Wendy would like to see the Ely Marathon continue to grow as it has each year. She estimates that the current set-up could handle 5,000 racers. Starting with 587 participants the first year, the Ely Marathon has grown every year. 2023 saw about 1000 participants, including the Glow Run and Kids Race.

One of the limiting factors is lodging. In recent years there are no vacancies at any motel, resort, and

Ely Outfitting Company’s Relay Team

campground within 25 miles. Most out-of-town racers bring along family or friends and make a weekend of it.

2023 was the first year someone asked to have their dog join the marathon, so Wendy set up a check box on the registration form for including a canine companion. So far the only rule is that dogs have to be on a leash. Just as runners had the idea of including a canoe, perhaps someone will propose including Ely’s winter

icon: a dog team. There might need to be a separate category, since dogs would be an unfair advantage as long as they pulled along the race course and not toward a squirrel headed who-knows-where. Maybe a dog team could be used as a sag wagon or sweep? No doubt there are innovations coming, keeping the Ely Marathon unique and attractive for decades to come. As Hudson states, “It just keeps getting better!”

Ely Dining Guide

Lodge Dining Room

Call (Area Code is 218) or check websites or FB pages for menus. Price ranges are for a meal. C: children’s menu, V: vegetarian meals, # is location on the maps, page 78.

The Boathouse Ely’s only brewery also serves seasonal brews and tasty food in the upstairs dining room or bar. Duck wings, steak bites, and the best-topped pizzas in town. Burgers, walleye, Cuban sandwiches, and salads to satisfy big appetites. Beer in growlers and BW containers. Sports on big TVs. Full bar. 47 E Sheridan St., 365-4301 $11-17, C V 68

Britton’s Cafe The best way to sart your day is with a hearty breakfast: steak and eggs, stuffed hashbrowns, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, liver and onions, omelettes, and many new menu items. A favorite spot with locals and those about to spend the day working (or fishing) hard. Take-out option. Open 5:30-1, Closed Tues. 5 E. Chapman St., 365-3195 $9-18, C V # 74

Brainstorm

Bakery Did you have a crappy morning? If not yet, stop on in and add some healthy fiber to your diet with locally made granola, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, fair-trade coffee, and fresh-baked treats. Homemade bread and energy bars for the trail. Granola for gifts in pun-filled packaging, bumper stickers and T-shirts too. 402 E. Sheridan, 235-6161 $5-9 V 89

Burntside Lodge Look out at Burntside Lake as you enjoy an elegant meal in a white-tablecloth dining room. The food is fresh, seasonal, and made from scratch in house, even the ice cream. The wine list is unsurpassed. Reservations advised. Limited small-table seating in the lounge. Dinner served 5-8 Thurs-Mon. 2755 Burntside Lodge Rd. 365-3894, $16-58, C V #23

Burntside

Evergreen

Restaurant & Antlers Lounge at Grand Ely Lodge. Sunset view of Shagawa Lake on the deck for drinks or dining. Extensive dinner menu, b’fast and lunch specials, light dinners and appetizers. Pasta specialties, salads, walleye, and steaks. Open 365 days a year. 400 N Pioneer Rd, 365-6875 for reservations and take-out. $10-31 C V #37

Insula This popular dining spot serves many locally-sourced and organic ingredients in the New American cuisine. Daily featured pasta special, market catch, and butcher’s cut. Expand your palate with fresh flavor blends, or choose old favorites. Casual-dining ambience. Specialty cocktails, beer, and wine. Open Tues-Sat.

145 E. Sheridan St, 365-4855 $9-32 C V #82

Gators Grilled Cheese

Emporium Comfort foods and healthy alternatives, full breakfast menu. Grilled sandwiches and burgers, homemade soups, and salads. Little Free Library outside. Very popular spot; come early or late for faster seating. Dog-friendly sunny deck, shady side lawn, or cozy fireplace.

955 E. Sheridan St, 365-7348 $7-18. C V #39

Frisky Otter

Ely’s newest menu offerings in a favorite location. Italian specialties for hungry diners, salmon and walleye, steaks grilled to perfection. A variety of martinis unlike anywhere else. Eat outside and watch the town go by, or enjoy AC indoors. Live music some nights. Open year round! Yay!!

302 E Sheridan, 235-6266 $10-50. C V #87

Stony Ridge Café Enjoy the view across Shagawa Lake as you try to choose from the 50 gourmet burgers or build your own. Walleye, stuffed hashbrowns, chili, salads. Homemade fries and chips. Full bar with margarita specials. Open every day 8am to 9pm except 2-4pm thru summer, check FB for fall hours. Breakfast till 11. 60 N. Lakeview, 235-9441 $13-40. C V #55

Thursday Evening Clinic, 5:30-7 Dental Clinic, T,W,Th - by appt. MnSure Navigation BP checks at Senior Center 218-365-5678 • 33 E. Chapman St ElyCommunityHealth.org

Please thank our advertisers for providing you with this free publication. This couldn’t happen without them!

Grab Something Quick Catz Billiards - 29 E. Chapman

Dairy Queen - 1441 E. Sheridan

Ely State Theater - 238 E Sheridan

Log Cabin Coffee - 1340 E. Sheridan

Mitska’s Market - 141 E. Chapman

Subway -1520 E Sheridan

Zup’s Deli - 1500 E. Sheridan Grab Something Quick

Dee’s Bar - 17 E. Sheridan

Antlers Lounge- 400 N. Pioneer

Kwazy Wabbit - 11 N. Central

Samz Place - 1203 Old Winton Rd.

Rusty Cup - 450 Kawishiwi Tr.

Zaverl’s Bar - 509 E. Sheridan

Chocolate Moose Globally-themed a la carte dinner menus Prix Fixe tasting Sat & Sun. Specialty cocktails. Fri-Tues.4-8:30. 101 N. Central Ave, 504-5555. $20-50 C V

Domino’s Ely’s late-night option. Pizza and much more. Open 10am until late 7 days a week. Find coupons there and at Dominos.com. 32 E Sheridan St, 235-6262 $6-26 V

Northern Grounds Coffee and wine bar, coffee roasted on site, tea, chai, and mocha. Pastries, smoothies, soup and sandwiches.. 2 W. Sheridan St.. 365-6162 $10-14 V

Oriental Orchid More than 100 Vietnamese and Chinese menu items. Weekday lunch specials and dinner combinations. 506 E. Sheridan St, 365-7502 $9-$21 V

The Happy Wanderer Open every day, Sundays to 6pm. Pizza, pasties, polish. Free road kill chili on weekends. On the best fall color drive. 10502 Hwy 1, 404-3312 $7-16

Sheridan St. Deli Earliest coffee at 5 am. B’fast and lunch, take-out or eat there. Brown bag sandwich, soup, homemade baked goods. 343 E Sheridan St, 504-4036 $8-15 C V

Thai Cuisine by Paan Food truck at Whiteside Park or nearby. Fresh, authentic Thai food. Cooking classes, too. See FB for up-to-date locations. 504-9430 $10-20 CV

Wilderness WoodFire Pizza Food truck. Specialty combos or create your own with variety of toppings. See FB for updates. Call for faster service. 235-8752 $6up V

Winton Road House Food and festivity. Live bands and Sat night Karaoke. Tuesday tacos, chili, more–all better-than-bar food. 252 Main St., Winton 235-6115 $8-16 V

Art & Soul Gallery

427 E Sheridan Street

Art by Abbey 545 E Sheridan Street

Anova Gallery 1311 E Sheridan Street

Brainstorm Bakery 402 E Sheridan Street

The Brandenburg Gallery 11 E Sheridan Street

Ely Historic State Theater 238 E Sheridan Street

Fernberg Art Gallery 2267 Fernberg Road

Gallery Ali 6 E Sheridan Street

Kekekabic Studio 118 E Chapman Street

Mayhem Mending 438 E Sheridan Street

Mealey’s Gift Shop 124 N Central Avenue

Ornamental Hermit Studio 132 N 1st Avenue E, by appt

Consie Powell ConsiePowell.com

Chris Koivisto Ceramics ElyArt.com

Eric Sherman Photography EricShermanImages.com

Dafne Caruso Arts DafneCaruso.com

Roy Misonznick Images ElyPix.com

Larry Ricker Photography LHRimages.com ARTISTS’ WEBSITES

Commemorating Classes and Soldiers

When “The War to End All Wars” was finally over, taking the lives of 12 of the more than 300 Ely men who had served, war-weary veterans established the American Legion with posts springing up in towns and cities across the United States. In keeping with the organization’s goal to promote patriotism, recognize the sacrifices the war had extracted, and extoll the benefits of peace in American life, local posts were encouraged to use “Memorial” in public building names

and uplift their communities with art (and baseball, but that’s another Ely story).

Photos by John Ratzloff

Ely’s American Legion post commissioned famous artist David Workman to create this mural, “Industry”, and the one on the preceding page, “Education”, for Ely Memorial High School.

At the urging of Ely’s American Legion Post, the school board adopted the name Ely Memorial High School for their state-of-the-art new building in 1924. More than 1500 people attended the dedication, and all were hopeful that no more of Ely’s youth would die in war. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case. Ely women and men have served in the military at one of the highest per capita rates in the U.S. Hence, the spirit of being a memorial continues today, with many Ely graduates having dedicated and sometimes lost their lives to war.

The October 10, 1924 Ely Miner explains why the American Legion donated two inspirational and valuable murals:

© EWHS

Aviation, Charles Lindberg Poetry, Robert Burns

Placed just inside the classically designed front doors, these museumworthy works were installed to inspire all who entered the building and took a moment to gaze on the fine art and instructive captions. Although the dream of everlasting peace didn’t materialize, glorification of the possibilities peace provides did, in the form of fine art right in the halls of the high school.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and the man that draweth out understanding” counsels the “Education” mural. Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, is at the center, watched over by Victory, Literature, and Music. Athletes and musicians appear to be encouraged by the ethereal beings.

“Industry” has a similar design with Gaia (Mother Earth) at the center flanked by a larger-than-life man with rolled up shirt sleeves and symbols of science and technology. On Gaia’s other side the Goddess of the Harvest

(Demeter) holds a bountiful sheaf of grain. Human figures below pursue various forms of labor. The lesson is: “Man summons science that he may know Earth’s mysteries and walking in the paths of industry achieve.”

In apparent agreement with the Legion that fine art was worthwhile in the school environment, graduating classes started a tradition of donating additional Workman murals. A 125’ long portrayal of men who had contributed great works to Western civilization was installed in the library. Class treasuries provided funding and students voted on which accomplishments to depict. The year of each contributing class was included in the illustration.

Prints of paintings by other artists famous in the early 1900s hang in stairways and on each side of the gym entrance. Were these gifts from other classes? Or the American Legion? So far, we don’t know. But Workman’s

Religion, Moses Statesman, Benjamin Franklin

original art is probably quite valuable. Much of his work was on its way to an exhibition in Paris when it disappeared—stolen or destroyed. Needing to provide for a family, he stopped painting and pursued engineering.

The oldest living alum (Jo Pruse— see the 2023 Ely Summer Times for more about her) graduated in 1942.

She recalls that the school was a beautifully-appointed building, but that she and her fellow students were absorbed in their routines and, though they may have noticed the works of art, they weren’t especially impressed by them. That seems to have been true through the decades. Certainly when the murals were new and students funded the library murals as a gift to

Adventure, Sir Francis Drake

Philosophy, Socrates

Biology, Charles Darwin

Drama, Shakespeare

commemorate their class, appreciation ran high. Perhaps teachers referred to them as they taught history, social studies, and art. Mary Ellen Levander, class of 1949, recalls her English teacher pointing them out. But at some point appreciation dwindled and the fine works of art became just part of the background, although with an overall

sense that Ely Memorial was a fine building, better than most schools. The details of how Workman accomplished installing the library mural is lost to us. The images included the year of the graduating class that funded it as well as the title of the field represented. Gold leaf decor separated each section. Each figure had a foot planted at the bottom

Fiction, Charles Dickens

Mining Engineer, Horace Winchell

History, George Washington Invention, Thomas Edison

of the picture so that he appeared to be standing on top of the library bookshelves. (A photo of them in the library has not been found, so if you know of one please contact ElyWinton Historical Society.)

These images have had a dramatic life, nearly being destroyed when the library was renovated in 1975. Librarian Doug Dreschler—a favorite of many students—alerted Historical Society member Mary Ellen Levander (class of 1949) that they were about to be demolished as the wall was being torn down. Mary Ellen examined them and discovered they were painted on canvas and could be removed. Art teacher Joe Edlund and Mary Ellen recruited their kids to help and, along with artist Muff Schumacher, removed the painting in sections. Parts of the mural could not be saved, so the panels that were salvaged are a bit disjointed, but the art is still amazing.

Decades of storage, reframing, moving, and display in various public spaces preceded their return to the school in 2014, but the latest renovation found them stashed behind the stage, once more in danger of not being recognized for their artistic, educational, and monetary value.

Ely-Winton Historical Society (EWHS) came to the rescue. They had taken ownership of these treasures when the paintings were reunited and moved to the school in 2014. A safer spot was needed for storage, so EWHS volunteers and school custodians took them to the superintendent’s office. A plan was devised to display them in the newly renovated main entrance once construction was complete. Although they have been preserved, none of the library or entryway Workman murals has yet been restored. EWHS has hopes that donations may cover costs to do so.

Current display above middle school Media Center

Workman’s signature and Class that donated

Efforts are being made to provide a detailed description and history of the Industry and Education murals to the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Having them in the Smithsonian database allows art historians, researchers, and even casual admirers to come see them in person should they wish to do so.

This summer the All-Class Reunion celebrates the centennial of Ely

Mary Ellen and Muff at work

Memorial High School. Hundreds of former students, their families, and even the general public will tour the school. The new Commons, now the entry for all the school buildings, is where the library murals are currently displayed—the most prominent location so far, on view for every student, teacher, administrator, and guest every day.

What do people think of them now?

Art teacher Kelly Chick asked her students about them. “I enjoy looking

at them!” “I’d like to know more about them.” “I think the colors are dated.” “They’re historical, right?”

One teacher coming to interview for a job at the high school was very impressed; they gave her a positive view of the school.

A display about the murals will be exhibited in the lobby during the AllClass Reunion Tours, then perhaps moved to the EWHS museum. There’s much more to know than fits here, so check it out!

Find Your Adventure on Ely Trails

Would you like to hike to Vermont from Ely? Ride an ATV to Lake Superior? Snowmobile to Canada? Bike to Grand Rapids? Paddle to Hudson’s Bay? Or perhaps you’re looking for a tamer experience—a day out with the kids, a romp with your dog, or just a forest stroll in solitude. The Ely Chamber of Commerce declares that there are more than 2,800 miles of trails and portages around here, so you’re sure to find a route to fill your recreation goals whatever mode of travel, amount of socialization, and level of exertion you are looking for.

Maybe this is the summer to try

something new. If you’ve never driven an ATV, or you haven’t ridden a bike since eighth grade, it could be time to give it a try. In Ely, you don’t have to make a big commitment by purchasing equipment. You can rent everything you need to bike, ride offroad, paddle, ski, snowshoe, or backpack as far as you want to go. Research has proved that both exercise and time in nature are good for you, so read on to get your inner couch potato moving...

Let’s start slow and easy with walking. If you’re a visitor, you may not know about the Trezona Trail. Slightly less than four miles and

entirely within the city limits, the paved trail can be accessed from many locations. (See the map inside the back cover.) Interpretive signs along the trail provide a bit of Ely’s mining history. Near the west end parking lot, weather-proof holders display a children’s book that can be read as you walk by. The trail is for walking or biking and is groomed for skiing in the winter. Leashed dogs are welcome, but clean up after them.

For more wilderness-oriented walks there are nearly countless U.S. Forest Service roads, portages, and hiking trails near Ely. You can find suggestions and maps for many of them at the Forest Service office or the Chamber of Commerce.

Now let’s think big–really big. At 4,800 miles, the longest hiking trail in the U.S. is on its way to Ely. The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) is as long as the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails combined. Although the NCT was authorized by

Congress in 1980, it is much less well known than the AT and PCT, which are well-recognized among hikers just by their initials. The NCT goes through eight states, ten national forests (including the Superior), four national park areas, two national wildlife refuges, and hundreds of public parks, historic sites, farmlands, prairies, shorelines of the three largest Great Lakes, small towns and some cities. At mile 334, Ely is just about at the middle of Minnesota’s 850 miles.

Like the AT and PCT, the NCT has “Trail Towns”—designated communities where hikers can find food, lodging, medical care, and whatever support they need to start, end, or continue their hike. These towns often have a Trail Day celebration similar to our Blueberry and Winter Festivals with craft booths, food trucks, street performances, and most important, citizens showing their support for the Trail, its users, and the volunteers who created and maintain it. Ely is a perfect place to be a trail town since it already has the amenities hikers will be looking for. Volunteers are working to get the official designation and create signage in town to indicate that thru-hikers and all others are welcome.

But “Where’s the trail?” you wonder. Like other big trails, the NCT uses existing national, state, and local

recreational trails and rural roads. In Ely, the NCT enters town on the Mesabi Trail at the west end of town, follows the Trezona, exits on the Fernberg Trail on the east end of town, and leaves the road at Snowbank Lake, continuing through the Boundary Waters on the Kekekabic Trail (the Kek).

Should you want to set a goal of traveling the whole Minnesota portion of the NCT, after finishing the Kek (an ambitious goal in itself) you would cross the Gunflint Trail to access the Border Route Trail, then go on to the Superior Hiking Trail, which takes you south and along an interesting route through Duluth. From there you hike along the St. Louis River to Jay Cooke State Park and cross into Wisconsin.

Heading west of Ely on the Mesabi Trail, the NCT takes you to Grand Rapids with only 3.5 miles of road. Trails through the Chippewa National Forest, the Paul Bunyan State Forest,

Itasca State Park, and the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge bring you farther west. Then it’s mostly rural roads with a few county trails until you reach Frazee, the first place to become a Trail Town in Minnesota. It’s backroads again to Fergus Falls and on through the Red River Valley’s rich farmland to the North Dakota border. The goal of the NCT is to have the full length unpaved and off-road. If you’d like to get involved with further development and maintenance of the NCT, email ely@northcountrytrail.org to work with the Ely Chapter. Volunteers are creating 25 miles of

© Prospector Trail Club

© Chris Pascone

trail between Bearhead Lake State Park and Kawishiwi Falls, striving to meet the Kekekabic Chapter volunteers who are creating 19 miles of trail along the Fernberg from the west end of the Kek to Kawishiwi Falls.

Let’s return to Ely and take a closer look at the Mesabi Trail. We’re also increasing the speed, as this 135 miles of paved trail is primarily for biking. It is the longest paved bike trail in the U.S. E-bikes are allowed, but otherwise the trail is reserved for nonmotorized travel, including skiing and snowshoeing in winter. Inline skating is also popular here.

The Mesabi showcases the Iron Range, gliding east from Grand Rapids through the small and large mining towns along route 169 to Virginia, then turning southeast through Embarrass

© Kristopher Ryan

GREAT DEAL on E-BIKES!

This is not an ad!

Minnesota offers a 50% rebate (75% for lower income levels) www.revenue.state.mn.us/electricassisted-bicycle-e-bike-rebate Go to Ely Bike & Kicksled for updates.

to the East Range towns of Gilbert and Aurora, curving northeast to Embarrass and ending in Ely. Spurs go to Tower and Eveleth.

Shuttles are available for those who prefer to explore farther ahead instead of going out and back. A lodge-tolodge option could use the shuttle to carry your overnight needs to your next destination while you enjoy lightweight travel. While stopping at the historic sights, local museums, and scenic overlooks along the way, don’t miss the Discovery Center in Chisholm with its impressive displays on iron ore mining and the immigrants who provided the labor and gave the area its cultural character so evident still.

If you want the challenge of fat biking, Hidden Valley, just east of the Ely city limits, offers a range of

Taking a break on the Kek

challenges. Nine miles of single track offer green to double black trails. Plans are underway for a 3.5-mile loop beyond today’s trails plus shorter loops at the Forest Service complex and college. Construction begins this summer with hopes of completion by fall 2025. All these trails connect to one another and the Mesabi.

Many of the portages and other trails are fun for the experienced mountain biker, and most forest roads are fine for beginners.

If you like to ride with a group for a purpose, this summer you can join RideMN1 to support cancer education. Starting in Oslo MN and ending in

Silver Bay, riders travel on Highway 1 all the way across the state and have a layover day—IN ELY! (I ‘ve driven that route a few times and can tell you it would be better on a bike—less chance of motion sickness.)

Group rides here start every Thursday evening through September. To join, be at Ely Bike and Kicksled by 5:30pm. The routes alternate between paved and gravel. Stop by or call the store at 218-365-2453 for more info. If going fast is your passion, there are races. Hammer Hidden Valley happens every Friday night May 24 to June 14th. Races are planned for little kids, families, beginners and hard core

© Ely Nordic Assn

© Ely Nordic Assn

Family Hammer Race at Hidden Valley

athletes. Be there by 5:30 to register. Bring bug dope.

If going much faster, covering many more miles, and wondering if you might get stuck in a mud hole give you a thrill, ride the 250 miles of the Prospector ATV Trail System. Using a variety of state trails such as the Taconite, county and forest roads where ATVs are legal, and connecting trails built by local volunteers, this system takes you into the heart of the forests, over rivers and across wetlands, through wilderness wildlife habitat (think moose), and back to civilization for dinner. The system reaches west to Tower, east to Crooked Lake and the Trestle Inn, and south to the Jackpot Loop through the Greenwood Fire area. By using county

roads and connecting to other trails, you could go to Lake Superior or Voyageur National Park. Another 150 trail miles are available to snowmobiles once freeze-up occurs.

ATV traffic is allowed from May 1 to October 31 for state trails and November 30th for national forest trails. A gate system regulates closings for unsafe trail conditions. Camping is permitted anyplace in the Superior National Forest as long as it’s not close to an established campground. Gravel pits make good spots, and are noted on the ATV maps.

ATVing is a social sport. Organized rallies and group rides are frequent. Even the work parties are fun! You can find others to ride and work with at the Prospector Loop FB page,

© Derek Lossing

Be safe, whatever trails or modes of travel you use. Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to return. Have a map in case your electronic device runs out of batteries or falls in a puddle. Bring water or water treatment and extra food. Did we mention bug dope?! Be respectful of private property. Pack out your trash. Don’t annoy the wildlife (think moose—scarier than bears). Be nice to your fellow trail users—this is Minnesota and that’s expected.

Many paper maps are free at Ely businesses. Apps are handy–especially those such as Avenza and OnX that don’t require wifi or cell signal once the maps you need are downloaded. Learn to use them before you need them. For those riding the

Prospector Trails, Ride Command is a great way to know where you are and to stay in touch with others in your group. See RideCommand.Polaris.com. Permits are required for most trail use. Be sure you have what you need and avoid a ticket.

One of the best times to use the Ely area trails is fall. Most years the peak of forest color is the end of September to early October. The weather is cool, sometimes chilly, and snow isn’t impossible. You don’t need bug dope! There may be hunters, so a blaze orange hat or vest is advisable. With so many trails to choose from, be adventurous and you’re bound to keep that couch potato at bay while having a great, and probably memorable, time.

Ely Area Attractions

Locations for many of these can be found on the maps, page 78. Area code is 218 unless noted.

Adventure Seaplanes 235-3667

AdventureSeaplanes.com

Air charter service to places in MN, WI, and Canada with an airport or waterway large enough to land. Scenic flights over the region are customized for each group so you can choose what to see. Everyone gets a window seat! Call or text to check availability.

ATV Trails www.facebook.com/ProspectorLoopATVTrail

See their FB page to join any of their many rides for charity and to join or volunteer. Info and maps at the Chamber and gas stations. See article page 29 for more.

Bearhead State Park

235-2520 www.mndnr.gov/bearhead

A gem of a park with terrific hiking trails, remote lakes, rental cabins, camping, boat and stand-up paddleboard rental, swimming beach, birding, and a knowledgeable staff. MN State Park vehicle permit required, available for this and all state parks at the office.

Bois Forte Heritage Center 753-6017 BoisForteHeritageCenter.com

At the Bois Forte reservation on Lake Vermilion near Tower, the displays portray Ojibwe life past and present, indoors and out. One of the best things to do on a rainy day! See the new map of the Lake Vermilion area with native place names. Open Mon-Fri 9-5. $6, age 4-12 and seniors $6, family $20, veterans $3, free for band members.

© Prospector Trail Club

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness recreation.gov

Ely is the put-in place for the western and central parts of the BWCAW. Permits are always required, but are unlimited for day trips. Overnight permits are needed May-September. Get more information at any Ely outfitter or the U.S. Forest Service station. Also at Friends of the BW and Save the BW - see map pg 78

Chamber of Commerce 365-6123 800-777-7281 Ely.org

Information on resorts, outfitters, events, and businesses. Coupons for discounts at Ely stores. State and area maps. Located in a log bunkhouse originally built on Basswood Lake in 1938. 1600 E. Sheridan St. Open M-F 9-5 year round, Sat 10-4 May 28-Sept 30. Closed holidays.

Children’s Garden 365-5254 Pattison and 3rd Ave. W.

Children and adults welcome anytime to explore the green bean teepee, tomato house, pumpkin patches, strawberry lane, raised vegetable beds, the rain barrel, butterfly and perennial gardens. Art and garden activities for kids through Ely Community Resource. Call for times and to register.

Dark Skies

The BWCAW is an official Dark Sky Sanctuary. Although the city has a ways to go to decrease light pollution, most out-of-town locations are excellent for star gazing, viewing the northern lights, night photography, and contemplating our place in the universe. Our long winter nights are an especially good time, so come back.

© Chuck Dayton

Dorothy Molter Museum 365-4451 RootBeerLady.com

The "Root Beer Lady" was the last legal non-indigenous resident of the BWCAW. Three of her cabins were relocated to Ely as a tribute to her unorthodox life. Exhibits cover BWCA history, root beer making, travel to Knife Lake, and guest registers. Ice-cold root beer, nature trails, bird watching, pet area. $7 adults, discounts for kids, seniors. Members and military free. Summer 10-5 daily; Fall 10-4, Fri-Sun 9/3-30, Fri-Sat Oct.

Downtown History Walking Tour

https://theclio.com/tour/2160

Visit 35 historic locations on this 10-block walking tour. Learn about the history of each former boarding house, dry goods store, saloon, and other establishments from the late 1800s to the 1960s. Use the QR code on page 28 to link to a site that leads you along while describing Ely’s history. For a more personal tour, join the volunteer guides who will walk with you to 20 of the sites in 6 blocks and answer your questions about Ely’s storied past. Meet at City Hall on Tuesdays 4pm or Saturdays 9am, July 9-Aug 3. A map and details for a history driving tour are also available at the Chamber.

Ely Arts & Heritage Center 365-3578

ElyArtsandHeritageCenter.org

The Pioneer Mine Museum and the Miners Dry building are where miners transitioned to and from their underground jobs. Learn about Ely’s iron mining heritage on their free tours. See equipment, clothing, and lots of photos of Ely miners. Memorial thru Labor Day, Tues 2-5, Fri 3-6, any time the green jeep is parked there, or by appointment. 401 Pioneer Rd.

Ely Folk School 235-0138 209 E. Sheridan St. ElyFolkSchool.org

Learn a new skill or teach one you know. Take classes in blacksmithing, ceramics, baking, fiber arts, painting, birding, foraging, and much more both online and in-person. Stop by or see website for a class schedule, community dances, and other events. Bring a project or start one at Makers Morning on Thursdays at 9:30. See Calendar on pg 70 for some details.

Ely Golf Course 365-5932 golf@ElymnGolfClub.com

9-hole, par 36, 3,268 yards. Carts and rental clubs, snack bar. Open May-Sept, snow allowing. On S. Central Ave, right at sign. 7am to 7pm July and August. 9 holes $24, 18 holes $32.

Ely Public Library 365-5140

ElyLibrary.org

Children’s area, computers, audio books, music, DVDs. Large regional book section. Summer residents and visitors welcome. Pick up monthly activity kits for kids and spice kits for adults. Monthly book club for teens and adults. Pre-school story time Fridays at 10:30am. Mon-Fri 9-6:30. See Calendar pg. 70 for activities for all ages. Free wifi in the parking lot.

Ely Recreation Center 365-5254 ElyCommunityResource.org

Ely Wheel Park, basketball court, pick-up soccer in the hockey rink, Fskateboardingriday Game Night. The base for many kids’ activities. Available to rent for private parties by calling the City of Ely at 365-3224 x1. Call or see go to www.ely.mn.us/reccenter for current hours and activities open to all. 1034 E. Main St. (see map pg 78; “Main” is not a good description of this location.)

Ely State theater 235-6300 ElyStateTheater.org 238 E. Sheridan

Two theaters with classical movies, new releases, and live events. Waffles, popcorn, beer, wine, and cocktails at the concession stand, which is not restricted to movie-goers. Enjoy refreshments whenever they’re open. $7 a ticket (except live events). This is the home of the blazingly successful Ely Film Festival. Watch for the third one in March 2025 and occasional special films at other times.

Ely Steam Sauna 365-2984 127 S.1st Ave. E.

Warm up and get a deep cleaning here. Public men’s and women’s rooms and private rooms. Friendly and clean, an Ely social scene. Towels included. Wed, Fri, Sat 4-5:30 or 6-7:30, Fri 8-9:30 $11-16, kids $5.

Ely Winton History Museum 365-3226 College Fine Arts Building

Ely’s cultural heritage, Indian life, archaeology, voyageurs, logging, and mining. Amazing 3D model of mines and homes, today’s Trezona Trail area. Book shop features local history titles. Summer hours Tu-Sat, noon to 4pm. Free admission, but please consider donating or becoming a member. See FB page for more info.

Hiking Trails

There are hundreds of places to hike near Ely whether you want to stretch your legs, get aerobic, exercise the dog, or make an expedition of several days. The Bass Lake Trail is one of the most popular with a waterfall, great views, swimming, fishing, and berry picking. Ask for trail maps at the USFS Visitor Center. The Koschak Farm is close to Ely, offers great birding, and isn’t so much a trail as a spot to poke around with kids or dogs and see what you can discover. See map pg 79 for some locations and article pg 29 for more ideas.

Hidden Valley ElyNordic.org

Hidden Valley Nordic ski trails and 9 miles of single track bike trails are great for summer and fall hiking, Fat biking, trail running, wildlife sighting, and birding—no dogs please. The chalet is a secluded yet convenient spot to rent for special events–info at the website.

International Wolf Center 365-4695 Wolf.org

Enjoy a close encounter with a wolf pack as they play, eat, nap, and tussle. Visit the display to learn about canids of all kinds, wolf behavior, research, and more. Daily programs for all ages. Open 9-5 until Oct 20. 10-5 Fri Sat, 10-2 Sun. $18, Seniors 60+ and veterans $16, Child age 4-12 $12, under 4 free. Free online programs and an always-on webcam.

Kawishiwi Falls 444 Fernberg Rd

A 1.5 mile round-trip trail goes to the falls and down to a small beach on Fall Lake. Warm micro-climate supports an unusual yellow birch forest. Eagles’ nest across the bay. Great fishing below the falls. Access by road or lake. Watch for poison ivy and keep the kids close.

Lake

Vermilion State Park 218-300-7000 MNDNR.gov/LakeVermilion

Here you’ll find 32 electric campsites, 3 group campsites, 8 year-round camper cabins and a rustic island cabin rental. The day-use picnic shelters and fishing pier are open daily.

Listening Point

ListeningPointFoundation.org

Take a guided tour of Sigurd Olson's historic cabin on Burntside Lake. Guided tours on Tues, Thurs, and Sat 10 AM and 2 PM. Register on the website. Tours of the family home and writing shack Wed 1-5 and Fri 10-5 in Ely, no registration needed, but visit the website for the address.

Miners Lake

The site of Ely’s first iron mines, this was a shallow open pit mine for a few years in the 1880s before operations went underground. The lake was created by flooding of collapsed drifts and shafts. Two fishing docks; one is wheelchair accessible. Stocked trout.

MN North College, Vermilion Campus 235-2100

The “Boundary Waters College” offers a traditional liberal arts curriculum and specialized degrees and certifications in Natural Resources, Outdoor Education, Vet Tech, Forestry, Wildland Law Enforcement, Watershed Science, Emergency Medicine, and more. The Fine Arts Theater is the site of many performances and concerts. Stop in for a free tour.

Nelimark Finnish Homestead Museum 984-3012 SisuHeritage.org

In Embarrass, Minnesota’s Cold Spot, 28 miles from Ely and worth the drive. Finnish heritage and Embarrass history. Sauna exhibit, historic buildings. Free. Friday is bread day; buy homemade bread including cardamom bread. Open June thru September, Thur, Fri, Sat 10-4

North American Bear Center 365-7879 bear.org

Observe resident black bears as they play, eat, rest, and wander through their natural habitat. Northwoods Ecology Hall features more than 60 exhibits with wildlife displays and easy-to-use touchscreens. Cub room for kids, nature trail. 9am-6pm daily May24-Sept9; 10am-4pm daily May 10-23 and Sept 10-Oct26. Open year-round for groups; call for arrangements. $18, seniors & military $17, age 3-12 $11, under 3 free.

Pillow Rock 1200 block of Main Street, north side

You’ve heard of bed rock. Well, here’s the pillow, made of Ely Greenstone. Follow the historic site signs at 13th Avenue to see this 2.7 billion-year-old geologic formation.

Senior Citizen’s Center 365-4139

Everyone welcome for out-of-the-weather walking Mon-Fri 10am and to play Bingo on Wed at 1pm. A place to socialize, play smear, bridge, ping-pong, and more. Thai cooking classes, community dances, Braver Angels gatherings, craft fairs, and a variety of health programs. are held here. Event rental is available from $100.

Semers Park

365-3224 x1 for rental

On Shagawa Lake, this park has a sandy beach and pier, playground, picnic facilities, restrooms, a campfire circle, hiking trails and islands, timberframe pavilion for rain shelter. Indoor event space for rental for reunions and parties. Follow signs from N. Central Ave.

Shopping See maps on page 78 for advertiser locations. Visitors, don’t miss Chapman Street, one block south of Sheridan Street. Used books, hardware, kitchenware, gifts, massage, yarn, car parts, packs, bulk food, deli, café, banks, small engine repair, and more.

Soudan Mine State Park

218-300-7000 dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks...

Underground tours are back at last! The 90-minute tour starts with descending to the 27th level in a cage elevator just like the miners did, then visit the work area and hear the stories. Not into that? There’s a guided audio tour of the surface exhibits. Daily10-4 May 25-Oct 20, $15, age5-12 $13, under 5 free. 22 miles west of Ely on 169. No vehicle permits required in the parking lot.

Swimming Spots

Semers Park in Ely; Forest Service campgrounds at Fenske Lake, Fall Lake, and Kawishiwi; Dry Falls on the Bass Lake Trail; Fall Lake at the bottom of Kawishiwi Falls (watch for poison ivy), the Longbranch in Winton. There are no lifeguards. Good biking to most of these spots.

Tofte Lake Center

TofteLake.com

Artists on creative retreats and residencies fill the cabins and studio space here each summer. Public programs in the calendar, pg 70. If you need creative space in a northwoods setting, check out the website and plan an artist residency here. 2209 Fernberg Rd

Trezona Trail

Four miles around Miners Lake for biking or hiking within the city limits. Some interpretive signs at historic mine sites. Spurs to Int’l Wolf Center, USFS, and the college. Picnic shelter near parking lot. Good berry-picking. Leashed dogs welcome, but clean up after them!

U.S.

Forest Service Visitor Center 365-7600 Recreation.gov

Find informative brochures, maps, and kids activities here; pick up BWCAW permits; and browse the displays on wildlife, fire, wilderness history, and more. 8-4:30 daily 1393 Hwy 169.

Lake Vermilion Tours AronsonBoatWorks.com/FootlooseCycleCruise.com

Ride along on the mail delivery route or have a party on the 35’ Footloose Cycle pontoon boat. Aronson’s mail boat covers 80 miles and 105 water-access only mail boxes. The driver is a knowledgeable local who gives a history lesson along the way. Reservations required. Adults $25 Kids 12 and under $12. 9am Mon-Sat. June1-Labor Day. Footloose offers 90minute or 3-hour trips daily for 5-16 people until Oct 10th. BYO food and beverage; they provide ice. Pedal or relax. $30-45 per person, discounts for kids, seniors, veterans, and locals. Launches from Fortune Bay Marina. Whichever you choose, dress for the weather!

Vermilion Range Trap Club 365-6036

Join local sports shooters at this shooting range. Trap and skeet are available at the clubhouse 5 to dark Wednesdays and 1-4 pm Sundays. Special events are held through the summer.Visitors and newcomers always welcome. Check their Facebook page for more info and updates.

Whiteside Park

Located in the middle of town, this is the site of many summer events including Blueberry Festival, Harvest Moon, and Farmers and Artists Market. Playground, gardens, band shell, restrooms, scribed-log pavilion, and plenty of space for Frisbee games.

©Int’l Wolf Ctr

© NABC

Books for Summer

Art that reflects the lives, stories, and natural beauty of the Arrowhead fills Following My Spirit Home. Each spread displays one of the artist’s colorful paintings with a brief story in the flowing language of the Anishinaabe along with an English translation. These works of art are held mainly in private collections, so you’ll only see them here. Inspired to return to his native land after two decades out east, Zimmerman has fresh eyes for the spirit of this area and his heritage. Minnesota Historical Society Press offers a collection of bi-lingual books about Anishinaabe life in current times. Plums and Nuts focuses on humorous Ojibwe stories, telling tales that might be somber in another context. Humor was an important tradition to fortify attitudes during harsh winters and is welcome now in the harshness of our political climate. Changing Worlds details the process of correctly sending an Ojibwe soul to its foreverafter. Ceremonies are an essential and plentiful part of Ojibwe culture, providing lessons on living a

Chapman Street Books

Quality used books on all topics, including many with local interest. Bring yours in for a discount. Big free box. Home to Prairie Fire Tobacco, with imported and domestic blends. 139 E. Chapman St. 218-365-2212

good life. What We Were Given explains the wisdom contained in the traditions around birth, coming of age, harvests, tobacco offering, and more. If you are not of this heritage and plan to spend time with Ojibwe people, even something as simple as going to a powwow, it would be helpful to read this book and understand how to behave respectfully in ways that are often quite different from white people’s manner of being. Describing their ceremonies in a book is not within the realm of acceptable practices for many Ojibwe people. But the author of An Anishinaabe Ceremonial Dance came to realize that firstlanguage speakers and elders with the knowledge of ceremony proceedings were becoming scarce. Believing these powerful and sacred practices are essential to living a good life (mino-bimaadiziwin) and to ensure these traditions could continue, he agreed to write them down. This is the complete description of all that goes into the drumming, dancing, eating, and other parts of a ceremonial weekend.

If you live elsewhere and long for the north woods, take these books home to bring you back here wherever you may be. Life and loves, days and nights, old folks and young, stories and musings fill the pages with the feel of life at the end of the road. A Wild Path is a bit more introspective with an autobiographical bent that draws from a few wilderness experiences far from Minnesota. Author Doug Wood will be leading a writing workshop through the Listening Point Foundation in Ely September 7-9. Back Road Grace is all Ely, peopled by the full-time residents and enthusiastic visitors who love this place. You can read the title essay on page 53.

When the author and her family moved to Minnesota after spending time in Japan, they needed a place of natural beauty to replace the spots they so loved there. They found the Boundary Waters and Quetico. In this book, child-pleasing haiku portrays Boundary Waters critter encounters and other moments of delight. A bit of prose describes experiences a family might have while camping or paddling. Here’s one about the night sky and...

Even if you’re reading Rendezvous with the Past in a city apartment, you might hear the distant call of a loon and smell that sun-on-the-pineneedles northwoodsy scent. It’s that evocative. Tinged with mystery, this novel takes readers along on a boy’s first scouting expedition into Canoe Country. The author guided scouts for many years and now travels there with his grandkids, so there is an authenticity unequaled by most other fictional works set in the Boundary Waters. Plus it’s just darn good writing!

Survival Food is our favorite foodie book this season. Humorous stories of pre-microwave, reservation life in Wisconsin are complemented by recipes that combine wild harvests and commodity bulk foods in a cheerful blend. Macaroni and Cheese with Milkweed Buds, Grasshopper Tacos, and Gray Squirrel Stew may fall short of mouth-watering to the average tastebuds, but when survival is on the menu, they can be mighty delicious. And fun reading at least!

If you have a deep curiosity about birds, The Breeding Birds of Minnesota will quench your thirst for knowledge. Although this tome is scholarly enough for those with a PhD in ornithology, amateur birders will be engrossed within moments of opening the cover. 250 birds that currently nest here are presented with details related to their presence in MN not found in books with a broader geographical base. Forward-looking information discusses how each species will fare with coming climate changes. Far sturdier than your usual coffee table book, this needs a sturdy shelf for those times when a reader isn’t admiring the outstanding photography or absorbing fascinating details about the avian world in our state. A perfect BIG gift for the birder.

All these books are available through the Ely Public Library and at Piragis’ Upstairs Bookstore.

Anishinaabemowin

Wiidookawishin : help me.

Wiidookaage: helping others. Wiidookodaadiwin: a deeply meaningful lesson about helping others. Words in the Ojibwe language are built from syllables that have intrinsic meaning. Wii: will or action, doo: to do something, kodaa: in life, iwin: this provides finality to the noun, implies the pinnacle of its usage. The —win at the end of a word indicates that this is the highest form of that word. It has become more than its basic meaning and in the -win form is a word with important lessons and spiritual connotations. When used by an elder or a teacher, the audience knows they are hearing a powerful word. The suffix -mowin added to the end of the word for a group of people means the language they speak.

Bajan

Anishinaabemowin, also known as Ojibwemowin, is the language of the Ojibwe people, who refer to themselves as Anishinaabe, loosely translated as “the people.”

Imagine seeing the entire world through description alone, naming plants and animals by their actions or way of life. In the English language we can use a dictionary to learn what a word means, concrete and fixed in most cases. Ojibwemowin has the capacity to describe nearly anything so well that a dictionary is not needed. Words are built through description, which is why they often have many syllables and are hyphenated when written for English speakers. For example, white men were called gitchimookoman which translates to big

Article and photos by Ryan

knife, presumably because the Europeans first encountered by the people carried swords. Another word for an Englishman is Zhaaganaash, and Zhaaganaashiimowin means the English language. Within the Ojibwe language, knowledge of the source of each syllable provides deeper instruction and meaning.

It is difficult for English speakers to contextualize a language that stems from a worldview. English is primarily fixed on nouns rather than verbs, the inanimate rather than the animate. Ojibwe words are more animate. Even a word that seems like a noun, such as Monday, has a meaning closer to “It is being Monday” than just the day itself.

Ojibwemowin has existed in its current form for more than 1000 years, spoken and written on wiigwas (birch) scrolls. The language traveled with the Anishinaabeg from the northeast on a migration to the Great

Lakes. It is a language as beautiful as the land of its origin and rooted in traditional ways. Some would say the language is ceremonial, due to the way it can instruct and share traditional knowledge. To know the language is to know the land, the way of life, the names of things, the way the land cares for us, and the stories.

Boozhoo is a common greeting that is used in Ojibwemowin. The word comes from the larger phrase: “In the spirit of Nanaboozho.” That phrase was traditionally a welcome and identified the other party as someone who was also Anishinaabe. The greeting of Boozhoo is simply a shortening of the phrase.

Boozhoo can be followed in formal conversation with Aaniin, meaning “I see your light.” This word implies a recognition of deliberate speech with another person, the speaker then able to ask a question or make a request.

Traditional crafts are also passed down from elders. See many examples at Bois Forte Heritage Center.

Lacrosse, baaga’adowewin, originated with the Ojibwe. There is a league of teams in this area.

This is an example of how the language utilizes values and teachings in its very essence. Aaniin is usually interpreted as equivalent to an English question such as how or why, such as in “ Aaniin ezhi ayaayan ?”, which would be translated to “How are you?” But “I see your light” holds more respect, indicating a value of the relationship, the intention of an authentic interaction, rather like namaste in Sanskrit. This is quite different from the casual “How are you?” used by English speakers who expect only “Fine” as a reply.

Nanaboozho is the foundation of nearly all of the Anishinaabeg aadizookaanan, the powerful stories

shared only in winter that are passed down from elders to the next generation. These stories exhibit the foundational knowledge and teachings, as Nanaboozho is the great helper of the people who taught them how to live off the land. Ojibwemowin is rooted in traditional ways such as the Grandfather Teachings, which demonstrate the most important values of Ojibwe communities. Each teaching guides the way communities have operated for millennia. Challenging to translate, the meaning can be understood through examples, these teachings are passed down from elder to youth in everyday life.

When a young adult embarks on

their bawaachigewin (rite of passage), they must develop mastery in these teachings in order to make it through the ceremony. Some of these teachings include Dibaadendizowin (Humility), Debwewin (Truth), Zaagi’idiwin (Love),Minaajitwaawin (Respect), Nibwaakaawin (Wisdom), Gwayako-Bimaadiziwin (Honesty, Living Right), and Zoongide-ewin (Courage). (Notice the -win construct in these words.)These are all governed by Zhowendowsiwin, the teaching of unconditional love and compassion, the pinnacle of Ojibwe development in the four hills of life.

Ojibwe teachings convey that we live through four hills or seasons. Niiwin (four) is an important number for the Anishinaabeg. The first hill is Ziigwan (Spring), when we are babies and young ones. In this time we learn everything from our families and we become attached to our community in belonging. The second is Niibin (Summer), as we develop through adolescence, the most important period of development, when we try our abilities and become masters of ourselves and our identity. The third is Dagwaagin (Fall), as gichi-aya’aag (adults), developing independence in our families and in our communities. The fourth hill is Biboon (winter), the time of being an elder and a leader

who gives back through generosity to their families and community.

It is Niibin now, Summer, and soon it will be time for our Mawinzwaan Gabeshiwin, Berry Picking Camp. We use the words miinan (blueberries or simply berries), misko-miinan (raspberries or red berries), and ode’imin (strawberry). We traditionally gather berries in various types of bark baskets lined with moss and sweet fern to help the berries stay fresh. Young ones would give away their first pickings to an elder.

My we’en (namesake), Karen Drift of Nett Lake, shared with me that as a young girl her family visited a berry picking spot up the river. The sites were prepared by her uncles, burning off the land to keep it healthy for berries, clearing log jams in the rivers, preparing the camp for their arrival. It

was a special time and remains an important harvest today as families continue to pick and preserve berries. Each season contains several important harvests. In addition to berry camp in the summer, there is the gitigaan (garden). The Ojibwe have cultivated foods in this region for more than 800 years, growing corn, beans, squash, and potatoes. Today the gardens have many more foods, traditionally using pollinators like bees to help them be fruitful. At the end of Niibin, preparations begin for harvesting Manoomin (wild rice). This is the most important harvest of the year. This superfood provides the nutrition to get through winter, along with the various meat harvested during Dagwaagin. Biboon is a time to take it easy and learn from the elders through stories and crafts. Winter ends with

Iskigamizigan, the Sap Boiling Camp or Sugar Bush. The trees give electrolytes and energy to help survival through the end of winter. In Ziigwaan, fish netted from the rivers and lakes provide welcome protein. This is another amazing time with children learning how to filet fish and everyone having a task, laughing, and eating good food.

Though it may not be widely known, these traditions all continue today in Ely and throughout the Arrowhead and beyond. The harvests keep the language alive, with the teachings ever present and shared with all generations. The Ojibwe and

other tribal nations are not historic, but rather are a living, integral part of the communities where they live. One example in this area is how Ojibwe foresters are teaching the Forest Service and DNR about their cultural use of fire. The U.S. government long forbade the native people to use fire in their traditional way to ensure abundant berry harvests, reduce insects, clear their surroundings of brush for better hunting, and to keep predators away from their homes. Today’s foresters recognize the wisdom in setting fire deliberately. Fortunately, the knowledge of ishkode wasn’t completely lost, and Ojibwe elders are sharing their ways with others to keep forests healthy.

In the Anishinaabeg way, life is to be lived according to the language and the elders’ lessons. This is Mino Bimaadiziwin, or “living the good life,” evident in our relationship with the land, with each other, and with this language.

USFS and tribal foresters make a site visit

© USDA Forest Service, A. McCormick

Back Road Grace

by Scott Stowell

Afew gravel roads in the Minnesota Arrowhead end at the edge of the wilderness. Motorized travel simply stops. Magical places worth savoring appear. And the journey to them is an education in back road grace.

One of the roads I use often is a former railroad line from the logging heyday. It’s not much wider than a single lane to begin with, but it narrows even more in some parts. A grandmother pine shoulders one side and a greenstone boulder bottlenecks the thoroughfare on the other. Add some snowbank to it and the road pinches together like a clogged artery.

Road rage doesn’t cut it on a thoroughfare like that because it’s infused with smell-the-roses transport. In summer, if a vehicle from behind appears to be in a rush, the tortoise in front pulls over to let the jackrabbit pass.

© Scott Stowell

In winter, that’s not always possible. Vehicles inevitably meet coming from opposite directions and one or the other voluntarily backs up, finds a wider spot and the other eases by. I’ve offered and accepted my share of give-and-take many times. And

with that comes abundance. The final day of last deer season is one example.

Blaze orange clothing is highly visible through oncoming windshields and is a pretty good indicator of who’s been in the woods looking for deer. I

There are treasures to be found on back roads Drive slowly around those curves!

© Laura Schulze

© Laura Schulze

© Laura Schulze

could tell that the driver in a truck coming toward me was feeling chatty because his driver-side window started going down when we got close to each other. By the time we stopped, the snowbanks had cozied-up our fenders and we could have reached out to adjust each other’s mirrors.

The guy inside the truck tilted his hat back then pulled the brim firmly down—a most certain invitation for a story. I told him I’d seen tracks but no deer attached to them. If nothing else, I knew where they were when I wasn’t around. He said he’d seen deer in his yard after dark. At least his motionsensor floodlight helped remind him of what they look like.

He segued impressively to another story about a hunter in his group who slept in that morning and was late getting into the woods. My storytelling buddy said he watched from his deer stand as this sluggard practically ran uphill trying to overtake daytime. But about halfway up, the guy ran out of gas. He stopped, sucked wind like a turbine, then leaned on the trunk of a dead birch. Moments later, the birch pushed over, crashed to the ground and spooked every deer in the forest.

An approaching truck slowed as it came up behind our conversation. At the same time, I realized another truck was also closing in on my rear bumper. Both stopped and waited patiently. So my new friend and I wished each other good hunting, shifted into gear and kept the line moving.

I rolled forward about two car lengths. The next driver-side window went down. I jockeyed up beside the hunter inside. But in my side mirror, I also caught the scene at my back. Two trucks were stopped. Two hat brims faced each other through their open windows. Both brims nodded with stories.

Laura Schulze has an Instagram page you won’t want to miss: @lauramngirl. Ely-oriented, full of great photos and witty captions, it is updated often. When she’s not out in the woods or on the lakes, Laura works as a social media manager.

This is the title essay from local author Scott Stowell’s new book. Scott spends plenty of time cruising Ely area roads and chatting with whoever shows up. If you’re from here, you’ll recognize the places and characters. If you’re not, you’ll get to know the place and the people a little better. Back Road Grace can be purchased online at Scott’s website, writingoutfitter.com or in Ely at Art & Soul Gallery, Ely Folk School, Zup’s, Piragis’, Ely Outfitting Company, and Chapman Street Books.

© Laura Schulze

Ely Updates

2023 saw a major leap in the quantity and quality of arts in Ely thanks to new and expanded galleries, more theater camps for kids, public poetry nights, an even bigger Film Festival, and a pretty much non-stop production of high end shows. The elevation of arts continues this summer with another remarkable lineup of shows you won’t want to miss. See the Calendar for dates, page 69.

The Mural Project is a new and vibrant visual arts activity. Two murals created by students, inspired by the natural beauty of our area and supported by instruction from wellrespected local artists Ian Francis Lah and Dafne Caruso, are on display in the Ely schools. More are planned. The public is invited to get involved. A

third mural, being created by Shaun Chosa, will be unveiled during Harvest Moon Festival.

New buildings are in the headlines as summer gets started. The Community Center may become a luxury hotel if logistics around parking and funding can be worked out. The Trailhead on the west end of town will metamorphize from a half-acre of leveled dirt to a pleasant welcome-toEly area with a building that has restrooms, trail maps and business brochures, and other conveniences for those just arriving or about to take off by bike, ATV, or on foot. An affordable housing complex is in the works.

The Ely Area Community Foundation building was more promise than project when we wrote

about it last summer. This spring, the paint is drying and a few walls are still being raised. Functional Fitness, WellBeing Development, Northwoods Partners, and Happy Days Preschool have plans for moving in mid- to late July. By fall a new roof will cover the building, the outside will get some sprucing up, and the dream of a pool will be a bit more vivid. The full name of the building is a bit too big a mouthful for casual conversation, so it is called The Hub—a perfect metaphor for the purpose of bringing several Ely organizations into a space meant for collaboration and where citizens can meet for exercise, support of all kinds, and intergenerational mixing.

Donations are still needed. Checks can be sent to EACF, 760 Miners Dr., Ely, MN 55731 or donate at elyacf.org. Grants are pending that may help fund a gathering space at the center of the complex, outdoor facilities, and that long-held dream of a pool. Watch for a grand opening at the end of July.

Speaking of buildings, how safe is your home from wildfire and how Firewise are you and your neighbors? If you find some need for improvement and you’re reading this before June 15th, plan to attend the all-day “Tools for Living with Fire” symposium at the college that day. Come for all or part;

the $10 fee includes lunch and you’ll surely get your money’s worth in the first hour. If you’ve missed that, find some Firewise demos in the area at minnesotafac.org, the Fire Adapted Communities website. Or go to the USFS offices and pick up materials to help you prepare your property for resilience and your family for safety. Continuing on the building theme, Ely Folk School and the Steger Center have teamed up to offer Women’s Stone Masonry, three- and five-day classes held at the Steger Center with meals and community as much part of the experience as creating walls and walkways from native materials. Participants will build something that will last virtually forever (in human terms) and take home skills to replicate the construction in their own

The Ely Summer Times

The NCT is coming to town. See page 29.

© Steger Center

environment. More collaboration between the Folk School and the Steger Center is in the works. Check ElyFolkSchool.org to learn more. See the Ely Winter Times 2023 edition for more info on the Steger Center.

New life has infused some Ely restaurants with fresh menus and new faces. Sheridan Street Delicatessen, located where the Front Porch once operated, has been revived by Sarah. If you want a lunch-to-go for a busy day ahead, pick up a brown bag with homestyle sandwiches and the works. Of course you can eat there, enjoying the porch view and adding a cup of homemade soup to your fare.

Keep enjoying the outdoor seating when you cross the street to the Frisky Otter in the former Rockwood space for drinks, dinner, and live music. Mike and Nicole are experienced restaurateurs who are stepping up the menu with Italian specialties, plenty of meat and fish entrees, and an assortment of martinis.

Take a Sunday–or any day–scenic drive 20 miles south on Highway 1 to enjoy the revival of the Happy Wanderer. It’s once again the spot for a cold beer for hunters, loggers, and fall color tours. Russ provides a hearty meal of pizza, pasties, Polish, or wings and even free chili some weekends. (It might be made of road kill–only the freshest of course.)

Wildlife far from roads is the subject of the Voyageurs Wolf Project,

which will be featured in an exhibit at the Int’l Wolf Center until October 20th. This research collared wolves, set out trail cams, and spent enormous amounts of field time searching out dens, kill sites, dead wolves, scat, and any other detail that could provide insight into how wolves survive in summer. You can get a glimpse into one kind of data researchers collected in a video of wildlife visits to a beaver dam on the project’s Facebook page. Although the focus was on wolves, many other species walked by and in some cases engaged intimately with the trail cam tracking their behavior. Distilled to just under seven minutes, it include otters, bears, beaver, and this cat. What do you think? Lynx or bobcat? Fascinating as it is, social media can’t match seeing the exhibit in person with its stunning visuals and QR codes for further information. The titles, “Starvation, Adaptation, and Survival” hints that all is not easy for a wolf in summer.

© Voyageurs

Wolf Project

In December a group of about 70 Ely citizens of different political leanings gathered at the Ely Senior Center to begin an effort to reduce the polarization in our community. They formed an Alliance with the national organization, Braver Angels, whose mission is to bring Americans together in conversations to reduce polarization and strengthen our democracy. The group started by learning skills to disagree without demonizing; to have conversations with those who think differently with the purpose of understanding one another’s point of view and how it came to be rather than changing one another’s minds; and to recognize the polarizing thoughts and behaviors in oneself. Once there was a basic skill level, or at least agreement on trying to proceed with these respectful methods, small group discussions allowed participants to get to know one another better and see the humanity on the other side.

“Are we going to talk about mining?” was a common question as that is arguably the most polarizing issue in Ely, although management of wolves, gun control, and opinions on the two presidential candidates could contend for top spot. The answer is “yes” along with the thought that more practice of the skills may be needed before handling the toughest topics.

Gatherings are planned for about every three weeks through the summer (see calendar page 69). Newcomers are welcome any time, whether conservative or liberal. There is much to be learned at the BraverAngels.org website, but inperson experiences are the most powerful ways to regain a sense of hope that ordinary citizens can get along, discuss hard choices, and find solutions. See more at the Ely Braver Angels facebook page. Let’s get through this election cycle without hating those we disagree with.

Braver Angels in conversation

©Catie Helm-Clark, Timberjay

Dirt Ball Ranger, 1984

Wby

ater fell from the sky as if I were standing under a rain spout. My rain jacket was solid—a heavy rubbery thing—but the hood was too big. It kept flopping down over my eyes as I struggled to lift the food pack. Mike, in his Forest Service raingear, had pulled on a personal pack, wedged the paddles

Portage Crews, Summer 1984

Becca Brin Manlove

into the canoe gunwales, and flipped the canoe onto his shoulders, then looked at me. “Can you get the food pack and maybe the daypack? We’ll get the tool bag, hard pack, and other stuff on our second trip.”

“Okay. I’ll be right behind you.”

This was my first full day on Portage Crew. We’d been married for three

years and during that time served as caretakers at YMCA Camp du Nord— we knew how to work together. But this was new work for me. Mike called us Dirt Ball Rangers. He was beginning his fifth season. I’d longed to spend as much time as he did in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). So, in 1984, I volunteered to serve as his work partner. I was eager to prove myself.

But there squatted our food pack— a large, square Duluth pack. No waist belt or extra handles. The cruel, stiff leather straps were still set for Mike’s wider shoulders. The pack was large enough to hold a cooler at the bottom. Two frozen, half-gallon milk cartons served as ice for enough meat and cheese to last half of our eight-day trip. On top of the cooler were two 50foot ropes, cooking gear, a five-pound bag of potatoes, a few large onions, and big bags of gorp and other food.

I was a short, scrawny-but-wiry woman. And I had a good back. My knees were my weakness—ACL damage on one knee in a gymnastics accident and the other while portaging an aluminum canoe on a rugged trail. Come to think of it, both accidents were born of my stubbornness. I’m a slow learner.

But determined as ever to keep up with Mike, I first tried to lift the pack to

my thigh, but couldn’t get it even a few inches off the ground. Then I tried to lift the pack by squatting down, pulling the straps over my shoulders, and rocking forward. Of the two of us, I was the only one doing any rocking. I “walked” the pack by dragging it sideto-side over to a rock, cringing at the sound of wet gravel grinding into the canvas. Tossing off my hood, I strained to roll it up the side of the slippery rock. As rain streamed into my eyes, I pleaded with the pack to stay balanced on the summit. I turned part way around, sliding my arm into a strap. With the vengeance of all its weight, the pack dove off the rock, nearly taking me with it. My Red Wing boots were soggy and sandy. My toes were partially frozen (this was late April), but I gave that thing the most vicious kick I could.

And then someone said, “Do you need some help, Becky?”

Standing on a little rise at the end of the portage stood four men. The one who’d called me by name was a professor at Vermilion Community College. I’d taken a course from him. Mike, with a Natural Resources degree from Vermilion, knew them all—well. They’d talked to him on the other end of the portage. As they had started across, Mike had floated the canoe a little way down the shoreline. He would tie it off so it was out of the way of any

other groups trying to access the small landing. He wouldn’t be far behind. The men offered to help carry our gear across, but I refused. The professor lifted the food pack so I could slip into it and then handed me the daypack. By then, Mike was there.

Tactfully, none of them mentioned what they’d witnessed. At least, not within my hearing, ever—even across the forty years since.

We modified our portaging process on the next trip over. Mike would help me don a couple of packs, usually giving a smack to one of them as if testing the load’s balance and my patience. Then he’d pick up his own load. The area we were assigned included one hiking trail and many portages, some of them long, and some of them with names like Billy Goat Portage and Heart Attack Hill. Mike dubbed our area “The Walking Zone.” He was a little surprised to discover how quickly I walked with a load (motivated to put it down), and also how many swear words I knew. We spent more than seventy days in the BWCAW that summer. Beginning at ice-out in April and working until the first snowfall of October, we worked in eight-day blocks with six days off in between. On

OUTBOARD REPAIR

Joe’s Marine and Repair. Chainsaw and outboard service. Mechanics on duty Monday through Saturday. Full of boating accessories for “Fun on the Water.”

25 W. Chapman St., 218-365-6264

our six days off, we worked as laborers for Len Bielawski, master log-builder, as he built our log home—that is a story in itself.

I came to prefer our working trips over our days off. On portage crew, we traveled the same way visitors traveled: canoeing, portaging, and camping. We worked ten-hour days and Mike didn’t consider breaking down or setting up camp to be part of our work day. Depending on the number of latrines to be dug and other campsite work on any given lake, we might stay the entire trip on one site or move every few nights. But I knew the lake would be our water source, our meals were planned and packaged, and anything we needed was in a specific pack. Out there, I didn’t have to keep track of mail or a checkbook. And we were together in the BWCA. The bugs were bad that year. We wore government-issue bug dope. It came in an ominous, army-green bottle with no advertising. We learned to wash our hands after applying it because the stuff took the varnish off our paddles. We’d heard that wood ticks were especially attracted to the color blue, but we noticed that they eagerly gathered on our green tent, too. Maintaining the Angleworm Hiking Trail in May, I woke up one morning and couldn’t completely open either eye. Black flies had feasted on my eyelids.

Maybe blackflies really do pollinate blueberries, because the berries were also abundant. On a trip to maintain the Snowbank Hiking Trail, Mike and Smitty, another Dirt Ball Ranger, worked ahead with the crosscut saw and rock bar. Another volunteer and I

followed more slowly, nipping brush and clearing it away. At a height of land, we found a note on a rock in the trail. Mike had torn a page from his pocket-sized notebook. “Do NOT stop to eat the berries!” All around us the bushes were blue with berries. We stuffed handfuls into our mouths and filled our hard hats. We smashed a few berries onto the note and left it for Mike to find on his way back.

We became efficient at camp chores. I set up and broke down the tent. Mike cooked. Whoever wasn’t busy with another task washed the dishes. Each morning, Mike brewed enough coffee to give us each a cup and then filled our thermos. Somewhere mid-morning, we’d stop work for a cup of coffee. Most often, our breaks were on a site where we were working.

Once we settled onto a long, low shelf of ledge rock, enjoying both the heat radiating from our cups and the cool touch of the rock beneath us. The site was heavily used. We felt lucky to reach it early in the day and find it empty. In a few moments we’d “clean” it. I’d rake through the cold ashes under the firegrate, pulling out tin foil and other garbage while Mike assessed the “slammer.” At that time, portage crews were replacing the old wooden box latrines with fiberglass heads whenever a new hole was dug. But all of that was ahead of us. In this moment, we simply enjoyed the lapping of small waves on the shore

and the waves of a gentle breeze in the pine tops. Alone and together.

Then Mike said “huh.” His melamine cup made a clink as he set it down. And from a shallow crack in front of him, he lifted an almond-sized piece of rock. I scooted closer and we both gazed at the tip of an arrowhead. We took turns holding it up to the light, resting it in a palm, gingerly running a fingertip along the fluted edges. An artisan, probably many generations before, struck this stone with another, chipping out tiny flakes. She or he struck in just the right places, on each side, to make this piece both beautiful and lethal. And then it was broken. And the tip nestled here. For how long?

We were resting in beauty before. And then, this discovery filled the place and the moment with wonder.

© Keith Smith

Smitty in the motorized zone

Although we were both talkers and storytellers, we didn’t say much. We were in awe, imagining how many people had pulled up canoes and unloaded belongings on this spot. How many, each with their own stories, stepped over this crack to get closer to a fire. How many sat just where we were as they shared food and stories?

Alone but together, we each wondered at the passage of time, the long lives of rock and water. Our own brief dance with life was made a bit more precious and delightful by Mike’s discovery of this chip, like a little memo from the past.

Mike winked at me, then kissed the little point. “Nighty night.” Where the

chip had been, the soil and little pebbles still held its space open. Mike put it back where it had been, sharp point in and broken edge even with the seam in the ledge rock. I put my finger tip into the crack and brushed some grains of sand up close to the arrowhead, as if tucking blankets of time back around it. Then we each gathered a small handful of pine needles and decaying leaves to sprinkle over the top.

In the end, I did okay as a dirt ball ranger. I was signed up to serve as a volunteer for another season when I realized I was pregnant. To avoid risking the pregnancy, I withdrew my application. Mike had to find other work partners.

We’d been married twenty-five years when Mike hiked the Bass Lake Trail and died of a heart attack. Between 1984 and his passing in 2007, we raised two incredible kids, finished our home, and had many other adventures, arguments, and moments of awe. When I started this story about our one season together on portage crew, my heart ached a little. Then, just after I started it, Keith Smith (aka Smitty from the blueberry story) posted a crew picture from that

Volunteers help create a safe canoe landing on Burntside © USDA SuperiorNF

John Pierce

year. Turned out he had a few of Mike and me, too. I hadn’t had any of us on portage crew.

A good story requires tension, like my pack-kicking on our first day. What’s harder to describe are the soul-quieting, life-enriching moments like sunsets, shared silence, and finding the arrowhead.

All these years later, I realize that I didn’t leave that little arrowhead in the crevice. No, I didn’t pry it back out, but I’ve carried it in my heart. When I re-live the surprise of Mike’s find, the feel of its still-sharp edges, and the wonder that small fragment brought to us, gratitude, joy, and delight burble through me again.

Portage crews still work much the same way—Forest Service employees and volunteers paddle and camp. They dig latrine holes, clear trails, and remove hazard trees with hand tools. They improve tent pads, clean out fire grates, and haul out garbage. Volunteering for this work gives you time in the wilderness and practical skills that look good on your resume. Not all positions require being strong and fit. There are jobs that use all kinds of skills. To learn more or apply, visit the USFS Kawishiwi District office in Ely or contact Michael Running at 218-365-7600.

Volunteers and portage crew

©

Ozzie Reif

Mixed Precipitation performance 2023

Ely Area Calendar Summer 2023

For up-to-date event information go to www.ely.org, check posters, the local papers, and the Ely Shopper. “What’s Up Ely MN” FB page is a great source for current info whether it’s a lost dog or a big concert. Visit wolf.org and bear.org for daily programs for all ages at the Int’l Wolf Center and the Bear Center. NorthernLakesArts.org (NLAA), ElyFolkSchool.org for class schedule, and ElyClasses.com are other websites to check. Find locations on the maps, page 78; church addresses on page 71.Activities are open to the public; registration may be required. Use contact info or search websites for registration or more details. Area code is 218 unless noted. VMN = Vermilion Campus, MN North College. PWYC–Pay What You Can ticket prices. Child-focused activities are in GREEN

MAY

15, 5pm Houseplant swap and seed exchange

18, all day City Wide Rummage Sale and Used Gear Sale

Ely Folk School

Ely area and businesses 18, 10am String Golf Tournament Ely Golf Club

18, 1 & 5:30 Studio North Recital, 25 Years of Dance! 365-2493 for tickets Washington Aud 20, am Meet and Greet with Smokey Bear Ely Public Library

23, 6:30 Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr 24, 3pm Library Scientists, Pollution, grades 4-6 register 365-5140 Ely Public Library

24, 5pm Folk Medicine Packs & Poultices Ely Folk School

25, 10-5 Summer Season Opening, rootbeerlady.com Dorothy Molter Museum

25, 4pm Intro to Bike Packing, 365-2453 Ely Bike & Kicksled

26, 1pm Souvenir screening and Q&A w/ filmmakers and actress, vets free Ely State Theater

27, 8am Group Bike Ride on Mesabi Trail, 365-2453

Ely Bike & Kicksled

28, 5:30 Sound Healing with Nancy Scheibe, 235-7294 End of the Road Yoga

29, 5:30 Home-buying Class, elyclasses.com, free Media Center, Ely Schools

30-31, 7:30-4:30 Wilderness First Aid, register at ElyClasses.com CC 109, VMN

30-June 4 Peter & Pippi Kahoot, all ages, register 365-5140

Ely Public Library

30, 9-3:30 Healthy Aging Expo for Seniors, Free 365-8019 Grand Ely Lodge

31, 7pm Ely Memorial High School Graduation Washington Aud

JUNE

2, 6:30

Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr

3, 7:30-4:30 Red Cross Babysitting Class, ages 11-15, elyclasses.com VMN CC109

3 or after Register for Summer Reading Program, new formats 365-5140 Ely Public Library 4-6, 9am-noon Greenstone Art Camp, grades 1-6, NLAA, 235-9937 Miners Dry 5, 11am Get Crafty with Tricia: Kindness Rocks for all ages, 365-5140 Ely Public Library 5, noon Art Show for Children’s Art Camp, all welcome, free Miners Dry 5, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL104 6, 1-3 Artist reception, Nancy Scheibe Art & Soul Gallery 6-9, 7pm, 2pm The Last 5 Years, Sunday 2, PWYC tickets at NLAA Vermilion Theater

7, 10:30 Storytime with Smokey Bear, pre-school Ely Public Library 8, 9-4

National Sauna Day tour, games, music, food Nelimark Museum

8, 8am Walleye Whamma Fishing Contest, 827-3464 Birch Lake Beach, Babbitt 8, 8am Altameja Fishing Contest & Golf Tournament 235-8015 Shagawa Lake & Ely Golf Club 10-14, 9-12 Vacation Bible School, grades K-5 Ely Ledgerock Church 10, 3pm Friends of the Library Book Club, Adults and teens The Four Winds Ely Public Library 11-14, TBA Ely Golf Club Youth Lessons, ages 8-14, elymngolfclub.com, 365-5932 Ely Golf Course 11, 6pm First City Band Rehearsal, all welcome Ely School Band room 11, 6:30 Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr 12, 1pm Get Crafty, Creative Crafts with leftover materials Ely Public Library 13, 10-2 Household Hazardous Waste Collection, stlouiscountymn.gov Public Works Garage 13, 11am Library Scientists, Learn to Use Microscopes, register 365-5140 Ely Public Library 13, 5pm Northwoods Partners Fundraiser Dinner, Wild Wild West, 365-8019 Miners Dry 14-16 Peter Mitchell Fun Days, Carnival and Activities Babbitt 14-15, 17 Donate books to Library sale, Fri 9-3, Sat and Mon 10-6 Ely Senior Ctr

1920s-themed Mystery Dinner at the Library. They always have something interesting going on.

15, 8:30am Tools for Living with Fire, all-day symposium, minnesotafac.org Vermilion campus

15, 10am Greg Mosher Memorial ATV ride to Babbitt, 235-8142 Ely West End Trailhead 16, 10am Polish Delight Tournament, golf@elymngolfclub.com

Ely Golf Course 17-18, 8:15am Junior Wolf Biologist Mini-Camp, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center 17-30 Artist James Ellis show, Journey on Lake Superior North Shore Ely State Theater

17 Reflections Dance Co. summer session starts, register at NLAA Ely Rec Ctr 18, 4-5:30 Board Game and Puzzle Swap

Ely Public Library

19, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL104 20-30, 2 or 7pm Bright Star, PWYC 6/27, tickets at NLAA Vermilion Theater 20, 2pm Local author Scott Stowell book reading

Ely Public Library 21-26 Bad Kitty Kahoot, books 9-16, all ages, register 365-5140 Ely Public Library 20-22 Friends of the Library Book Sale, hours vary, 365-5140 Ely Senior Ctr 22, 10am Prospector ATV Club Police Chaplain fundraiser ride West End Trailhead 22, 5pm Wild Wild West fundraiser for Northwoods Partners Miners Dry 23, 11am-2pm Dorothy Day: Preserving a Legacy, free entry all day Dorothy Molter Museum 23, evening TBA Ely Pride Celebration, music and fun, all welcome Semers Park 24-7/5, 8:30-12 NLAA Youth Theater Camp, ages 8-18 (off 7/4)

Vermilion Theater 24, 10am Tuey the Juggler, all ages Ely Public Library 25, 6pm Ely City Band’s 1st concert of 136th Season Whiteside Park

26, 11am Pre-school Math, ages 2-6

Ely Public Library 26, 7pm EWHS History Night, Ely Memorial High alum from each decade VMNTheater 28, 2pm Curiosity Cohort Face Painting, teens and adults

Ely Public Library 28-29, 6pm Paddling Film Festival, tickets at PortageNorth.com

Ely State Theater 29-30 Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr 29-7/7 Ely All Class Reunion, www.ElyAllClassReunion.org Many Ely locations 29-7/31 Summer Art Show featuring local artist Nancy Scheibe Art & Soul Gallery 29, 4-11pm Rock the Park - Bands, Food Trucks, Beverages, family event Whiteside Park 30, 11am Sunday Worship Service in the Park with Grace Lutheran Whiteside Park

6/29-7/7

www.ElyAllClassReunion.org to register

Spiritual Gatherings

Churches

Berean Baptist Church 2281 Hwy 169 365-5413, baptistchurchely.com Sun 10:30

Ely Gospel Church 3 E Allaire St 2351142 Sun, Prayer 9, Worship 10

In-person and livestreaming on YouTube at their channel, Ely Gospel Church

First Lutheran Church LC MS 915 E Camp St 365-3348 Sun 10:30, Bible study 12

First Presbyterian Church 226 E Harvey St 365-5130 Sun 11, YouTube

Grace Lutheran Church ELCA 301 E Conan St 365-5605 Sun 9:30

In-person and livestreaming on FB, archived on YouTube

Ledgerock Comm. Church 1515 E Camp St 365-4890 LedgerockChurch.com Sun 9:30

In-person and livestream on FB, audio on web, archives

Oasis Int’l Church 10 W Pattison 235-1151 Sun 10

In-person and livestreaming on FB at Oasis International, midweek service time varies Praise Fellowship Christian Ely Senior Center 235-9541 Sun Bible study 9, worship 10

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church 231 E Camp St 365-4017 Sat 5 pm, Sun 10

Babbitt, Sun and Wed 8am T 5pm, Th, F 8am

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 715 S Central Av 409-6870 Sun 9:30

Zoom, ElyStMarys@gmail for link

United Methodist Church of Ely 305 E Camp St 365-3355, elyumc.org Sun 10, FB

In-person and YouTube, ElyUMC1

Ely Area 12-Step & Recovery Meetings

Recovery - For those dealing with any addiction in friends or family

HOPE1st Lutheran Church Mon 7pm

Sober Squad Talking Circle – St. Mary’s Episcopal Sat, 2pm AlAnon

Ely Willingness AFG – 1st Lutheran Church Wed 7pm

Babbitt AFG – Woodland Presbyterian Thurs 7pm

Alcoholics Anonymous

Ely Sunshine Group, open – St. Anthony’s basement Sun 6pm

Women’s Open – Ledgerock Church Mon noon

Miracle on Camp St, open – 1st Lutheran Church Mon 7pm

Babbitt Tues Night Group, open – Tue 7pm

Ely Wed Night Group, open – 1st Lutheran Church Wed 7:30pm

Lake Vermilion 12X12, open Thu 6:30pm

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tower

Babbitt Back2Basics, open – Woodland Presb Church, Babbitt Thu 7pm

Happy, Joyous, and Free – First Presbyterian Church Fri 7pm

Ely Saturday Group, open – 1st Lutheran Church Sat 7:30pm

Weekly Events

Visit wolf.org and bear.org for daily programs for all ages at the Int’l Wolf Center and the Bear Center. Most locations are on the maps, page 78; church addresses are on page 72. 218 area code Activities are open to the public; registration may be required. Child-focused activities are in GREEN

Mon 4pm sharp Ely Women’s Golf League, 6/6-8/28, 365-5932 Ely Golf Club

Mon 6pm Smear Tournament, all are welcome, Starts September Ely Senior Center

Tue 12-1pm Tuesday Group Speakers elytuesdaygroup@gmail.com Zoom or Grand Ely Lodge

Tue 2-3:30 Tasty Tuesday, by ECHC, 302-1778, nutritious food on a budget Ely Folk School

Tue 2-5pm Pioneer Mine Shaft House tours, Memorial-Labor Day Arts and Heritage Center

Tues 4pm Guided History Walking Tour, 7/11-8/8 Meet at City Hall

Tue 5-7pm Farmers Market and Arts in the Park, 6/4-9/24 Whiteside Park

Tues 5:30-9 Tiki Tuesday, local music, 6/18-8/20

Tiki Deck across from Mealey’s Tues 6pm Ely City Band Concert, 6/25-7/30 not 7/16, July 4 after parade Whiteside Park Band Shell

Tue 7pm Karaoke, just for fun-no talent required (Fri and Sat sometimes) 6/3-9/24 Zaverl’s Bar

Wed 10:30am Wellness Wednesdays, free BP checks and more, 365-8019 Ely Senior Center

Wed 10:30 Memories & Movement Men’s group, 365-8019 Ely Senior Center

Wed noon Community Lunch, $7 or PWYC Northern Lights Clubhouse

Wed 1-3pm Bingo, all welcome Ely Senior Center

Wed 3 pm Senior Men’s Golf League Ely Golf Course

Wed 3 pm Chair Yoga, starts 8/7 ECF bldg

Thur 7-9am Ely Field Naturalists Trips, car pool, binoculars provided* 6/6-8/22 Chamber Parking Lot

Thur 9:30am Makers Mornings, crafts and community, free Ely Folk School

Thur 10:30am Community Exercise for seniors, free 365-8019 First Lutheran Church

Thur 12-3pm Ely Field Naturalists trips to special places, car pool* 6/6-8/22 Chamber Parking Lot

Thur 5 pm Commercial Golf League Ely Golf Course

Thur 5:30pm Group bike ride, until Oct 1, 365-2453 (BIKE) Ely Bike & Kicksled

Thur 5:30-7pm Ely Community Health Center free clinic, no appt needed 33 E. Chapman St.

Thurs 4-6pm Make Root Beer w/ Dorothy Molter Museum, 6/27-8/15, 365-4451 Ely Folk School

Thur 1-3pm Conversational Finnish, join other Finn speakers, open to all Embarrass Town Hall

Fri 10:30am Pre-School Story Time, 365-5140 Ely Public Library

Fri 3-6pm Pioneer Mine Shaft House tours, Memorial Day-Labor Day Arts and Heritage Ctr

Fri 4 pm Couples Golf League Ely Golf Course

Fri 5:30pm Hammer Mountain Bike Race Series, ElyNordic.com, 5/24-6/14 Hidden Valley

Sat 9am Guided History Walking Tour, 7/8- 8/5

Meet at City Hall

Sat 9-noon Ely Field Naturalist Resource Center open* above NAPA store

Sat 7pm What’s for Dinner? register at 365-4695

Sat 8pm Howling Safari (Aug-Oct) ag 6+, 365-HOWL, wolf.org

M, W 11-2

Int’l Wolf Center

Int’l Wolf Center

Discount Dental Clinic, appt required Ely Comm Health Ctr

M, W, F 1pm Walk With Ease, starts 8/ ECF Building

T, Th, 10am Tai Ji Quan:for Better Balance, register, 365-8019 starts 6/4 Semers Park Pavilion

*More details at https://elyfieldnaturalists.wordpress.com or call 235-8078

FITNESS, YOGA, and PICKLEBALL

Lots of ways to stay in shape in Ely! Drop-ins are welcome for most classes. Walk-ins are $10-12; discounts for multiple classes

Yoga

End of the Road 9am - 5:30pm 235-7294 endoftheroad.yoga

Beginning, Power Flow, Sunday Slow Flow, and more Special workshops some Tuesdays 5:30-7, https://endoftheroad.yoga/event-schedule

Functional Fitness 9:15am Wed hmsfunctionalfitness.com

Ravens Wing Yoga

8:30 M W Th Sat 218-365-4322 (also Zoom)

Tofte Lake Center 8:30 Th, 6/8-9/7, 75 minutes TofteLake.org

8:30 Tue, 6/13-7/25 (not 7/4)

Strength and Aerobic Exercise

Functional Fitness Classes daily, 6am - 6:15pm hmsfunctionalfitness.com Spin, TRX, Mobility, Personal Training, and more...

Studio North Gym and fitness center with day or week passes 365-2493 for office hours

Pickleball

Summer (starts 6/1) 8am - 1pm Mon-Fri register at ElyClasses.org

At the high school courts. $45 for summer, $5 per time walk-in

For beginner classes, spring and fall schedule, levels see ElyPickleBallClub.org

JULY

1, 11- 3 Mining Heritage Day, food, tours, music, memorial dedication Miners Dry area

2. 1pm Firewise Demo, Eagle’s Nest, 220-9190 3932 Cedar St.

2, 11am Preschool Plant Growing, ages 2-6

Ely Public Library

2, 6:30 Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr

3-4, 8:15am Junior Wolf Biologist Mini-Camp, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center

3, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL

4, 10am Flag Raising and Patriotic Program Veteran’s Memorial 4, 8am 4 on the 4th, 4-Mile Run & Walk supporting Ely Track Club, 235-3956Trezona Trailhead

4, 11am-4pm City of Ely 4th of July Celebration, kids activities & 1pm parade Whiteside Park 4, dusk Fireworks (Please send donations to PO Box 231, Ely 55731) Over Miner’s Lake 5, 4-6pm Boundary Waters Connect BBQ, free food & drink Chapman St Commons 6, 5pm Cookout, free food, games and music, friends-bwca.org Semers Park

8, 3pm Friends of the Library Book Club, ages 13+ Born Standing Up

Ely Public Library

9, 7pm “Searching for Giants” dance duet Tofte Lake Ctr 11-17, 3pm Chronicles of St. Mary’s Kahoot, register 365-5140

Ely Public Library

Ely Public Library 12, 2pm Curiosity Cohort: Geneology, older teens and adults

14-18 Reflections Dance Company workshop, ages 12+, see NLAA TBA 15-28 Ely artist Shaun Chosa show

16, 11am Get Crafty! Diamond Dots, ages 8-adults

Ely State Theater

Ely Public Library

17-21, 10-5:30 Water Color Club Show and Sale, all local artists Miners Dry 17, TBA Kids for Kids concert by Northern Lights Music Festival

Ely Public Library

17, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL 18-28, 2 or 7 Into the Woods, PWYC 7/25, tickets at NLAA Vermilion Theater

19, 1pm Board Games, all ages

20, 10am Blueberry Ball Golf Tournament, golf@elymngolfclub.com

20, 10am Prospector Club ATV ride to Trestle Inn, 235-8142

Ely Public Library

Ely Golf Course

Ely West End Trailhead

22-23, 8:15am Junior Wolf Biologist Mini-Camp, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center 22, 3pm Will Hale & the Tadpole Parade, all ages Ely Public Library 24-8/3, 8:30-12 Stars of the North theater workshop, ages 8-18, register NLAA Vermilion theater 24, 6:30 Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr 27-28, 5pm Wolves after Dark, overnight ages 12+, pre-register, wolf.org Int’l Wolf Center 25, 11am Library Scientists: Sound Waves, all ages Ely Public Library 26-28 43rd Annual Blueberry Arts Festival, 10am-6pm Whiteside Park 26-27, 9-5 Blueberry Bazaar, indoor vendors & senior cafe, 365-4139 Ely Senior Center 28, 11-2 Donuts with Dorothy, free entry all day Dorothy Molter Museum 31, 2:30 Peregrine Falcons, with live birds, ages 7 and up City Hall 31, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL

AUGUST

1-5

3, 1-5

Anne of Green Gables Kahoot, all ages, register 365-5140 Ely Public Library

A Day at the Lake, workshops, BBQ, music Tofte Lake Ctr 5-8, 9-1

Greenstone Art Workshop, grades 7-12, NLAA TBA 6, 11am Book Mending, teens and adults, may bring a worn book, register Ely Public Library 7, TBA Accidental Ensemble, all ages Ely Public Library 7, 7pm EWHS History Night, Carl Gawboy on Fur Trade and Ojibway VMN CL104 8, 7pm Mixed Precipitation Pickup Truck Opera, Faust Whiteside Park 9, 7pm Middle School Sleepover, grades 6-9, qualify in reading program Ely Public Library 10-11, 9-2 Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr 10-11, 11am 19th Annual Ely Watercross Race, 235-8940 Fall Lake at Longbranch 10, 6pm Slovenia Union Polka Dance Ely Senior Ctr 12-25 Artist Kayla Schiltgen show, Tender Offerings Ely State Theater 12 3pm Friends of the Library Book Club: Heaven & Earth Grocery Store Ely Public Library 13, 2pm Curiosity Cohort: Propagation, older teens and adults, register Ely Public Library 14, 10am Willow Brae, Irish and Scottish dance music, all ages Ely Public Library 14, 6:30pm Nature Night, free VMN CL 15-17, 7pm Constant Change, dance program by Reflections Dance Co. Vermilion Theater 17, 8:30 am Wildlife Career Day, ages 12+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center 18, 11-2 Supporters Appreciation Day, free entry all day

Dorothy Molter Museum 18, 2pm Constant Change, dance show by Reflections Dance Co. VermilionTheater

A Place Like No Otter!

302 E. Sheridan 218-235-6266 FriskyOtterEly.com

15, 11am Get Crafty! Tie-Dye, all ages but youngsters bring adult, register Ely Public Library 15, 6:30 Braver Angels Ely Alliance, all welcome, see FB page for details Ely Senior Ctr 17, 10am Big Cup Tournament, oversized cups, golf@elymngolfclub.com Ely Golf Course

17, 10am Pink Ribbon fundraiser ATV ride, lunch, and raffle, 430-0862 West end Trailhead

21, 11am 1000 books before Kindergarten graduation

Ely Public Library 21, 7pm EWHS History Night, Schools of the Iron Range MNV CL 104

22-27 Court of Roses & Thorns Kahoot, register 365-5140

Ely Public Library

23-25 Annual Embarrass Regional Fair Embarrass Timber Hall

23, 1pm Library Scientists: Optical Illusions, all ages

Ely Public Library 24, 10am Prospector ATV ride to The Happy Wanderer, 235-8142 West End Trailhead

26, 5pm Jumpin’ Jehosafats concert, SAGE fundraiser Whiteside Park

29, 10-2 Household Hazardous Waste Collection, stlouiscountymn.gov Northwoods Transfer

30-9/2 Fest DuNord, concert and music for families, ymcanorth.org Camp duNord 31, 5pm Whirled Muse house concert Dayton Family Homestead

SEPTEMBER

3 First day of school, grades 1-12, 365-6166

Ely Public Schools

4-25 Gardner Trust fall grant round applications, 365-2639 GardnerTrust.org

6-8 30th Annual Harvest Moon Festival Whiteside Park

6-8, 4pm Women & Wolves Weekend, ages 21+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center

6 5pm Listening Point Fundraiser, reservations listeningpointfoundation.org Grand Ely Lodge

7-9

Doug Wood Writing Workshop, listeningpointfoundation.org LIstening Point

7, 10-9pm Portage Land Music Festival, local groups Whiteside Park & State Theater

7, 10am Soup Cup Golf Tournament, golf@elymngolfclub.com Ely Golf Club

8, 4pm Community Night Out, music and food, 984-3012Seitaniemi Homestead Embarrass 9 Studio North – Fall dance classes begin, studionorthelymn.com Studio North

16-29 Artist Layl McDill show, Tangled Tales Ely State Theater 19-22 Andrea Drewe Womens Creative Retreat Listening Point

20. 4-8, 2110-2 Dorothy Molter Beer (and Root Beer) Garden fundraiser Whiteside Park

20, 7pm 5K Northern Lights Glow Run, all ages and abilities Whiteside Park 21, 7:30 and 8am Ely Marathon and BW Bank half marathon, elymarathon.com Ely Area

21, 8:45am Dorothy’s Root Beer Kids Marathon, kids run 25 miles before race day Ely Area 28, 10am Prospector ATV ride, Friends of Babbitt fundraiser, 749-0159 Babbitt Trailhead

OCTOBER • NOVEMBER

Oct 5-6, 9am Wolf Photography Weekend, wolf.org, 365 HOWL Int’l Wolf Center

5, 10am-4pm Jake Forsman Memorial Car Show & Burnout Competition City Hall area

5, 7pm Letters from Home concert, WWII music, NLAA series Ely State Theater

7 Dance classes start for Reflections Dance Company Various locations

12, 7pm Pier Country Concert, NLAA series Vermilion Theater

12, 10am Prospector ATV Club Special Olympics fundraiser ride Babbitt Trailhead

The Ely Summer Times 2023

Monthly

Events (Open to all, visitors welcome!)

2nd Monday, 3pm Friends of the Library book discussion Ely Public Library

3rd Tuesday, 1pm Ladies of Kalevala, all welcome Ely Senior Ctr

3rd Tuesday, 2pm Tasty Tuesday, free food and cooking class, 302-1778 EACF Hub

1st&3rdWed 10:30am Wellness Wed, free BP checks and more, 365-8019 Ely Senior Center

2nd Wednesday, 6pm Cancer Support Group Ely Senior Ctr

3rd Wednesday 11-5pm Food Shelf Open, 235-8527 15 W. Conan

1st Thursday, 6:00pm, Ely Area Writers’ Group, any genre, 235-1984 Ely Folk School

3rd Tuesday, 11am Caregiver Support Group, 365-8019 Ely Senior Center

4th Thursday, 6:30pm Heart of the Woods Quilters, 365-4907 LedgeRock Comm. Church

1st Saturday, 8-11am Pancake Breakfast, Oct-May Timber Hall, Embarrass Saturday after 3rd Monday 8-11 Food Shelf Open, 235-8527 15 W. Conan

13, 3; 14, 7pm Auditions for “Elf”, holiday show, dates Dec 12-21 Vermilion Theater 14-27 Artist Sarah Bamford Seidelmann show Ely State Theater 19-20, 9-2 Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr 31, TBD Trunk or Treat, Halloween fun for all ages Whiteside Park

Nov 1-17 Youth Art Show, local students’ work Ely State Theater

Nov 28, 8am Turkey Trot, run/walk, benefit Contented Critters, endoftheroad.yoga Trezona Trail

Nov 28, 3pm Thanksgiving Potluck, all welcome Ely Folk School

Summer and Fall aren’t the only fun times in Ely. Come back and enjoy winter like these kids at Hidden Valley!

Maps of the Ely Area

Art & Soul Gallery 94

Blue Loon 70

Boathouse Brewpub 68

Boundary Waters Connect 63

Brainstorm Bakery 89

Brandenburg Gallery 67

Britton’s Café 74

Chapman Street Books 78

Chapman St. Commons 72

Children’s Garden 93

City Hall/Police/Fire 81

Ely Area Credit Union 92

Ely Area Food Shelf 79

Ely Bike & Kicksled 65

Ely Free Clinic 74

Ely Comm Resource 90

Ely Farmers Market 96

Field Ntr Resource 71

Folk School 84 Ely State Theater 86 Ely Mercantile 60

Ely Public Library 80 Ely Steam Sauna 91 Ely Surplus Store 65

End of the Road Yoga 70 Evergreen Cottage 77

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