Ely, Minnesota is in eastern Saint Louis County, in the Vermillion Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota. The first Europeans who came into the area were fur traders, but the Lake Vermillion gold rush brought large numbers of people to the region in 1865. Although its gold deposits didn’t last very long, iron ore was discovered in the process. Before long, immigrants were coming into the iron range looking for work. When the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway laid its tracks from Tower to Ely in 1888, mining operations began in earnest, beginning with the opening of the Chandler Mine. Miners incorporated their settlement near the east side of Shagawa Lake, where Spaulding now is, and named it Florence. When ore was discovered further west, the village moved and changed its name to Ely, for Samuel B. Ely, a promoter of the Vermillion Range who never actually visited the town. Soon, other mines were opened in Ely, including the Pioneer Mine, the Zenith, the Savoy, and the Sibley. Today, the Pioneer Mine, which closed in 1967, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the community depends largely on outdoor recreation, although logging continues on a limited basis. Ely serves as an entry point to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the International Wolf Center, and the North American Bear Center. Minnesota Highway 169 and County Road 21 are the main routes to and from the city. Nearby localities include Winton, to the northeast, and the small community of Burntside, to the southwest.
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Ely is the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The official municipal web site offers a city calendar of events and meetings, council agendas and minutes, administrative contacts, and property and merchandise available for sale by the city. Public notices are posted to the site.
http://www.ely.mn.us/
Maintained by the Ely Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit business organization, the site offers a guide to Ely, Minnesota, including directions, maps, webcams, and photographs, as well as area events, attractions, resorts, hotels and other guest accommodations, canoe sales and rentals, restaurants, and shopping venues.
http://www.ely.org/
As part of a cooperative movement of more than six hundred folk schools in Scandinavia, Europe, and North America, offering classes, workshops and events for people of all ages, including hands-on, cooperative learning of the wilderness heritage, arts, history, culture, and craft of the people of northern Minnesota. Its classes and events are scheduled.
http://elyfolkschool.org/
This privately maintained resource for the area includes a business directory, a community blog, a blog about sulfide mining, nature articles, webcams, photographs and video, as well as a guide to local schools, churches, guest accommodations, restaurants, gift shops, attractions and events.
http://www.elyminnesota.com/
Independent School District #696
Made up of Ely Memorial High School and Washington Elementary School in Ely, situated at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Minnesota. A school activities schedule, school calendar, testing schedules, and various budget reports and other documents are featured, along with student and parent portals.
http://www.ely.k12.mn.us/
Produced in Ely, Minnesota, the Roof Razor is a tool designed to remove snow from roofs, particularly to prevent ice dams and snow loading, which can damage homes and property. The design of the product is described here, and its use is shown in several videos. Also included are customer testimonials, a list of dealers, and an online shopping area.
http://www.minnsnowta.com/
Made in Ely, Minnesota, the company produces Steger Moosehide Mukluks, which are warmer and lighter than traditional winter boots, and made in the Northern Cree Indian style, as well as other footwear products made for northern climates. A product catalog and sizing chart are featured, and orders may be made through the site.
http://www.mukluks.com/
The locally owned newspaper is published each week, offering news and sports items from Ely, Minnesota and the surrounding area, out doors reports, business features, opinion columns and editorials, as well as legal notices, classified sections, and obituaries. The printed or web edition may be subscribed to through the site, and news items may be submitted online.
http://www.elyecho.com/
The Ely, Minnesota company produces and sells locally made outdoor clothing for men, women, and children. Its men’s and women’s jackets, pants, vests, tops and accessories, as well as its line of clothing for babies, toddlers, and children. Its store location and hours are posted, and a product catalog allows for online purchases.
http://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com/