The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-01-14
Center OF
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most beautiful wilderness canoe country
of its kind in the world Here in the
intricate labyrinth of waterways, much
of it still wild and untouched, Is the
land of the voyageurs, the men who for
two centuries or more, followed its
waters in the service of the Old
Hudson's Bay company. Could these
ancient highways tell their story, they
would speak of fortunes in fur brought
down from the northwest to the waiting
flotillas of great canoes from Montreal
and Quebec; they would speak of war;
fare and struggle between Indian tribes
and between the emiSSarieS of the great
rival fur companies of the early days;
they would tell stories of conquest and
exploration, hardship and heroism, for
they were the pathways of the old
wilderness, the connecting links be-
tween the civilization of the east and
the great unknown of the northwest
Every lake, every portage, every rocky
landmark in this great wilderness
country has meaning and significance
To those who know, it is not only
beautiful and charming, but has a
deeper meaning, borne of the strategic
role it has played in the making of our
history
From the air, this arrowhead country
is maze Of solid green, stippled every
where with the blue of countless lakes
and rivers. At times it seems to be
more than land. Especially is this
true Of the Ely country toward the
eastern end of the Vermilion range
Here the country is so rugged and
broken that there are very few farms
1t is purely mining, forestry and re-
creational area and as such it has long
excelled. As time goes on, it will be-
come increasingly famous for here is a
combination of circumstances nowhere
else on the continent. Here is some
thing SO different from the older, more
civilized resort sections, that it is diff
cult to describe.
Imagine, if you can, the modern little
town Of Ely, town of some 1000 popu-
lation, fifty miles removed from the
busy industrial centers of the Mesabi
range, a town set in the center of a
beautiful forest and surrounded on all
sides by lakes and rivers Picture this
little town as a very modern one, with
excellent first class hotels and restaur-
ants, a splendid golf course, wonderful
schools and all the conveniences which
any town might boast in the more
settled areas. Picture the deep iron
mines with the steel shaft houses
reaching toward the sky and their red
stock piles of ore awaiting shipment
to the lake ports of the East. Think
Of the many miles of underground
paSsageways a thousand feet or more
below the surface. Think of Ely as
ranger headquarters for the Superior
National forest, bee hive of activity
with several million acres of woodland
to administer. Think of this busy little
modern town isolated from the rest OF
civilization by fully fifty miles of high
way, still not a backwoods settlement
but as up to date and advanced as
though it were a metropolis. Then re-
member, that it is in the heart of a
wilderness area, little spot of ultra
modern development in the center of
primitive country and you have the key
to its charm
Here is something different and it is
exactly this which impresses visitors.
Here they can have both civilization
and the wilderness. 1t is still new and
uncrowded and still has great areas
without roads. Where other sections
are criSS-croSsed by countless highways,
making every beauty spot easily Access
Sible, the Ely country can boast many
regions which can only be reached by
the most primitive forms of forest
travel, the canoe. Ask any of those who
come back, year after year, what it is
that draws them, they will say it is
the fact that it is still uncrowded, one
OF the few remaining places where they
can enjoy solitude and privacy. That,
aside from its unique rugged beauty, is
the secret of its charm.
1t is the wilderness aspect of the
region which is the reason for its draw
iAS POWS4, dllO d1Ol1OUSll illcI6 are UldIly
who come, who do not care to rough it
and really penetrate the back country,
nevertheless they are as much its de-
voices as those who actually cruise the
wilds. The very fact that they are
close to the wild, can feel it, and sense
it with every breath they take, makes
them return, for that alone makes it
different and people today are looking
for the unusual Within close prox-
unity to the town of Ely are many
resorts and lodges, elaborate enough
to suit the most fastidious and for those
who want more informal atmosphere,
many coy informal fishing camps and
private cabins nestled among the rocks
and timber.
To the east lies Eastwood, a great
sprawling lake, bounded by the dark
timber of the Quetico on the north, a
grand body of water with over 400
islands and innumerable channels and
protected bays, without question the
finest pike fishing in the entire border
country, and incidentally where the
worlds record great northern pike was
taken just few years ago. Eastwood