Surrounded by nature, Ely draws outdoor enthusiasts
In Northeast Minnesota, Ely is a small community surrounded by the largest national forest in the state, Superior National Forest, with woods and lakes that border Canada. “Ely considers itself the end of the road, and there’s a sense of pride in that for the community,” says Rachel Heinrich, the director of Ely Public Library, who has lived there since 1997. The natural scenery makes this an ideal place for outdoor enthusiasts, including locals and tourists. “It’s not unusual to see people driving with canoes and kayaks on top of their cars,” Heinrich says. “Even in the off season, during fall or toward the end of winter when the ice starts to melt, people are going out on the lakes.” This is a very locally-centric town where residents support small businesses. And the community gathers every year to celebrate the area’s wealth of wild blueberries.
Lakes, winter sports and Northern Lights in Superior National Forest
Whiteside Park is the main park in town, featuring a playground, open play fields and a bandstand used for community events. Ely is surrounded by more than 1 million acres of lakes and forests in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is part of the Superior National Forest. Shagawa Lake, Burntside Lake and Fall Lake are some of the most common spots for canoeing and kayaking. Locals also enjoy hiking and picking blueberries in the forest. “People have their spot out in the woods where they pick wild blueberries,” Heinrich says. “They’re smaller than what you see in the store, but they have better flavor.” During the frigid winters, locals enjoy snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the forest and on the frozen lakes. It’s also usually a good spot to catch a show in the sky, where there’s minimal light pollution. “You can get some fabulous Aurora Borealis pictures," Heinrich says. "The conditions have to be just right, and when they predict the Northern Lights will be visible, photographers will get shots from all the public lake landings.”
From small in-town bungalows to lakeside houses
Ely has a wide range of homes with a median sale price of nearly $240,000. In town, houses on small lots are situated side by side along grid-pattern streets with back alleyways that provide access to a detached garage. Many of these homes were built between the early and mid-1900s, including a mix of bungalows, National-style and ranch-style homes. Houses on the outskirts of town, especially lakefront properties, are in a more rural setting in the woods. But even then, it’s not completely secluded. ”We have a lot of wildlife in the area,” Heinrich says. “There’s a deer that sleeps in my yard, and she recently gave birth to twin fawns. You don’t normally see bears unless you’re on the edge of town, and the wolves will sometimes enter town in the winter in the middle of the night.”
Local outfitters and restaurants downtown
Many small business owners have set up shop in the hilly downtown along Sheridan Street (Minnesota State Highway 1). “You have to be willing to shop local. If you want a big-box store, you’ll have to drive about an hour,” Heinrich says. Wintergreen Northern Wear, Ely Outfitting Company and Piragis Northwoods Company are just some of the many winter outfitter shops serving this community of winter sports enthusiasts. There are more than a dozen restaurants, including Boathouse Brewpub & Restaurant, famous for its Blueberry Blonde beer. Britton’s Café serves breakfast in a homey, country setting, while Insula Restaurant offers a more modern aesthetic, serving up walleye and other artisan dishes. Zup’s Food Market, the town’s primary grocery store, is about a mile from downtown on Sheridan Street.
Washington Elementary and Ely Memorial High in the same building
The Ely Public Schools office is part of the same building as the district’s two schools. Washington Elementary School receives a B grade from Niche. Ely Memorial High School serves students in grades 6 through 12 and receives a B-plus grade. Every year the high school has a senior trip to Washington D.C. to tour museums, monuments and the U.S. Capitol.
The Blueberry Art Festival and local wildlife refuges
The Blueberry Art Festival is one of the biggest events of the year and has been going strong since 1980. Tens of thousands of people attend during the last weekend of July to check out local art, eat blueberry-infused food and enjoy live music at Whiteside Park. There are two wildlife refuges, including North American Bear Center on the west side and International Wolf Center on the east side.
Heading out of town via Minnesota State Highway 1
Minnesota State Highway 1 is the main highway that runs through town. It takes close to an hour to drive 50 miles to Virginia, where the closest big-box retailers are located. Duluth and Duluth International Airport are about 100 miles away — about a two-hour drive. The town is home to Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital, so residents don’t have to travel far for medical care.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
