Ely Heritage Preservation Commission

Ely Heritage Preservation Commission From the City of Ely Code:
SEC. 2.60. HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION. Subd.1. Declaration of Public Policy and Purpose. The purpose of this ordinance is to:
A. B.

The Ely Heritage Preservation Commission serves to protect and enhance the Ely’s appeal to residents, visitors, and tourists, serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry and foster civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past. The City Council hereby declares as a matter of public policy that the preservation protection, perpetuation and use of areas, places, buildings, s

tructures, and other objects having special historical interest or value is a public necessity and is required in the interest of the health, safety, welfare and prosperity of the people. Safeguard the heritage of the City of Ely by preserving sites and
structures which reflect elements of the city's cultural, social, economic, political, visual or architectural history. Protect and enhance the City of Ely's appeal to residents, visitors and
tourists, and serve as a support and stimulus to business and industry. C. Foster civic pride in the beauty and notable accomplishments of the
past, and
D. Promote the preservation and continued use of historic sites and
structures for the education and general welfare of the people of the City of Ely.

Celebrate Harvey Gregory Prusheck Day with us at Ely City Hall! Harvey Gregory Prusheck was a Slovenian-American artist ...
06/12/2026

Celebrate Harvey Gregory Prusheck Day with us at Ely City Hall!
Harvey Gregory Prusheck was a Slovenian-American artist and art teacher. He exhibited several works in Ely in the 1930s, and one was purchased by the city of Ely. It was then forgotten in a dusty basement and rediscovered almost a century later (read the full story about the rediscovery at the link in the comments!). Mark your calendars to view this remarkable work and celebrate Harvey Gregory Prusheck Day and area Slovenian heritage!
August 2nd, 11 AM - 12 PM

City of Ely, Minnesota

Ely History Happy Hour (HHH) just completed its 3rd full season to a packed house! Wednesdays from September to May, HHH...
06/04/2026

Ely History Happy Hour (HHH) just completed its 3rd full season to a packed house! Wednesdays from September to May, HHH takes a look at the fascinating history of the Ely, MN area - in about the time it takes to drink a beer (30 minutes).

Plan on attending this free community program at the Boathouse Brewpub when it resumes in September. History Happy Hour is hosted by Jess Edberg.

Photos: Brett Ross for Boundary Waters Connect

Spotlight on Heritage Preservation - feeding the soul with a pasty. Putting the finishing touch on a pasty is Master Cri...
05/12/2026

Spotlight on Heritage Preservation - feeding the soul with a pasty. Putting the finishing touch on a pasty is Master Crimper Pat Olson. The crimp is made by pinching together the dough to seal the edges together. The Women of Ely United Methodist Church have been making pasties as a fundraiser since the Great Depression. The Methodist Church has the distinction of being the oldest congregation in Ely to operate in the same building at the same site. The building was completed in 1895.

Pasties have been a staple of the Ely diet since the 1890s, when miners ate them for lunch. Pasty socials were popular too, with the Methodist Church holding events as early as 1900. Cornwall, England is credited as the birthplace of the pasty in the 13th century, where it was food for the upper classes. Later, in the 17th century, Cornish miners adopted the hand-held pasty to eat during their workday.

Favorite garnishes for the pasty include ketchup, gravy, and, for the daring, horseradish. Bon Appétit!

Photos courtesy of Ely Heritage Preservation Commission.

Spotlight on Heritage Preservation – Boulevard Trees, a Century of Caring. Thanks to the dedication of the Ely Tree Boar...
04/21/2026

Spotlight on Heritage Preservation – Boulevard Trees, a Century of Caring. Thanks to the dedication of the Ely Tree Board, Ely plants and cares for boulevard trees. Trimming new boulevard trees a few weeks ago were Sue Duffy and Claudia McBride, volunteers with the Ely Tree Board.

Boulevard trees became part of life in Ely in 1919 when the city planted 500 Silver Maples. It signified the move from a frontier town to a city complete with sidewalks, curb and gutter.

Beautifying Ely also included moving the light poles from the streets to the alleys about this same time.

More than 100 years later, most of the Maple Trees have been removed because of rot and age. But with support from the Ely Tree Board, planting of the next generation of boulevard trees is underway. Carrying on a tradition is what heritage preservation is all about – connecting the past with today and preserving it for tomorrow.

Photos by Ely Heritage Preservation Commission

04/05/2026

To add to our previous post, this photo taken in 1940 features John “Cap” Molter, Myrtle Molter, and Sissy, the dog in the bow.
Cap was Dorothy’s father and Myrtle was Dorothy’s step-mother and were frequent visitors.

Collection of the DMM 2012.001.1248.234: Cap, Myrtle, and Dog in Boat

From Tour Ely: The current Ely City Hall was built in 1930, and many of the building's original finishes have been prese...
04/02/2026

From Tour Ely: The current Ely City Hall was built in 1930, and many of the building's original finishes have been preserved and are still in use. City Hall contains city offices, council chambers, the fire hall, and the police station. The approximate cost of the building was $150,000.

The City Hall you see today replaced a building constructed in 1899. After nearly 30 years in the original structure, the community felt it had become too small for city services, so the Art Deco building on Chapman Street came to be. It features a marble entry space, oak trim throughout, massive windows, and floor-to-ceiling wood panels. A large painting of the Ely Depot is on display, painted by local artist Carl Gawboy.

Ely City Hall is open to the public on weekdays. The eastside entrance offers an elevator for easy access to all floors.

Photo courtesy of Ely Winton Historical Society

More at Tour Ely: tourely.visitelymn.org

Ely and Winton offer a rich tapestry of experiences for all adventure seekers. From logging and mining sites to historic...
03/18/2026

Ely and Winton offer a rich tapestry of experiences for all adventure seekers. From logging and mining sites to historic homes, unique museums, and endless trails and waters to explore.

Visit local businesses to pick up the Tour Ely brochure - complete with a detailed map, or scan the stickers with QR codes around town/visit tourely.visitelymn.org to launch the digital guide. There's something for everyone to discover in the Ely Area! 🌲

03/18/2026

It should come as no surprise that living on Knife Lake at the Isle of Pines was hard work, seeing as it was thirty miles from Ely. Getting supplies out there was a process. Here is Dorothy unloading packs out of a canoe for a portage.
Dorothy was known to tow supplies in one canoe while paddling (or motoring) in another. She was also known to double pack, or carry one pack in front and one in back.
An average portage for her was fourteen times back and forth.

Collection of the DMM 2012.001.1248.087: Dorothy Unloading Pack out of Canoe

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Ely, MN
55731

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