Life in Ely, Minnesota

Ely, Minnesota is located in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota, USA, just a few miles south of the Canadian border. Flying into Duluth, MN, our exchange student faced a two hour drive north and east, bringing him to the edge of a national park named the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).



Ely has just over 3,000 year round residents, adding several thousand seasonal residents during the summer months.  Tourism is the main focus in town, featuring businesses that outfit trippers who want to canoe and camp in the wilderness.

In the winter, sports include skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and sled-dog rides, with a big winter festival in February.  The high school's nordic ski team is especially successful in area meets.

The front steps of Ely Memorial High School.  Temperatures have dropped since this picture was taken, and there will be fewer and fewer days when shorts are comfortable.






Legendary singer Bob Dylan has roots in nearby Hibbing, Minnesota.  Here is a photo of Akira on a visit to Dylan's childhood home.
Bob Dylan is famous for songs like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Mr. Tambourine Man."