Ely, Minnesota
| Ely, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
| City | |
 |
|
 Location of the city of Ely within Saint Louis County, Minnesota |
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| Coordinates: 47°54′8″N 91°51′21″W / 47.90222°N 91.85583°WCoordinates: 47°54′8″N 91°51′21″W / 47.90222°N 91.85583°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Saint Louis |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.74 sq mi (7.10 km2) |
| • Land | 2.73 sq mi (7.07 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,427 ft (435 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,460 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 3,438 |
| • Density | 1,267.4/sq mi (489.3/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 55731 |
| Area code(s) | 218 |
| FIPS code | 27-19142 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0661205 |
| Website | www.ely.mn.us |
Ely (/ˈiːli/ EE-lee) is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,460 at the 2010 census. It is located on the Vermilion Iron Range, and is historically home to several iron ore mines.
Today the city of Ely is best known as a popular entry point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; the International Wolf Center, and the North American Bear Center.
The main street of Ely is lined with outfitters, outdoor clothing stores, and restaurants. State Highway 1 (MN 1), State Highway 169 (MN 169) and County Road 21 (Central Avenue) are the main routes in Ely.
The first Europeans to explore the area were fur traders who made their way into the wilderness in search of furs. But it was the Lake Vermillion gold rush that brought the first large numbers of pioneers to the area in 1865. Although hardly any gold was ever found, it was discovered that the area did contain large deposits of iron ore. Thousands of new immigrants were arriving in America at that time, and many of them came to the area later to be known as the Minnesota Iron Range, looking for work. When the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway laid tracks extending the rails from Tower to Ely in 1888, Ely began mining operations with the opening of the Chandler Mine, shipping the ore to docks on Lake Superior in Two Harbors and Duluth. That year the miners incorporated the town of Florence, population 177, near the east side of Shagawa Lake on a site now known as Spaulding. The miners named their settlement Florence after the daughter of the Chandler mine’s Captain Jack Pengilly (also the town’s first mayor). But the community moved after ore was discovered farther west, and it changed its name as well. Since it was discovered that the name “Florence” was already used by another village in Minnesota, "Ely” was chosen in honor of mining executive Samuel B. Ely, a big promoter of Vermilion Range ore who lived in Michigan (and never actually visited the town that bears his name).
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