Story Portage is a non-profit, centered in Ely, Minnesota, created to foster the art of personal narrative and to promote literacy and reading here in the Northwoods. Current and future projects include:
Ely, Minnesota Chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets
The Maud Hart Lovelace and Star of the North Children’s Choice Book Award Program
Random Acts of Poetry
VCC Visiting Writers Program
Visit our website and take a look at our current projects to learn more, and contact us if you’d like to be part of Story Portage’s future!
Story Portage
P.O. Box 286
Ely, MN 55731
Established in 2000‚ and based in Ely‚ Minnesota at the edge of The Boundary Waters Wilderness Area‚ our record label, Spiritwood Music, was formed to produce acoustic music that is still pure and true and always respectful of its roots (which are as diverse as you can get). American roots music blends styles and rhythms and traditions from around the world – a great patchwork quilt of sound. And just like the components of a hand-made quilt‚ all the pieces of this sound vary as much as the people and scenery of our country – but they join together to create something warm and wonderful that covers us all. Spiritwood Music is America’s music…the sound of where we came from‚ where we are going‚ and who we are….
P.O. Box 179 3828 S. HWY 169
Ely, MN 55731
We help you reduce your stress! Good Fishing, Art classes, Nice Cabins
Fish are biting! Art classes are in full swing! Our waterfall is making beautiful white noise and the loons are calling in the background! What more does one need for a great, relaxing time away from traffic, crowds, and stress? Call now to get in on these cabin rental deals. They won’t be here forever!
From calendars, greeting cards, fine art prints on metal & canvas, along with a line of jewelry, the Root River Photography team is bringing you the best we have to offer. Located in northern Minnesota, Heidi, Tom & Jason each have different ways of capturing intriguing photographs you’ll want to admire for years to come. Their northern lights, wildlife and landscapes will have you longing for more. View their collections in the Gallery of Images, and follow along on social media. Their work is sure to keep you captivated!
Irene Hartfield is a singer, songwriter, and keyboard player living in Ely, Minnesota.
Irene worked as a musician in New York in its heyday, the 1970s and 80s. The Irene Hartfield Trio played some well-known watering holes in Manhattan: Jimmy Weston’s, Jilly’s, 8th Street Gallery, Red Onion, Buddy Rich’s Club, and the Grand Finale, being a few. Her group also played at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Sneaky Pete’s in Hollywood, Florida, and The Summit Club in Caracas, Venezuela.
Irene also worked in the recording industry, playing and singing, and played with wonderful musician friends: Will Lee, Steve Gadd, Steve “Fonz” Gelfand, Arnie Wise, Jay Leonhardt, Stu Woods, and others.
Irene worked on Holland America cruise lines for three years, sailing to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Irene also spent a summer playing a month each in three cities in Sweden, a highlight of her career.
The Boundary Waters Journal is a quarterly magazine designed to help you plan great wilderness trips to the BWCAW and Quetico.
This quarterly magazine features trips stories from the BWCA and Quetico. Our writers and guides share detailed information and photos about their trips including fishing locations and techniques, camping tips, favorite camp sites, trip routes, seasonal information and more!
Photo Credit: Gary Hamer radiantspiritgallery.com
Tofte Lake Center (TLC) is a non-profit organization that provides residencies for artists who crave dedicated time to work on their projects, for creatives who seek individual growth through guided workshops or retreats, for arts organizations that want to make time to re/focus on their goals or mission, for arts leaders to gather to exchange ideas with colleagues in their field. TLC is on a pristine lake near Ely, Minnesota, and adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. We also offer host arts events, workshops, and yoga classes to the broader public.
Visit our website for more information! https://www.toftelake.org/
Tofte Lake Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
Take home a piece of Minnesota when you visit the Chris Perry Gallery! Showcasing beautiful fine art prints of northern lights, Minnesota landscapes, northern Minnesota wildlife and night photography! Fine art prints, frames handmade in Ely, cards, posters and more!
Nature and landscape photography and handmade prints and frames by Chris Perry. Visit our gallery in downtown Ely. Open on busy weekends and always by appointment.
The Ely area is rich with artists, but it had few listings for the artists to show their work. Nancy Scheibe opened the gallery in the spring of 2016 on the main street of Ely, Minnesota to support local artists. A successful Kickstarter and the support of the community made it come to life.
The Ely State Theater is a historic movie theater in Ely, Minnesota, United States. The State Theater was built in 1936 by the Swanson family in Ely. Its designer was a noted architecture firm called Liebenberg & Kaplan, who had designed many theaters in Minnesota and other northern states.
In 2008, the recession caused the State Theater to close its doors to the public. By 2014, The State Theater had fallen into disrepair and was purchased by Alley A Realty. They are a family business who specializes in historic preservation and redevelopment. They are working with the State of Minnesota and the U.S. Department of Interior to restore the exterior and interior to its original condition.
