The Ely Depot began serving the Duluth & Iron Range Railway in 1888. Train cars of iron ore were transferred from the Pioneer Mine to Two Harbors, making Ely a 20th century boom town. The depot itself went on to become home to Wilderness Outfitters, which was founded in 1921, making it the first established outfitter in Ely.

The depot is located at the edge of the Trezona Trail off Miners Lake, and only a stone’s throw away from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Our intention is to restore the exterior to an aesthetic that represents its historic depot origins. The space is a blank slate full of possibilities in a community with an established arts and culture infrastructure.