I met her when I was a young boy, on a canoe trip just as the BWCA was forming. On my many fishing trips in, I'd stop and say hello. I met Ben there on more than one occasion. When she passed on, I watched as they removed her cabins. What is left is now at the edge of town (Ely), and people can come to see and look at her tbings, and a film about her. When my son and I on one trip into the B'dub, we stopped at the islands on our way to Bennies homestead area....the bottle caps from the root beer bottles can still be seen under water. At Bennies place his flowers and garden areas can still be seen. I'm unabke to canoe in now.....but the memories remain. She was "hard core" but very friendly...as was Ben. She used her nursing skills to anyone needing them in their wilderness travels......
It's always interesting people who choose the solitude of the wilderness, especially in my neck of the woods (I live in Wisconsin). I've heard about Dorthy and her story is cool. There's another guy named Wendell Beckwith that did the same kind of thing, but to pursue his scientific research.
Oh I haven't thought of Dorothy in decades! I never got to stop in there -- when I led trips with kids (as a 17 year old myself!) we went in through the Gunflint side, so it was too far to take them to see her. I did a summer of field biology at the ACM Field Station, one of the other groups went into the Quetico via her island, but my group didn't. She was a legend though!
I met her when I was a young boy, on a canoe trip just as the BWCA was forming. On my many fishing trips in, I'd stop and say hello. I met Ben there on more than one occasion. When she passed on, I watched as they removed her cabins. What is left is now at the edge of town (Ely), and people can come to see and look at her tbings, and a film about her. When my son and I on one trip into the B'dub, we stopped at the islands on our way to Bennies homestead area....the bottle caps from the root beer bottles can still be seen under water. At Bennies place his flowers and garden areas can still be seen. I'm unabke to canoe in now.....but the memories remain. She was "hard core" but very friendly...as was Ben. She used her nursing skills to anyone needing them in their wilderness travels......
It's always interesting people who choose the solitude of the wilderness, especially in my neck of the woods (I live in Wisconsin). I've heard about Dorthy and her story is cool. There's another guy named Wendell Beckwith that did the same kind of thing, but to pursue his scientific research.
https://vimeo.com/498373971?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=130818198
Oh I haven't thought of Dorothy in decades! I never got to stop in there -- when I led trips with kids (as a 17 year old myself!) we went in through the Gunflint side, so it was too far to take them to see her. I did a summer of field biology at the ACM Field Station, one of the other groups went into the Quetico via her island, but my group didn't. She was a legend though!
It looks like some entrepreneur makes a version of her root beer that was served (at least in 2020) at the Ely Steak House and the Museum: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ely+Steak+House/@47.9032075,-91.8632954,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipPtNi4mdS8ZS9TRLQjbiwaj1GJSWAyPCwoVZoHX!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipPtNi4mdS8ZS9TRLQjbiwaj1GJSWAyPCwoVZoHX%3Dw203-h270-k-no!7i3024!8i4032!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe52aada1d79ca294!8m2!3d47.9030924!4d-91.8632989
Whole lot of magic floating around in her story, that came through crystal clear in this skillful telling. Truly endearing.
History Theater is doing a play about her this Spring.