On an early morning as the winter festival was beginning in Ely, time had arrived to visit the finished sculptures in Whiteside Park. This annual event occurs each year and 2026 brought this walk amid thoughts of exploring, history, discovery, learning, and considerations. Meeting Jane Goodall’s portrayal in the park sets the stage for adding humanity’s place to those thoughts and leaving Ely on a one-week adventure.
A group in Ely has been spending a lot of time and thoughts about local history and therefore the cultural story presented by the Ely-Winton Historical Museum along with other venues in the Arrowhead Region. Recently I left a place in which a lot is known and traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico for a wedding and an exploration in a place as a visitor for the first time.
Landing in the city in the winter season and latitude with no snow. The arid climate, continually sunny skies, in an arid valley surrounded by mountains set the scene. The one immediate similarity to Ely was the population and economy presently welcoming and serving visitors from many countries. Attending a wedding with 80 others from many states in North America put the event among others that drew visitors from across the United States and other countries.
Staying within the city center provided accommodation, needed services, exposure to arts, culture, people, nature, wildlife and access within walking distance. In addition, transportation was readily available to travel and visit smaller communities, markets, rural and natural areas, archaeological sites, geologic landscapes, and even a 2,000+ year old tree. Exposure to 2,000-year-old life, history of the land, and early people provides an appreciation for the rich history of the area. This provided perspective on what exists everywhere and could be brought home and applied anywhere.
Everyone drew support from each other by sharing knowledge of language, history, social design and ways. So many questions occurred and many are still unanswered about history, plants, animals, people, resources, and society to fill one’s mind on the travel home. Even back in Minnesota, the level of familiarity that was waiting, there is still a depth of understanding of our own landscape, society and humanity begging for better understanding.
Although the snow sculptures have lost their freshness, a familiar winter still exists, trumpeter swans are beginning to return, bald eagles are nesting, and evening grosbeaks are ravenously seeking available food along with other wildlife.
It is good to be back and investigating the depth of our local story with lots of new images to reflect upon.
