Evacuation orders expanded near Ely, air quality alert for most of Minnesota

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A museum on the edge of Ely, Minn., is working to preserve history in the face of wildfires near the Boundary Waters just miles away. 

Dorothy Molter was the last non-Indigenous person to live in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness legally. She’s something of a local legend and earned the name “Root Beer Lady” by selling her homemade root beer to guests and canoeists who stopped by her cabins. 

“She holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of people that knew her,” said Jess Edberg, executive director of the Dorothy Molter Museum. “Preserving her memory helps us preserve the cultural and natural history of the area and the history of the Boundary Waters.”

The museum is about two miles away from the nearest evacuation zone, Edberg said. But staff have already moved some archives to a separate location in town, farther away from the fires. Archives include Molter’s guestbooks, photographs and correspondence. 

“We will do everything we can to protect and save them,” Edberg said.

At the same time, the museum saw an influx of visitors Tuesday, as evacuees looked for ways to spend their time nearby and away from the wildfire smoke. But she and others in Ely are gearing up to evacuate if necessary. 

“This time of the year, communities like ours are always a little bit mentally preparing for something like this,” Edberg said. “So, I think a lot of the folks that are accustomed to this potentially happening have a plan in place.”

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Harshawn Ratanpal

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A museum celebrating the life of Dorothy Molter, also known as the Root Beer Lady, is within a few miles of wildfires in northeast Minnesota.

Molter museum moves to protect archives from fire damage

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