Perched on the edge of Minnesota’s alluring Boundary Canoe Area Wilderness, Ely, Minnesota was a rough and tumble iron mining center before it became a mecca for wilderness canoeists. It has been the home of three generations of Seliga’s, and Joe Seliga’s lifelong residence. Joe, then 91 years old was a retired iron ore minor and a self-taught canoe builder of some 65 years who still practiced his craft with grace and style. His canoes were designed for the region’s rugged canoe country, and their popularity has spread throughout the continent.
