Ely School Kids

      Below is a photo of children and teachers standing in front of the Ely School House. We estimate the year to be about 1935. It would be great if we could get some identities for the kids!
     Click this link for a close-up of the  people in this photo. https://photos.app.goo.gl/iNeJHLFDKBxr4KMa8

Janine Norman
Fourth row, 3rd from left is Evelyn Elias Stastnyl. 2nd girl next to her is Doris Krob Buresh.(I think)
Third row from the right 5th girl is Rachel Trular Garnant.
Top row from the right is Chuck Varva & third guy is Gilbert Hynek!

Mary Vavra Haster
In the upper right area, do I see Vernon Erenberger and Inez Hartley?

Mark Krob
Bob Krob -3rd row, 4th from right.
Norb Krob - 3rd row, 3rd from left.

Pat McNamara
I think I see three Sladek girls.
Helen Sladek Walshire Second row from top third from right.
Maxine third row from top fifth from left.
Mildred Sladek Staley is third row from bottom and sixth from left.

Thanks to Darren Ferreter for colorizing this photo!

Updates

COMPUTER
We have a newer computer in the archives. We were formerly using a WindowsXP computer, but now have a Windows10! Thanks to Ed Vavra for helping Barb to set it up!

 It took a while to get it up and running with all the software we needed, but all is a go now. We wanted to make sure our Museum Software would transfer successfully since we have 14 Years worth of information on it! We breathed a sigh of relief when it transferred successfully.

UPDATED COLLECTION LISTING
If you look in the right column you will see that we have also updated the on-line listings of of our Collections, Photos, and Objects. Click on one of them and a .pdf will come up. You can use the "Find" feature to search.

We know that people do use this feature, because they come into the Archives Room with lists of things they want to see, using the archive number (ex. A 2004.001.008 - Lutheran Church history).

A NEW COLLECTION
We received a large collection (not yet fully archived) from a descendant of J.C. Dvorak, Ely's "barefoot mayor". It is full of interesting things, including a bowler hat he owned!

That's all for now!

 

 

Ely's 150th Celebration

 

 

   IT ALL STARTS TOMORROW NIGHT, AUGUST 12TH, AS ELY CELEBRATES 150 YEARS           

 

... FRIDAY NIGHT, 6PM ... We will be presenting opening remarks about the history of Ely in the big tent east of the Community Center on Rowley St.

 

... FRIDAY NIGHT, 8:30PM ... Don't miss the ELY AFTER DARK STORIES in the big tent. Bring your memories of Ely to share!

 

... SATURDAY: 9AM TO 3PM ...THE HISTORY CENTER WILL BE OPEN in the lower level of the Community Building. Please make time to come and view historical items we have on display. There will be a HISTORY SLIDE SHOW running in the Senior Dining area. You may also want to view the HISTORIC STORY BOARDS throughout the building.

 

... SATURDAY: 9AM TO 4PM ... HISTORY SLIDE SHOW. Take a rest and cool down in the sanctuary of St. John Lutheran Church while you view the slides!

 

... SATURDAY, 10AM TO 5PM... HISTORIC AG & FARM EQUIPMENT SHOW at Krob's lot on Main Street.

 

 

SLIDE SHOW:  Here is a slide show of all the historic signs that have been placed around Ely. (Just click on the screen when you are ready to advance to the next slide.)

 
Click on the above three vertical dots and choose "Enter full screen. You may click on the screen to advance to the next slide.

COMPLETE WEEKEND SCHEDULE:  Click the image to enlarge it, then click again.

 

Sesquicentennial Historic Photos of Ely

This slide show contains a number of photos of Ely from the past, in honor of Ely's Sesquicentennial, which will be held August 12th and 13th, 2022.

Click the below link and follow the instructions. Enjoy!

 Historic Photos Of Ely - A Look Back

First lots sold in Ely

 From a Facebook post by Ed Vavra

On June 5, 1872, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railroad Co. treasurer, John F. Ely, signed over land owned by the railroad for public use as the village of Ely.

The town had been platted into 6 residential blocks consisting of 18 lots each. 3 blocks along each side of the railroad tracks were platted for businesses.

The first lot purchased was by Wesley Svacha on June 29th, 1872 for $100. Svacha would build a home and harness shop on this land where the library now sits.  He sold the house and harness business to Wesley Valenta in 1880.
 

House and harness shop (left) built by Wesley Svacha and sold to Wesley Valenta. This photo was taken in 1895 and shows the 3rd owners of the property, the Frank Hanzlik family. This was on land where the Ely Library is today.

 

The second lot was purchased for $1 by the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church whose congregation had built a church East of Ely around 1859. They had hoped to increase attendance and financial support and moved their building into town. Lack of a permanent preacher and no new membership forced the church to close in 1885.  Members of the St. John’s Lutheran church south of Ely purchased the building for $225 in 1886; this congregation still worships here today.

St. Johns Lutheran Church building around 1910. This building was originally built by a
Methodist congregation and located east of Ely.

 

John Dolezal built a saloon on a lot on the northwest corner of Dows and Walker streets.  He advertised a dance in his "newly furnished saloon" to be held on November 25, 1872. In addition to his saloon, Dolezal was also an early farm implement dealer in Ely until his death in 1879. His saloon was purchased by Frank Poduska in 1876 who operated it for the next 25 years.

 Poduska Saloon on Walker St. (far left) looking to the north from Dows St.

As Ely grew, men with an entrepreneurial spirit came from surrounding towns hoping to make their fortunes offering the business and services a new town would need.  Most of these "outsiders" did not make it long and the Bohemian presence in the surrounding area moved in to fill these needs as Ely grew over the next 20 years.