Kettle Falls Historic District

Kettle Falls Historic District sits where Namakan and Rainy Lakes meet, containing a hotel and several buildings from early commercial activities in the region. The structures date from the late 1800s and early 1900s, showing how people built and worked in this remote border area.

The area emerged in the 1890s as a vital stop for gold seekers, fur traders, and merchants traveling through the boundary waters. The hotel opened in 1913 and became a central point where people moving between Canada and the United States would meet and rest.

The Kettle Falls Hotel, constructed in 1913, served as a central gathering point for lumberjacks, traders, and travelers crossing between Canada and United States.

The site is accessible only by water, so visitors must bring a boat or join a boat tour to reach it. Accommodation in the hotel is available from late May through mid-September for those wishing to stay overnight and explore the surroundings.

The 1918 purchase of the original hotel involved an unusual payment that included four barrels of whiskey during prohibition times, alongside cash. This detail offers insight into the practical realities and trade customs of this remote border area during a complex legal period.

Location: St. Louis County

Location: Minnesota

GPS coordinates: 48.50139,-92.64028

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:43