Burntside Lodge, resort in northern Minnesota
Burntside Lodge is a hotel on the south shore of Burntside Lake near Ely, Minnesota, built in rustic style using wood and stone from the region. The main lodge features a large stone fireplace and is surrounded by 23 cabins, each constructed with native timber in different styles, some with horizontal logs, others with vertical logs, and one built from local fieldstone.
The lodge started as a hunting camp in the early 1900s and was rebuilt in 1914 with logs and stone from surrounding forests. It expanded through the 1920s and reached its peak in the 1940s before Ray and Nancy LaMontagne took over in 1941, adding modern plumbing and continuing operations that their family maintains today.
The lodge takes its name from the lake it sits on, reflecting a deep connection between the buildings and the surrounding forest. Visitors today use the place much as guests did a century ago, gathering by the water, taking boats out on the lake, or walking through the woods in search of quiet and simplicity.
The lodge sits on about 8 acres directly on the lake shore, providing easy access to boating, fishing, and forest walks. Visitors should know that the cabins are traditionally built and the property is busiest during warmer months when lake activities are most enjoyable.
The cabins feature logs painted with yellow primer and finished with a warm orange varnish, giving the property a distinctive look that visitors notice immediately upon arrival. This specific finishing method was a practice of early owners and is maintained today to preserve the historical character of the place.
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