Dorothy Molter Museum

Name: Dorothy Molter Museum
Address: 2002 E Sheridan Street, Ely, MN, 55731, US
Telephone: +12183654451
Price range: $

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Dorothy Molter Museum

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Inspiring the next generation of Northwoods citizens and stewards through the legacy of Dorothy Molter. Open to the public spring-fall.

Visit www.rootb**rlady.com for details. The Dorothy Molter Museum is located on the south side of Hwy 169 on the east end of Ely, MN. Reservations are required to explore the three historic cabins and their exhibits. Reservations are available online year-round depending on availability and snow conditions.

11/03/2026

Before Dorothy Molter ever had the idea to make root b**r, she would sell concessions mostly to her resort guests as well as canoeists who passed by her island.
The concessions included different types of pop, candy, b**r, and snacks. She would use this as a way to make income before she took ownership of the Isle of Pines Fishing Resort.
These supplies were typically flown in on float planes, like the one pictured here. Dorothy is standing next to her father (Cap, far left) while the crates of pop are on the right of the photograph.

The float plane ban of 1949 banned non-emergency float planes under 4000ft over the Roadless Area. A few pilots continued to bring supplies to Dorothy until the executive order took effect January 1952. It was after this that Dorothy got the idea to make and sell root b**r as a replacement.

Collection of the DMM 2012.001.1248.1308: Dorothy and Cap Next to Float Plane

11/01/2026

Happy November! This month's theme is ROOT B**R and to celebrate that we have root b**r back in stock!
Most people know Dorothy Molter as the Root B**r Lady, most of whom had the opportunity to visit the Isles of Pines and try the famed root b**r for themselves.
As the Root B**r Lady legend spread, Dorothy started needing more help to make root b**r to keep up with demand.
She would receive help from her family members, like her father, siblings, nieces and nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews. This month will focus on all things root b**r, especially focusing on the process of making it.

This month is also a very special "giving" time in Minnesota: Give to the Max is an annual giving holiday where people from all around the world support and celebrate the nonprofits in MN.
This year, Give to the Max Day (GTMD) is November 19 but early giving has already begun!
Much like Dorothy, we need help. Between the July wildfires affecting visitation and being out of root b**r for two months due to supply chain delays, the museum was hit hard.
Now that we have closed for the season, our cash flow is limited and we are depending on YOU to help narrow this gap. Learn more at https://www.givemn.org/organization/Dorothymoltermuseum

Collection of the DMM 2012.001.1248.706: Dorothy Molter in Front of Milwaukee Sign

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween!

Fishing was and is plentiful on Knife Lake. When Dorothy was first coming to the IsleS of Pines Fishing Resort, she would come with her family as her father Cap was an avid fisherman which, is why they chose that specific resort.
This photo, taken in 1936, shows Dorothy and her 28.5 Lb lunker lake trout! Are you impressed? What is your personal best?

Today is our last day of the 2026 season and we'll close at 4pm with fundraising raffle drawings to follow. If you purchased any raffle tickets and receive a phone call from a 218 number at about 4:05pm, be sure to answer it!

Collection of the DMM 2012.001.1248.089: Dorothy with Large Fish, 1936

10/30/2026

It's 🦇Halloween Weekend🦇 and we need your help to find the ghost hiding in the Museum's gift shop!

Stop in for our last weekend of the season to locate a sneaky ghost lurking in the gift shop to get your 👻Ghost Patrol Book👻 stamped - wear a costume 🦸‍♀️🦹‍♂️ and get a free root b**r barrel!

🏷 We also have an end of the season sale on merchandise with discounts up to 75% off!

Use this last opportunity to purchase a raffle ticket to our fundraiser and enter to win one of three fantastic prizes:
🎃 3-day fully-outfitted canoe trip
🎃 4-day tandem Kevlar canoe rental
🎃 Case of Dorothy's root b**r (shipped in the Continental US)

10/29/2026

This collection item is one of Dorothy’s annual Christmas Letters. Some letters were from her perspective, but often she would write from the perspective of an animal friend. In Dorothy’s Christmas letter from 1961, she wrote from the perspective of Louie the Loon, telling the reader educational facts about loons in addition to the usual account of her year. Unfortunately, the scans of the Christmas letters are cut off a bit at the bottom.

In this letter, “Louie” remarks on Dorothy’s family visiting that year: her father Cap, her sisters Helen and Ruth with their grandkids, and her brother Bud. Dorothy showed that no matter how old you get, you love to make fun of your siblings and remembered: “Bud was never on a snow sled, or snow-traveler, before, and he had never seen a wind sled, so one day Stan and 'the boys' took him for a ride up the lake. He got quite a bang out of it. They broke him in walking on snowshoes, too, and Bud did pretty well on them when he wasn’t flat on his face in the snow, tangled up in a windfall, or getting tangled up in his own feet.”

What’s an embarrassing story that your sibling did on a camping trip?

Collection of the DMM 2015.002.019: Christmas Letter, 1961

10/28/2026

Looking for a small gift for the outdoorsy person in your life? Look no further than these fun playing cards that highlight loons, fish, and plants of the BWCAW region. These are perfect to play around base camp while winding down for the evening or to remember a special adventure in the wilderness. See these items and more at shop.rootb**rlady.com or in our gift shop.
What your favorite camping game?
The Museum's last weekend is coming up! Our last day of the 2026 season is Saturday, October 31 so if you planned to visit or to get your raffle ticket - make sure to do so before 4pm this Saturday!

*Raffle tickets may be purchased on-site or via postal mail received by 10am October 31 to: DMM Raffle, PO Box 391, Ely MN 55731

10/27/2026

Dorothy had a few pet raccoons, including a short period of time in the early 1950s. But she gave him up fairly quickly: “I had a pet raccoon for awhile, too, and he was a lot of fun, but my brother took it home with him-it really belonged to his little girl.” Potentially, the same little girl pictured here! This photo was donated by Carol Rasmussen in 2021.

We do not condone keeping wildlife as pets, even as young animals. Learn more about why at https://www.aza.org/connect-stories/stories/why-wild-animals-dont-make-good-pets

Collection of the DMM 2021.001.2: Young Girl with Raccoon, 1952-3

10/26/2026

It’s Membership Monday! Today’s business to highlight is Brainstorm Bakery!
Started in 2007, Andrea and Brian Strom lived at an off-grid homestead in northern Minnesota, much like Dorothy Molter did! They gained notoriety very quickly, leading to their signature Crapola! granola product to grow into a region-wide (and beyond) following.
It is not a BWCAW trip without grabbing a bag of Crapola! granola or an energy-rich portage bar for snacking. Plus, many of their treats are gluten-free.

We have many local businesses who are members of the museum. If you are interested but not in the place to pay the annual price, we also barter memberships! Business who do this still get all the perks of a regular business member level, such as 10 free admission passes to share (with each renewal too) and access to wholesale root b**r!
Learn more at rootb**rlady.com

10/25/2026

WOW! What a fantastic AND successful event yesterday!
Thank you to all who came out and supporting the Museum and its first annual Dorothy Moltoberfest with sponsors Shady Jane Screen Printing and

Special thanks to Austin and Nate at HammerHeart, Awen at Art with a Point and Jax at Shady Jane Screen Printing (all in Ely) for your suggestion and neighborly support. Thank you to Jason Rabuck for his perfect blend of folk and rock entertainment. Thanks to the staff and volunteers (board, former employees, MN North College - Vermilion students) who made this event possible setting up, welcoming visitors and taking down, as well as Alyssa and Jim Richards, and Jess and Tim Kulik for the great yard games!

With all of this community support, we raised just over $5,000 to offset financial losses incurred this summer with the wildfires causing dropped visitation and supply chain delays for root b**r.

We all had so much fun that it didn't feel like work and we're already planning for our second annual Dorothy Moltoberfest in 2027.

We are still fundraising through the end of the year so stay tuned for more ways to help including visiting us for the last weekend of our season October 30-31!

10/24/2026

**r🍻

We’re serving until at least 4pm! Come support the Museum 🍺

Address

2002 E Sheridan Street
Ely, MN
55731

Telephone

+12183654451

Website

http://www.rootbeerlady.com/

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