|
Canoe Country Outfitters was formed in 1946 in Ely, Minnesota to provide canoe trip outfitting services for Quetico Provincial Park and Superior National Forest and what was to become Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). They operate from two locations, one in downtown Ely, Minnesota, the other on Moose Lake, Minnesota. ==History== ''Canoe Country Outfitters'' (CCO) was formed in 1946 as ''Bill Rom's Canoe Country Outfitters'' in Ely, Minnesota to provide canoe trip outfitting services for Quetico Provincial Park and Superior National Forest. At times they have been dubbed to be the largest canoe outfitter in the world.〔The New York Times newspaper Sunday, August 8, 1976 edition ''For Starters, Paddle Someone Else's Rig''〕 In an overview of larger outfitters in the US, a 1976 New York Times article dubbed Bill Rom and his CCO operation as the "canoe king" based on keeping 600 canoes in operation with its customers throughout the canoeing season.〔 "A 1960's article by Argosy magazine dubbed Bill the "Canoe King of Ely" and for good reason. Canoe Country Outfitters was the largest canoe outfitter in the world and the largest Grumman canoe dealer in North America"〔''Bill Rom, the "Canoe King of Ely"'' By Alissa Johnson ''Wilderness News'' magazine Published by The Quetico Superior Foundation Fall 2007 edition〕〔''Bill Rom - the Canoe King of Ely'' By Alissa Johnson (similar to the 2007 Wilderness News article by her but different) Canoeing.com () retrieved 4/20/14〕 with 400 canoes in use.〔〔 In 1966 Motor Club News magazine identified them as "the world's largest outfitting company".〔''A Wild Time in the Wilderness'' by Barc Wade July–August 1966 issue.〕 with 450 canoes in use.〔 In 1975 the Ely Echo newspaper described them as having 500 canoes in use with 35 employees and said that they had been "rated as the largest such enterprise in the world".〔 During its early years, CCO was the only canoeing outfitter in Ely.〔http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2250&dat=20080202&id=ucc1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6RAGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1787,1649813 ''Celebrities, politicians and bigwigs visited, fished and lived to tell the tale''by Anne Swenson Saturday, February 2, 2008 edition Section 2〕 In 1958 ''Sports Afield'' magazine dubbed them the largest outfitter in Ely.〔''Quetico-Superior Canoe Trip'' by Erwin A. Bauer ''Sports Afield magazine July 1958 issue, pages 28, 29, 30, 31〕 By 1963 they had switched to using all aluminum canoes; previously they had used canvas canoes but dropped them because they weighed 20 lbs more, were harder to carry, and didn't handle as well.〔''I took the family canoeing'' Woman's Day magazine by Fletcher D. Slater August, 1963 issue Pages 50,51, 77, 78, 86, 87, 88〕 Rom's son, Bill Rom Jr. worked for him and started guiding canoe trips professionally at age 14.〔''Why One Young Man Chose the Wilderness'' By Henry & Vera Bradshaw Dodge News magazine October 1964 issue Volume 29, number 10 pages 12, 13, 14 & 15〕 In their ''Lynda Plays it Cool'' article, The Milwaukee Sentinel Newspaper covered a trip outfitted by CCO and guided by CCO employee Stan Germek by Lynda Johnson, daughter of then-president Lyndon B. Johnson.〔''Lynda Plays It Cool'' by Marian McBride July 26th, 1965 edition Part 1 Pages 6&7〕 Charles Kuralt visited the Moose Lake location in his television series. He profiled employee Bill Magie, and their outfitting of and participation in his trip and their visit to Dorothy Molter on her island in Knife Lake. He subsequently also covered this in his book "Charles Kuralt's America".〔''Charles Kuralt's America'' by Charles Kuralt Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons New York 1995 ISBN 0-399-14083-2 Pages 145 & 146〕〔http://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=kuralt&f=all&c=all&advanced=1&p=2&item=T:54671 Paley Center for Media listing and synopsis for On the Road With Charles Kuralt: Set 3 Television show〕〔On the Road With Charles Kuralt: "Set 3"'' DVD Television show episode. Amazon description at () Retrieved 4/25/14〕 John Perushek worked for CCO for 40 years.〔http://www.kerntzfuneralhome.com/obits/obituary.php?id=282680 John Perusek obit〕 Bill Rom's parents immigrated to the United States from Yugoslavia in the late 1800s.〔(Interview of Bill Rom by the Minnesota Historical Society ) ''Interview with William Rom'' by Margaret Robertson Minnesota Historical Society April 2, 1987 Retrieved April 20, 2104〕 Bill Rom was born in 1917 on the edge of the wilderness in the Ely, MN area. Except for short periods when he was in school and the military, he lived there all of his life.〔''Bill Rom And His Canoe Country'' by Steve Overholt Boundary Waters Journal magazine Spring 1992 edition Pages 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28〕 He started Canoe Country Outfitters in 1946. Rom associated with then-dean Sigurd Olson when we went to college and credited Olson with "inspiring his passion for the preservation of wilderness".〔〔 Rom and his friend (and later employee) Bill Magie Rom were outspoken activists for the preservation of the BWCAW.〔http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/P1354.xml Minnesota Historical Society Charles Dayton's papers Retrieved 4/22/14〕 Rom incurred the wrath of many for taking positions for banning or reductions of motorized access and cans and bottles in what is now the BWCAW. During the debate over airspace reservation, an explosive was set off near the Rom's house as a scare tactic.〔〔 During the motorized and snowmobile BWCAW use debates of the 70's, snowmobiles circled the Rom's house at all hours of the night.〔〔 In 1974 Rom testified in Washington against motorized access.〔 In 1975, during the important fishing opener and Memorial Day weekend, persons unhappy with his efforts blocked the entrance to his business with logging trucks.〔〔 Upon his death, his daughter, Becky Rom, a conservation attorney, said: "He felt the wilderness was the best economy for Ely, because it was forever.〔http://www.checkmylake.org/lake/news/?subsec=3&id=309 ''Bill Rom, Conservation Hero'' by Conservation Minnesota Retrieved 4/23/14〕 Rom died in 2008.〔http://www.twincities.com/ci_8048844?source=rss ''Canoe outfitter, BWCA advocate'' By Dennis Lien Pioneer Press TwinCities.com January 23, 2008 Retrieved 4/22/14〕〔http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/obituary/id/104965/ Duluth News Tribune January 23, 2008 et〕 Usage of the area has grown. When Rom started the business in 1946 it didn't seem possible that the BWCA wilderness could ever be crowded.〔''Canoeing the Boundary Waters'' Men's Journal magazine July–August 1993 issue page 92〕 In a 1993 interview by Men's Journal magazine. Bob Olson Sr. said: "There were a few people who like going back there with a canoe to fish.....but we never figured on crowds. Now you have to get a permit."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Canoe Country Outfitters」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|