50 Years, 50 Legacies: I.W. Stevens
#4: I.W. Stevens
Photo Credit: Minnesota Historical Society
Ingvald Walter Stevens was born in Vang, Valdres Norway in 1885 and immigrated to the U.S. at age 19. In 1918, he moved to Hibbing MN and became a ladies shoe salesman. Following his doctor’s advice after stress related health problems, he moved to the solitude of Namakan Lake in 1932, on a 400-acre island that he had purchased from the Virginia & Rainy Lake Lumber Company, located in what would later become part of Voyageurs National Park.
Photo Credit: Minnesota Historical Society
Never one for keeping much company, he nevertheless began Pine Cove Resort, welcoming its first paying guests in 1937. Over time, “Steve” as he became known, eventually became a Northwoods symbol of self-sufficiency and independence.
In 1959, at the age of 74, I.W. Stevens gave up the resort business and proceeded to live alone year-round on the island for another twenty years, at one point writing in his journal (Tales from Namakan Lake):
“I love solitude, I love the wilderness, I love the wildlife. I do not like crowds. I do not like the city, where even the snow is dirty. I like my own company. I don’t want to live if I can’t take care of myself.”
I.W. Stevens Cabin. Photo Credit NPS/Mark Miller
To survive, Steve somehow managed to grow his own vegetables in the rocky soil, pick and can blueberries, grind wheat to make bread, catch fish, and hunt deer. His chores were endless, cutting firewood for heating and cooking year-round, hauling water from the lake, and harvesting ice for summer refrigeration. He was a man that survived off the woods and waters of Voyageurs!
To get mail or other supplies to his cabin, any semblance of civilization was approximately 12 miles round trip by boat in the summer, 8 miles round trip on cross country skis in the winter. A prolific writer, Stevens answered letters, wrote articles for outdoor magazines and kept a diary to wile away long cold winter evenings. He left Namakan Lake in 1979 at the age of 94 and ultimately lived to be 104 years old.
I.W. Stevens Sauna. Photo Credit: NPS/Mark Miller
So how about it, could you live on I.W. Stevens Island year-round? It's really a matter of self-sufficiency. Today, you can wander through I.W. Stevens’ cabin and surrounding grounds, reflecting on the isolation and grueling lifestyle that was eked out while living in Northern Minnesota from the 1930s to 1970s. I.W. Stevens (“Steve”) did just that, living nearly 50 years on the shores of Namakan Lake, after moving North for a healthier life. His life is a testimony to one man's resilience, and the resolve of the human spirit.
This year, we’re celebrating 50 years of Voyageurs National Park by sharing 50 inspiring stories of the people who shaped its legacy—from the visionaries who established the park to those protecting its beauty today. Raise a canteen and celebrate this historic milestone with us at our 50th anniversary website (coming soon!). Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more inspiring stories and updates!
