The Early Days

Surrounded by one of the oldest and largest US National Forests, the area of Timber Bay and Superior National Forest were scraped to bear hard rock by North America’s last receding glaciers. This left a raw and wild nature experience across the areas 3.9 million acres that is still largely undisturbed.

Timber Bay was carved out of Minnesota’s North Woods by brothers Dick and Wally Niss in 1947.

The 1940s: Discovery and Foundation

1946: The Search

In mid-September 1946, the founders — Wally and Richard Niss — drove to Ely, Minnesota, to investigate potential resort lease sites owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Wally conducted the majority of the property search over two days, but initially found no sites that met his approval. Just as they were prepared to leave, District Ranger Bill Trygg Sr. suggested they take the Birch Lake road off St. Louis County 21, describing the location that would become Timber Bay Lodge.

1947: Breaking Ground

The lease was procured between the time of discovery and the summer of 1947. On August 4, 1947, the partners returned to the site, where the Forest Service had marked the path for a road.

• Clearing the Land: Two local men, Ensio and Arthur Rinta, were hired to help cut trees and brush for the road into the resort. The cut trees were saved to be used as logs for the main residence.

• Site Preparation: It took three days to clear the road, after which the team cleared building sites for the log building and the structure that would eventually house the office, store, and recreation room. A contractor was then hired to remove stumps and grade the road.

• First Construction: That fall, two local men were hired to build crew quarters for the following summer. This building included two bedrooms, a small kitchen, and a dining/lounging area. It eventually served as the office and sleeping quarters for staff.

• The Log Building: Construction began on the log building with Hans Heino and John Oakala completing four or five courses before winter set in.

1948: The Resort Takes Shape

Work resumed in the spring of 1948.

• Accommodations: The log buildng was completed, serving as a home for Wally, his wife Hazel, and their three boys (Peter, David, and Bruce). Additionally, two guest cabins were built, each featuring two bedrooms with separate entrances.

• Utility Building: A building was constructed on the lake side of the road. The end closest to the lodge contained bathroom facilities for guests (showers, toilets, and lavatories). The larger end housed laundry facilities, a workshop, a large 60-cubic-foot icebox, and a diesel generator.

• Operations: The resort operated on the "American Plan," providing lodging, maid service, and three meals a day. The lodge served as the dining and lounge area for guests, with the front porch acting as the dining room.

1949: The First Fleet

The resort acquired its first boats in 1949 — six wooden cedar strip boats in total. Five were 16-footers, and one was an 18-footer (which still remains at the boat beach today). The boats arrived unpainted, requiring significant work that year to finish them. A boathouse was also constructed during this time to store oars, cushions, and minnow buckets.

And Into the Fifties

Houseboats arrived at Timber Bay in the mid 1950’s, about the same time that the colorful outdoorsman Boyce Hardy joined the Timber Bay family. A fixture at the resort and a jack-of-all-trades, Boyce was a central part of the resort’s history until early 2000

1950s: Expansion and Extreme Weather

This year saw the addition of a new cabin complete with its own kitchen and bathroom. However, the weather conditions were severe.

• The Snow: In mid-April, the road was buried under four feet of snow, forcing the owners to walk in from Birch Lake road for six weeks.

• The Flood: When the snow finally melted, it washed out part of the road and raised Birch Lake by eight feet—the highest level recorded during the owners' tenure.

• The Summer: The summer was marked by low temperatures, excessive rain, and even snow on the Fourth of July.

1951–1954: Continued Growth and Modernization

• New Cabins: The year following the floods, a one-bedroom cabin with a kitchen, bathroom, and dining/lounge area was built. In the subsequent years, three more cabins were added to the left of this cabin (when facing the lake). The final one built in this sequence was located to the right of the Ryken summer home.

• Office Building: During these and ensuing years, the current office building was erected and the old one moved. This is the cabin on the right as you drive into the resort.

• Horse Barn: A horse barn with hayloft, stalls for five horses, a tack room, and feed room was established. Horse housing and activities were offered. Today this is a work room and is slated for another possible move.

• More Activities: A trap range, trout ponds, shuffleboard court (1951), archery butts, basketball hoop and backboard, badminton cour, horseshoes, and a children’s play area were all construced. Most of this equipment is still in place with minor moves and some great improvements. (A sport court now offers a range of additional options, including pickleball.)

• Electricity: In 1954, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) provided electricity to the resort, allowing for the removal of the old diesel generator.

1960s: Houseboats and Harbor

In 1965, the houseboat business was started.

• First Houseboat: The first houseboat was homemade by an employee of the Reserve Mining Company. Two pontoons were built and then a deck with an open area in the middle was placed on the pontoons with a 31’ house trailer (minus the wheels). it was centered over the open area so that cables for steering, outboard controls and other necessities could be installed.

• Bigger and Better: The next year a version using a 37-foot trailer with additional refinements was added. It was shortly followed by a used demonstrator boat built by Kayot (a Mankato firm) and added to the fleet. This boat introduced the resort's first four-stroke outboards (50 horsepower), which were initially wonderful but eventually difficult to find parts for.

• Harbor Expansion: To accommodate the successful houseboat fleet, the owners decided to expand the harbor. The original harbor was only one-fifth the size of the current one and lacked the necessary depth. An Ely firm was hired to dredge and enlarge the harbor to its modern size.

• Harbor: Because of the success of the houseboats and with the idea of expanding the fleet, it became necessary to establish a bigger and deeper harbor. The current harbor was originally there when the resort was started, bu only about one-fifth the size of today’s. The original had nowhere near the depth needed.
  
  Permission from the DNR was granted and an Ely firm was hired to enlarge the harbor. It is still the size of its original dredging, though some changes have been made in the ensuing years.

• Boathouse: At this same time, a new boathouse was added to the harbor area, establishing a true marina. It originally included an outboard repair shop and parts storage for the kind of motors in use at the time. In the first year, mechanics were hired on as well.

Onto the Early Eighties

John and Toots Rykken bought Timber Bay in 1980 ushering in a new era. With a broadened focus on outdoor family activities, they grew the resort’s offering to more than just a fishing destination. It evolved into a family oriented resort.

In the decades since, The Rykkens continually heard about all the wonderful memories built by so many families.

And Then, A New Century

Many of these same families are now bringing their third generation to experience all that Timber Bay offers. Ron (the Rykken’s oldest son) and his wife Beth, along with daughters Cortney and Bailey bought the resort in 2000, continuing the Rykken tradition for a full for 45 years.

Guests across generations and across the US travel to Timber Bay, where they continue to share that this resort has become the favorite vacation spot to re-unite, unwind and relax.

Today, a New Chapter

In early 2024, Ron and Beth began to consider what their next chapter might look like. They listed the resort quietly and positioned it for continuation of the family-focused purpose they had set in place.

It is an absolute honor to continue these traditions, recapture some older ones, and consider what might be next on the horizon… all with a keen eye toward what makes Timber Bay so special: Your families who join us every year.

Do YOU have some history to share?

We’d love to hear about it. Please share your stories, pictures, videos (you name it!) with us and let us know what you’ve cherished in your great Northwoods escapes.

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