Ella Hall Gravesite on Ella Hall Lake

This place was last visited on: August 2, 2024. Previous Visit(s): July 22, 2018

A young girl named Ella Hall died near or in this lake back in 1885. There is a headstone placed to mark her grave indicating that she was 15 years old at the time of her death (1870-1885). The headstone was not put in place until sometime in the 1930's. A ring of smaller stones surrounds the grave site. Those are possibly the original markers. Passing canoeists often leave flowers and other trinkets at the site.

There are two versions of this story. The story you see on most links on the Internet is that of Ella Hall going through the ice and drowning. Her father eventually finds her after the ice thaws and they bury her on this island. There is another (darker) version of the story that I found on YouTube that seems plausible too. You can listen to that by following this link: The Story of Ella Hall.

This is a letter written by Ella's sister Alice. It includes some interesting history about this place:   Letter about this place by Ella's sister Alice Hall Gregory.

Here is photo of Alice Jane Hall Gregory (1879 - 1971), Ella's sister. Links to Ella's parents graves can also be found at this link: Alice Hall

The Find A Grave website (findagrave.com) has a couple photos and some data (compare the photos here to the ones shown below):  Additional information about the girl for whom this lake is named

A bit more information can be gleaned from this link on BWCA.com: Read it here

There is an island on Burntside Lake called Lost Girl Island. Alice (Ella's sister) and her husband James had a cabin on this lake (not certain it was on this island though).

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THE IMAGES BELOW ARE FROM AUGUST 2, 2024

Scroll down to see images from previous year(s).

The canoe landing on Ella Hall's island (August 2, 2024).

View to the southeast (August 2, 2024).

Path leading up from the canoe landing to the grave site (August 2, 2024).

Ella Hall 1870 to 1885. The grave stone has been cleaned since the last visit (August 2, 2024).

Ella Hall grave (August 2, 2024).

View from another angle (August 2, 2024).

THE IMAGES BELOW ARE FROM JULY 22, 2018

Grave located on an island in Ella Hall Lake (July 22, 2018).

The natural rocks around it appear to be original. The headstone was placed sometime in the 1930's (July 22, 2018).

Paddlers frequently visit the site and leave items. Plastic bouquet of flowers, a feather and someone's trusty old lure are seen here (July 22, 2018).

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