Echoes on I.W. Stevens Island

Next stop: I.W. Stevens Island

Hidden among the pines and waters of Kabetogama, I.W. Stevens Island feels like a time capsule—part wilderness, part memory. Established in the early 1900s by Isaac W. “Steve” Stevens, the island was once a peaceful retreat for vacationers seeking northern charm and solitude.

Stevens lived here for nearly 50 years, running a one-man resort called Pine Cove before retiring and spending another two decades alone on the island, deeply connected to the land.

Exploring the island today, we could still feel his presence. An old wood-fired sauna rests quietly beneath birch and pine, its barrel stove and hand-hewn benches whispering stories of summer evenings spent in quiet, steamy solitude.

Nearby stands the “Electric House”—a modest structure that once held a generator, bringing rare modern power to this remote island. Though the equipment is gone and wires hang loosely from the rafters, it remains a small monument to Stevens’ quiet ingenuity.

Scattered elsewhere on the island are weathered guest cabins, gradually giving way to the forest; which hint at summers long past—filled with laughter, lakeside naps, and card games at dusk.

Not far from the path, a charred stone fireplace sits out in the open—perhaps once a gathering place for campers under the stars. Just beyond it, the main cabin, now in the process of being restored, offers a beautiful view of the lake, with a small point and bench nearby for taking it all in.

This island is more than an abandoned resort—it’s a story still being told in pine needles, still water, and the creak of old wood in the wind. I.W. Stevens may be gone, but his dream lingers gently in every corner.Read more