Thankfully, the river freezes over in Warroad, Minn.

Just six miles from Canada at the top of Minnesota is the community of Warroad. It’s a charming village that straddles the Warroad River and offers picturesque waterfront property on the Lake of the Woods.

Warroad is way up there at the top. See the tip that juts up seemingly into Canada?

Warroad has gained fame as the “original Hockeytown USA.” Today, some 1,780 people live in Warroad.

Crossed hockey sticks are positioned left of the town name on the municipal water tower.

 

The town and the river took their names from the Ojibwa nation. Tribal warriors once traveled the “war road” along the river to repel invasions from bands of Sioux who came up from the prairies of Red River Valley of the North.

The community of Warroad began to form in 1902, when the Canadian National Railway came through, connecting Winnipeg, Manitoba to Thunder Bay, Ontario on Lake Superior. 

One of the first settlers in Warroad was George Griffin Marvin, who arrived on the train in 1904 to take a job managing a grain elevator in town. The area would become a booming lumber center. Recognizing an opportunity, he established the Marvin Lumber & Cedar Company in 1912. 

That business evolved into Marvin Windows and Doors, which developed into an industry leader. Today, the company is led by President Paul Marvin from the family’s fourth generation. 

Through the years, the Marvin family helped Warroad to maintain two major indoor ice rinks. One is Olympic-sized and can accommodate 1,500 spectators, reported Adam Gretz of NBC Sports. Each rink provides “free ice-time” for everyone.

 

“Kids can come as early as they want, stay as late as they want and skate for as long as they want,” Gretz said. 

“One of the biggest obstacles in a lot of areas for kids, when it comes to getting into the sport, can be associated with ‘access,’ whether it be the ice-time itself or the costs associated with getting it,” Gretz said. “In Warroad, the mindset is to ensure that kids always have a place to skate.” 

“That commitment has helped drive a passion for hockey in the town that has produced a lasting impact on the sport – felt locally (dominant boys’ and girls’ high school programs), internationally and in the NHL (National Hockey League).” 

The most recent Olympic gold medalist from Warroad to skate for Team USA in the Winter Games is Gisele Marie “Gigi” Marvin, a key member of the women’s hockey team. She earned her gold medal in 2018 at the games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

 

Having previously earned silver medals with the U.S. hockey club in 2010 at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in 2014 at Souchi, Russia, Gigi Marvin is the “most decorated” Warroad Olympian of all time. She recently retired from competitive hockey. Gigi returned to Warroad and now runs youth hockey camps there.

 

A new venture within the Warroad community, which was spawned by COVID-19 pandemic concerns about indoor gatherings, is the Riverbend Skate Path. The ice trail on the Warroad River extends for more than 5 miles. It has become a tourism destination for outdoor recreationalists.

 

Skaters have the right of way, but the path welcomes snowshoers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers on either side. Don’t be surprised if a “sandlot-style” hockey game pops up at any time. Grab a stick from one of the barrels that are strategically located along the route.

 

“People who haven’t skated in 40 years have laced up skates once again,” a spokesperson reported. “We are trying our patience while we wait for the river to make enough ice for us to open up in 2022. It all depends on the weather.” 

In Warroad, Minn., winter cannot come soon enough.