Thomas and Ida Plii, parents of Helia and Matt, traveled on a two day journey from Virginia to Tower by train then across Lake Vermillion by boat up the Vermillion River to the Pelican River and into Pelican Lake in search of and finding a homestead on the south shore of Pelican Lake, the present resort location. A Sauna (always the first structure built on a new home site) was erected; a cabin and several outbuildings were added in subsequent years. Indians would often camp where cabin #3 Twin Pines now stands on their journeys between Lake Vermillion and Nett Lake.