With many of the young men off fighting in uniform, communities often formed Home Guard units during World War I to ensure domestic security. Many men, often ones who had served in earlier wars or who were ineligible for various reasons for the current one, served in the Home Guard. In September 1918 the Home Guard Eighth Battallion, with men from Eveleth, Biwabik, Aurora and Ely, held a two-week training camp at Lake Esquagama.

The Ely Miner newspaper reported in a front-page story on Jan. 11, 1918, for instance, on the election of new officers of its Home Guard unit. The articled said Sgt . C. Nutter was elected as the unit’s second lieutenant to replace Lt. Gallagher, who had been promoted to battalion adjutant.

Also in 1918, the Croatian Jugebar Society in Buhl held a dance, with the proceeds donated to the local Red Cross chapter, and the Buhl Home Defense League donated the then considerable sum of $450 to the Jewish War Defense Relief Fund.

During World War I, federal employees were sent out to help local residents with food conservation programs as part of the war effort. For example, four afternoon sessions were held in Ely in 1918 to teach local housewives how to use less wheat in baking bread, how to find meat substitutes, how to bake cake and cookies with less fat and sugar and how conservation of food products need not harm residents’ health.

Because the American role during World War I lasted only about 18 months and many fewer soldiers were involved, the greatest home-front role came in World War II.

The effort to conserve food led, for instance, to a series of three-hour home canning lessons across the Iron Range taught by agricultural extension agents in July 1942.

A few months later, officials announced that northern Minnesota loggers had come through and the industry was "in the midst of producing lumber and pulpwood for victory."