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22 // AUGUST 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM samples of the "glowing " pucks that tele- vision producers toyed with in the 1990s in an ill-fated attempt to adapt the game to the small screen. But the Hall is more than just plaques and vintage hockey sweaters hanging from the walls. For younger visitors especially, there are interactive arenas to shoot pucks with full size and mini sticks, hockey video games, bubble hockey and even a radar- equipped shooting gallery where players can measure the speed of their slap shot. There are notable shrines to the great U.S. teams of the past, along with countless displays to smaller but vitally important ele- ments of the game that should not be forgot- ten – a sweater worn in the first Minnesota State High School Tournament, a display honoring the first women elected to the Hall, and a tribute to the CCHA, the WHA and other now-defunct hockey leagues. While it's definitely remote, the Hall sits just a long wrist shot from a major U.S. highway, and as the game grows, more and more people are making the pilgrimage to see the museum, grab some gear at the well- stocked gift shop and learn about the game's American roots in small towns like Eveleth. "There was a point where people didn't see a future in it and stopped supporting it. Fortunately, we've turned that all around," Palazzari said, pointing out a display of the skates and gloves that Eveleth native Mark Pavelich wore while skating in Lake Placid for the Miracle on Ice team in 1980. "Eveleth is a big part of the reason it's still here and going the way it does. They've stepped up in a big way. This is one of the birthplaces of American hockey, and that's the reason it's here." P Jess Myers is a freelance writer based in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. "Eveleth is a big part of the reason it's still here and going the way it does." H A L L ( O W E D ) 1. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame features several interactive exhibits where young visitors can experience the thrill of the game. 2. Hockey fans of all ages continue to flock to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, which opened its doors in 1973. 3. There are currently 168 individuals and four teams honored at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. 1 3 2 PHOTOS BY Mark Sauer, (OUTSIDE PHOTO BY Jessi Pierce) — Doug Palazzari