From a "solitary wilderness", Hurley boomed with the discovery of iron ore in 1879. By 1884, Hurley's Silver Street bustled with miners, lumberjacks, speculators, and those who made a living catering to their needs. New arrivals could find "a little bit of everything" here, from dry goods to libations. Eighty-seven saloons and clubs embellished Silver Street. Early Hurley was known as a boisterous, lusty town. Its reputation continues as the "Life of the Northwoods."