| Author: | Grand Marais Historical Society | ISBN: | 9781439621097 |
| Publisher: | Arcadia Publishing Inc. | Publication: | May 18, 2009 |
| Imprint: | Arcadia Publishing | Language: | English |
| Author: | Grand Marais Historical Society |
| ISBN: | 9781439621097 |
| Publisher: | Arcadia Publishing Inc. |
| Publication: | May 18, 2009 |
| Imprint: | Arcadia Publishing |
| Language: | English |
The village of Grand Marais, on the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan�s Upper Peninsula, is one of the oldest inhabited places on the Great Lakes. Native Americans camped along its beautiful natural harbor, naming it Kitchi-bitobig, or �Great Pond.� The French voyageurs traded furs along these shores, and in the early 1860s, a trading post was established. The lumber boom soon followed, and by the mid-1890s, Grand Marais was a bustling town of 2,000 inhabitants. The good times did not last, and by 1911, the sawmills closed, the railroad pulled out, and almost overnight the population dwindled to a mere 200 or so. But Grand Marais refused to die, and those hardy individuals who stayed somehow found a way to make a living, many in the commercial and sport fishing industries. The opening of a state road into town brought vacationers to enjoy the many recreational delights of the area. Today Grand Marais is a popular tourist destination that still retains its small-town friendliness and historic atmosphere.
The village of Grand Marais, on the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan�s Upper Peninsula, is one of the oldest inhabited places on the Great Lakes. Native Americans camped along its beautiful natural harbor, naming it Kitchi-bitobig, or �Great Pond.� The French voyageurs traded furs along these shores, and in the early 1860s, a trading post was established. The lumber boom soon followed, and by the mid-1890s, Grand Marais was a bustling town of 2,000 inhabitants. The good times did not last, and by 1911, the sawmills closed, the railroad pulled out, and almost overnight the population dwindled to a mere 200 or so. But Grand Marais refused to die, and those hardy individuals who stayed somehow found a way to make a living, many in the commercial and sport fishing industries. The opening of a state road into town brought vacationers to enjoy the many recreational delights of the area. Today Grand Marais is a popular tourist destination that still retains its small-town friendliness and historic atmosphere.
