Photo

Pierre the Voyageur—at the intersection of Wisconsin Street and Highway 61 by Java Moose in Grand Marais—got a makeover this summer. Pierre had become quite weathered over the years, and Carl Foster of Carl’s Painting Service volunteered to clean the dirt out of his crevices and re-stain him. Pierre has become a little difficult to see with the City of Grand Marais sign and mountain ash trees in front of and beside him. He’s been there since about 1972. Foster, a Cook County history enthusiast—has his eye on painting the Grand Marais icons at the bottom of Second Avenue West—near the Grand Marais Public Library—next. The bear in a boat and the voyageur carrying a canoe once welcomed visitors to the Gunflint Trail via a rather confusing, circuitous route.