Grand Marais is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located within Burt Township on the shores of Lake Superior, and the community is the eastern gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore via H-58.

History

The name Grand Marais (French: great marsh) is a reference to the large, shallow harbor. French explorers and fur traders from the time of New France used the word "marais" to mean "harbor of refuge" as well as "marsh." A breakwater was later built that extends from the bay into Lake Superior. The Grand Marais Outer Range Light is at its end, and the Fresnel lens is still operative. It is one of only 70 such lenses that remain operational in the United States; 16 of these are in use on the Great Lakes, eight of which are in Michigan. Many controversies in the little town relate to the costs of dredging and breakwall-repair operations to keep the harbor functioning. See Grand Marais Harbor of Refuge Inner and Outer Lights. Grand Marais was one of five U.S. Life-Saving Service Stations established along the coast of Lake Superior between Munising and Whitefish Point in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was part of the U.S. Life-Saving Service District 10 (later part of District 11). The other four Life-saving Stations were Deer Park, Two Heart, Crisp Point Light, and Vermilion Point. In 1915, these stations became part of the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1939 the U.S. Lighthouse Service also merged under the control of the U.S. Coast Guard. The community was home to the Grand Marais Air Force Station from 1954 to 1957. The station was part of the Air Defense Command, and provided general surveillance radar along the northern frontier of the United States.

We Hear You America contest

Grand Marais, with a population of about 300, gained national attention early in 2011 when it became the leader in a national contest sponsored by Reader's Digest. Visitors to the We Hear You America web site had the opportunity to "cheer" for any community in order to win recognition and cash prizes. Grand Marais' harbor was officially deemed a Harbor of Refuge because it was the only lifeline a sailor had along the dangerous shipwreck coast of Lake Superior. Years of neglect had caused deterioration of its harbor breakwall, allowing sand to fill in, but the cost to repair it seemed prohibitive. Grand Marais attained 1,281,724 "cheers" and won the top municipal first prize of $40,000 in the contest, as well as notoriety for its plight in a Reader's Digest article.

Geography

Grand Marais is the northern terminus of M-77. Seney and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge are to the south.

Demographics

As of 2020, its population was 234.

Arts and culture

Grand Marais is a four-season tourist destination. Snowmobiling is popular in the winter, and swimming, hiking, boating, kayaking, agate collecting on the beach and fishing are among the summer activities. Points of interest and events include: The Michigan-born writer Jim Harrison (1937–2016) had a cabin in Grand Marais where he would come to relax and write.

Education

Burt Township Schools is the local school district.

Transportation

Highways

Airport