A team of students and staff were busy at North House Folk School the week of Jan. 6-12 building a replica of a herring skiff previously stationed in Colvill on the North Shore in the 1940s. Colvill is about 10 miles outside of Grand Marais.

In building the boat, North House is partnering with the Cook County Historical Society to celebrate and preserve an element of the local boating and fishing culture.

The original boat is in the collection of the Cook County Historical Society. The replica build is being led by North House Resident Artisan Josh Tolkan and longtime North House instructor John Beltman.

The first phase of building the replica herring skiff concluded Jan. 12 in Grand Marais. Work on the skiff will continue with a series of public workshops this spring and summer. The completed skiff will be a part of the Cook County Historical Society collection.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Tolkan about this project.

To listen to the interview, follow this link to the WTIP Radio website.  https://www.wtip.org/historic-herring-skiff-will-preserve-north-shore-boating-and-fishing-culture