City of Grand Marais to host community open house for Statewide Archaeological Survey and harbor historical nomination
Apr 14, 2026 08:02AM ● By Content Editor
Photo: Laura Durenberger-Grunow
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - April 9, 2026
The City of Grand Marais will host a public open house to gather community input on two projects that aim to preserve the region's history, specifically in and along the harbor. The event is scheduled for April 16, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers (15 North Broadway Avenue), and is a collaboration between the city and the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
The current work in Grand Marais involves two primary projects: a Statewide Survey (SWS) of Historical and Archaeological Sites and a future National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination, both of which focus on the harbor. The SWS is a program designed to identify, evaluate, and document tangible aspects of Minnesota’s cultural heritage, including historic places, archaeological sites, and areas of spiritual or traditional importance.
Funding for the SWS comes from the MN Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Administrative oversight is provided by a board composed of representatives from the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, the Office of the State Archaeologist, and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).
According to National Register Archaeologist for the State of Minnesota David Mather, Ph.D., who is also on the Oversight Board for the SWS and who designed the current project in Grand Marais, "The Statewide Survey and future NRHP nomination are separate projects," though the information gathered during the survey is important in supporting the harbor's eventual nomination to the NRHP.
A main goal of the NRHP nomination is to designate the Grand Marais shoreline and harbor as a Maritime Cultural Landscape (MCL). This designation moves away from identifying one single entity as "historic" (such as a lighthouse or a building) and instead looks at the environment as a whole. According to the project background, a site becomes an MCL through its relationship with human history, combining built structures, natural features, and the water itself into a single landscape.
While the National Park Service (NPS) acts as the primary entity for the NRHP, the process relies on multiple organizations, including SHPO and Tribal Nations, which provide local expertise and traditional knowledge. In many cases, Indigenous sites are recognized as "Traditional Cultural Properties" based on oral traditions and belief-driven significance rather than physical artifacts alone.
According to Dr. Mather, once the SWS is complete, the SHPO will prepare the nomination and use the MCL framework to describe the harbor during that process. Currently, the harbor is not designated under any official historic classification, although several informational historical markers have been placed along the shoreline.
Project Background
The projects have been in the works since 2023, when the MN SHPO office came to the city with a proposal to do the Statewide Survey and to explore the NRHP nomination for the harbor.
According to Grand Marais Mayor Tracy Benson, "City council approved the project, and now two years later, they are ready to begin," before adding, "This is an exciting project for the city...Designating a body of water as a historical district [MCL] will be a first for the state."
The research contract was awarded to the EARTH Systems Research Laboratory at Minnesota State University, Mankato, led by Dr. Ron Schirmer and Andy Brown, according to city officials. The team is currently consulting with the Grand Portage Tribal Historic Preservation Office, the Cook County Historical Society, and the city.
Legally, an NRHP designation ensures that federal projects must consider the impact on the entire cultural landscape, protecting the broader setting and ceremonial value alongside physical remains.
Community Involvement and the Open HouseFollowing preliminary work conducted in late 2025, the research team is returning to gather more information from community members at the upcoming open house on April 16. The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the project, as well as provide a space for the archaeologists working on the SWS to "be aware of any information community members wish to share."
Mayor Benson added that, "The purpose is for residents to bring artifacts, stories, etc. that can assist archaeologists in determining potentially interesting sites. They have various means to determine a potential site. This open house is an important way to gather information."
Specifically, community members are encouraged to attend and bring artifacts, old photographs, newspaper clippings, or stories that help provide a holistic view of the harbor's culture and history.
Regarding items brought to the event, Mayor Benson and Dr. Mather both shared that the archaeologists will not keep any items, though they may ask to photograph or take notes on certain pieces. "Any items that people bring will stay with them," they said.
Image: City of Grand Marais
