Our community has stories! Our heritage and our people –the Anishinaabe,the hearty fishermen and the robust loggers. Three newly installed kiosks accentuate this point.

The Highway 61 reconstruction through downtown Grand Marais offered the opportunity to install special amenities and beautification. Initially conceived five years ago, the kiosks emerged as an important focal point of the Highway 61 project. They invite visitors to discover how our past influences the community they enjoy today. Enriching their experience and reminding all of us what we owe to those who came before us. The kiosks underscore that we have much to celebrate. 

The three kiosks are located throughout the city; in the lawn in front of the library along Highway 61, in the courtyard West of Java Moose on the Grand Marais Harbor and lastly, overlooking the Harbor from the East end of the Grand Marais Recreation and Campground Facility.

Multiple community members and organizations were central to the kiosk’s creation. The Creative Economy Collaborative (CEC) created the vision and led the design for this project. The City of Grand Marais endorsed their vision and funded the project. More details on the city’s public art process can be found here.

This project has required both patience and partnership. Now we are ready to celebrate.

Hats off to all who guided this project to completion.

The entire community is invited to celebrate on July 23rd, 2026, at 11am.

Join us at the kiosk in the library lawn located at 104 2nd Ave W.

The arts are an important part of our community’s identity. The CEC’s mission is to accelerate the development of arts and culture as key prosperity drivers contributing to the social and economic vitality of Cook County. They are the arts advisory council to the City of Grand Marais. This is one of the first projects the city asked the CEC to bring to completion. Membership of this group has changed over the years, but one thing has not changed and that is their perseverance to see a project through. Current CEC leadership includes Richard Olson, Ruth Pszwaro, Greg Wright, Greg Mueller, Linda Jurek, and Jan Sivertson. 

Here’s to our stories. Here’s to our people. Here’s to celebrating together.