Michigan Roadside Attractions: Paul Bunyan Statue in Manistique

Michigan Roadside Attractions is a periodic feature on Travel the Mitten that will explore the many interesting things that can be found on the highways, byways and back roads of Michigan, ranging from the interesting to unusual.

Manistique, Michigan is a city of roughly 3,100 residents in the Upper Peninsula. Its location at the point where the Manistique River empties into Lake Michigan has made it important to business and tourism over the years. Visitors to the area can take in sights like the Siphon Bridge, historic water tower, and East Breakwater Light. The Paul Bunyan statue on Us-2 in front of the Schoolcraft County Chamber of Commerce is one of the area’s most noticeable landmarks, and it is our featured roadside attraction for this week.

This area is one of a few in Michigan that claim to be the home of Paul Bunyan (read our post on all of the Paul Bunyan statues in Michigan for more information), and it is staking its claim with this 15 foot tall statue. The legendary lumberman is depicted wearing brown boots, blue pants and a red and yellow checkered pattern shirt. His face is bearded and he wears a red stocking cap on his head while holding a double-bladed axe.. There is plenty of parking here and great chances for a photo – you’ll find this statue on the north side of US-2, west of town.

A lumber boom took place near here from the late 1880s to the early 1900s, and the river was a vital part of getting the logs to sawmills. Nearby attractions include the amazing Big Spring Kitch-iti-kipi at Palms Book State Park, the memorial park near Thompson that pays tribute to the “Christmas Tree Ship” Rouse Simmons, and the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver.