|
 The
Lumberman's Monument was erected in 1931 as a memorial to the
lumbermen who harvested Michigan's giant white pine in the
1800's. The 14-foot bronze statue overlooks the beautiful Au
Sable River ("River of Sand"). The three figures represent
various stages of the historic lumbering operation. In the
center, the timber cruiser holds a compass. To his left, a
sawyer holds an ax and cross-cut saw. On the right, is the river
rat using a peavey.
Outside visitors view the Lumberman's Monument statue up close,
take pictures, and enjoy the overlook of the Au Sable River, a
beauty that draws people back to its banks year after year. In
the outdoor exhibit area, large scale replicas of a Rollway,
logjam, comfort station, wanigan, hands-on peavey and log
stamping areas add to the story of the lumbermen. The outdoor
displays and trails highlight the "River Rats" and driving logs
to the sawmills.
 The
most popular section of the Highbanks Trail is the 2.5 mile
route from Lumberman's Monument to Sidtown. Along this portion
of trail, hikers traverse the ridges of the historic towering
sandy Highbanks from which an entire forest of logs were rolled
into the river and floated downstream to the mills in Oscoda
during Michigan's white pine lumbering days. The wind blown sand
ridges have created a unique ecosystem found nowhere else in
Michigan.
All of this is reached after a spectacular drive along the River
Road, a National Scenic Byway. |
