North Country Scenic Trail Gets New Sign

A new sign commemorates a gift of land a a Marquette County trailhead. The sign is planted along the Little Garlic River at the North Country Scenic Trail trailhead on County Road 550. It recognizes a gift from Elliott Donnelley of 1,358 acres to the people of Michigan.

Elliott Donnelley was an avid outdoorsman who was actively involved with Trout Unlimited during his lifetime. In 1968, he donated 1,000 shares of stock in his company, RR Donnelley & Sons, to the Department of

Conservation, which is known as the Department of Natural Resources today. The purpose of the gift was for the department to sell the shares of stock and then use the proceeds to purchase the land along the river. All transactions were completed by 1970.

The old sign, badly battered from 40 years of the Upper Peninsula’s harsh winters, was replaced in a joint effort of the Elliott Donnelley (Chicago) and the Fred Warra Chapters of Trout Unlimited.