Michigan Roadside Attractions on Travel the Mitten highlights our attempts to explore the many interesting things that can be found on the highways, byways and back roads of Michigan, ranging from the interesting to the unusual.

Grayling is a northern Michigan town known for its excellent fishing on the Au Sable River and its other outdoor recreation opportunities. In September of this year a new statue was added to Grayling City Park, and it honors legendary bowhunter Fred Bear. Mr. Bear founded Bear archery in the 1930s after working in Detroit for several automotive companies, and would eventually move his family and business to Grayling. Fred Bear Day is celebrated in March of each year in Grayling, and now a statue has been placed to educate even more visitors about his extraordinary life.

The seven and a half foot tall statue was sculpted by Ben Watts, who had previously created an 11 foot tall statue of Bear for the Archery Hall of Fame and Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Springfield, Missouri. The detailed sculpture features Bear with a bow in his left hand and a Borsalino hat on his head. Bear appeared on many television programs over the years, and was also an author. You can still find old videos on YouTube of Bear taking down elk, grizzly bear, polar bear, and more with just his bow.

A plaque on the statue reads: “Founded Bear Archery Company in Detroit in 1933. Through Mr. Bear’s innovating manufacturing techniques, involvement in all levels and promotional genius, the company grew and moved to his beloved Grayling in 1947. He became the foremost bowhunter and spokesman in the archery industry in the last half of the 20th century. As a result of the highest standard of archery equipment built by Bear, Grayling became known as the Archery Capitol of the World at that time. Fred Bear became known as the “man in the Borsalino hat” and was the first person inducted into the Archery Hall of Fame in 1972. In the wind he’s still alive……..” Fred Bear lived from 1902 to 1988.

Fred Bear was forever immortalized in song by rocker Ted Nugent on his 1995 album Spirit of the Wild. Nugent was on hand for the statue’s dedication and performed the song “Fred Bear” for those in attendance. If you find yourself passing through Grayling be sure and check out this new statue!