Backlund Realty is located in Grand Marais, Minnesota, a picturesque harbor village on Lake Superior’s North Shore. The surrounding area is comprised primarily of national and state forests dotted with hundreds of crystal clear lakes. The Superior Hiking Trail crosses the ridge just outside of town and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is only minutes away. Also nearby are state parks, the Lutsen Mountains ski area, miles of cross-country ski trails, snowmobile trails, and hunting and fishing areas.
Terry Backlund is a Grand Marais “local.” He knows just about everyone, which is very helpful when you are shopping for a home or vacation property. He’s easy to talk to and more importantly, will listen to what you have to say. When it comes to real estate he’ll give you the straight scoop.
Frank Lehto Like so many others, Frank’s love of fishing drew him to the North Shore. His first job in high school was at the End of the Trail Lodge on the Gunflint Trail in the summer of 1974, and he knew he had to find a way back someday. After completing twelve years in the Navy, Frank moved back to Minnesota to pursue a postal career. After a stint in Nashwauk and Two Harbors as Post Master, Frank moved to Grand Marais in 1999 to take the helm until his retirement in 2016. Frank called Lutsen home for almost twenty years until last fall when he and his wife Becky moved “south” to an inland lake near Two Harbors. He still loves to fish, but also has a passion for building hot rods, as well as snowboarding and skiing at Lutsen Mountains. As a Realtor® he’s excited for the opportunity to share his knowledge of the North Shore!
Grand Marais is an attractive and vibrant place to raise a family or retire. It has all of the amenities you’d expect to find in a small town, and then some. For its small size, there is a surprisingly large selection of great restaurants to choose from. On the menu at many of them are locally netted, fresh Lake Superior fish. There are numerous clubs and social groups that cover an array of interests such as tennis, ATV, horseback riding and ski clubs, both downhill and cross country. Services and activities include the Cook County Hospital and Sawtooth Clinic, a county recycling center, Cook County Family YMCA, tennis courts, golf course, skate park, and a curling rink to name just a few.
For a small town, Grand Marais places a premium on culture. The community’s Arrowhead Center for the Arts hosts performances ranging from locally produced plays to national recording artists. The renowned North House Folk School attracts students from across the country with its curriculum of folk arts and crafts and construction skills. Founded in 1947, the Grand Marais Art Colony is the oldest art colony in the state. The Johnson Heritage post has continuous showings of works by local and regional artists.