The wooded bluffs above the City of Grand Marais are part of what gives the North Shore its “rugged” character. A group called Preserve the Bluffs has organized to raise funds and purchase an 80-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Sawtooth Bluff Park, a 640-acre public park project of Grand Marais and Cook County. The intent is for Preserve the Bluffs to hold, maintain, and preserve “The Sheef” property from development. Organizers hope to transfer the land to Cook County and have it kept as a perpetual natural “viewshed.”
John Scheef of Plymouth, MN, owns the 80 acres. He purchased the land in 2005 for $240,000. Its most recent assessed valuation on the county rolls is $175,900. Originally believed to be landlocked, the parcel is in fact connected to a road that has been in the public records since 1912. In the summer of 2024, Scheef received a court ruling clarifying that the road “existed” in the city records and could be improved to provide access to the land. Scheef then subdivided the property into 8, 10-acre lots for residential development.
The Preserve the Bluff group argues that once a hillside is developed with homes and roads, the unique “sense of place” of Grand Marais is permanently altered. They believe that maintaining the natural beauty that drives the tourism economy outweighs expanding the tax base through high-end residential development. So to prevent development that would hurt the aesthetics and environment, Preserve the Bluff has been working to raise the $475,000 needed to buy the property from Scheef.
Ann Belleman, Vice President/Treasurer/board member of Preserve the Bluff, said that things have been going “fast and furious” as they have recently organized as a 501(c)3 non-profit while preparing to buy Scheef’s property. In addition to fundraising and negotiating with Scheef, they have secured the domain name preservethebluff.org for a soon-to-be website.
Initially, the group had a deadline of December 1, 2025, to enter into a formal purchase agreement with Sheef. The seller willingly extended that deadline. Sue Abrahamsen, President and Board Chair of Preserve the Bluff, said that they are ready to complete the transaction on February 20, 2026.
Belleman and Abrahamsen are now raising additional funds to help cover the group’s ongoing operating expenses. Their goal this month is to raise $100,000. Donations may be sent to Preserve the Bluff, 210 Old Ski Hill Rd., Grand Marais, MN 55604. If you would like to learn more, you are welcome to call or email either Abrahamsen at 218- 370-9858, sueabrahamsen@gmail. com, or Belleman at 218-830-9289, babelleman@gmail.com.
