John Beargrease | |
|---|---|
Esquabi | |
 Cemetery marker listing John Beargrease | |
| Born | 1858 present-day Lake County, Minnesota |
| Died | August 1, 1910 (aged 51–52) |
| Resting place | Chippewa Cemetery |
| Nationality | Grand Portage Ojibwe, American |
| Occupation | postman |
| Employer | US Postal Service |
| Parents |
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John Beargrease, born 1858 as the son of an Anishinaabe chief, Makwabimidem (Beargrease), is best remembered as the winter mail carrier between Two Harbors, Minnesota and Grand Marais, Minnesota during the last two decades of the 19th century. Beargrease used a row boat and a dog sled to deliver the mail.
His legendary dog sled runs are remembered and celebrated in the annual 411-mile John Beargrease Dog Sled Race between Duluth and Grand Portage, Minnesota. He died at his home in Beaver Bay, Minnesota in 1910.