Granny's Little Big Man (Rem.)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

This guy is featured right outside of Granny's Closet in Flagstaff, AZ. This is the former site of the Lumberjack Cafe, but this little guy doesn't quite match up to the old lumberjack.

Standing outside Granny's Closet in Flagstaff was Little Louie the Lumberjack, a shorter and considerably chunkier relative of the two giant lumberjacks that once advertised the Lumberjack Cafe. He may not have matched their 20-foot height, but this little guy still stood about 10 feet tall and weighed nearly half a ton when photographed in 1998.

Little Louie was part of the original Lumberjack Cafe display during the 1960s. While his two towering brothers were made from fiberglass, he was hand-carved from a massive cedar tree trunk. That explains his heavier shape, rough texture, and slightly more homemade personality.

When the Lumberjack Cafe became Granny’s Closet in 1973, the two fiberglass giants were donated to Northern Arizona University. Little Louie stayed behind, standing near a retired red tractor and greeting customers at the restaurant for more than 40 additional years. Perhaps somebody had to keep an eye on the old place.

The little big man in front of the parking stall (98)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Years of Flagstaff snow, sun, and freezing temperatures eventually opened large cracks in the wooden figure. In 2009, local builder Wally Baird took Little Louie to his workshop, repaired the damaged wood, applied fresh paint, and made him a new axe.

Granny’s Closet closed in 2016, leaving the little lumberjack without a restaurant to guard. After the property’s contents were auctioned, Northern Arizona University acquired Little Louie, finally reuniting him with the two larger lumberjacks from the old cafe.

UPDATE: Little Louie survives in an indoor location at Northern Arizona University, protected from Flagstaff’s harsh weather. The former Lumberjack Cafe and Granny’s Closet property has changed, but all three of its old lumberjacks remain preserved at NAU. 09-26

Payson Man (Gone)
Payson, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Payson Man was one of those roadside discoveries that appeared when least expected. While driving the dark highway from Flagstaff toward Phoenix, this huge lumberjack suddenly emerged beside the road in Payson. Even at night, he was pretty hard to miss.

The big fellow stood near the El Rancho Restaurant along the Beeline Highway. With his beard, cap, work clothes, and double-sided axe, he turned out to be an authentic Paul Bunyan-style Muffler Man after all.

Payson Man
Payson, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

There was something memorable about finding a giant fiberglass lumberjack standing in the darkness of Arizona’s Rim Country. The search may have been for a Muffler Man, but having one suddenly pop out of the night was still quite a surprise.

UPDATE: The Payson Man was removed from his Beeline Highway location by the late 1990s. Whether he was destroyed or moved into a private collection remains unknown. 09-26

The Payson Man is a huge fellow out in the Arizona town of Payson. He's a can't miss find, even at night!