The elephant was brought to contractor John Frueh Jr.’s backyard, where it has sat for the past few weeks while he carefully restored and pieced it together. But it had long been a fixture in Gowen.

The elephant house left as much of an impression on young Sarah as its residents. The building harkened back to the turn of the 20th century and had a domed roof that was visible from all areas of the ...

From Grand Rapids to Gowen, the freshly-restored, fiberglass statue of Charley the elephant stands tall at Charley's Ice Cream and Grill, a small town spot owned by three sisters.

The elephant was brought to contractor John Frueh Jr.’s backyard, where it has sat for the past few weeks while he carefully restored and pieced it together. But it had long been a fixture in Gowen.