Looking Back
Compiled by Ryan Schlehuber

Children stand on the state ferry dock in St. Ignace in front of the open lift gate of the City of Petoskey in November 1957, when the Mackinac Bridge opened. It was one of the last days the state's ferry system was operational. Pictured are (left, in back) Miriam (nee Smith) Blair; (front) Cindy Corrall, Henry Smith, Kathy Corrall, and Martha Smith. (Photograph courtesy of Miriam Blair)

115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, July 16, 1892

Beaver Island excursion tomorrow. Round trip, $1.00.

The Newton Bears Co. played "Lost in London" at Highstone's opera house last night. It was firstclass.

M. St. Ledger now has a firstclass new triple-seated covered rig, which he will run daily between Moran, Allenville, and his resort hotel on Brevoort Lake, for the convenience of tourists.

Circus Monday and Tuesday.

The Skerbeck Family Circus gives a fine free entertainment before each performance by Master Joseph Skerbeck, 16 years old, the most wonderful and daring rope walker now traveling.

Naubinway notes - It is dry and dull.

The farmers are praying for rain.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, July 19, 1917

That St. Ignace will be on the line of the great Dixie Highway connecting the Upper Peninsula with the great project that starts in Florida and has connecting links with the Lincoln and other equally important highways crisscrossing the country in all directions is fully assured. This is the most important news to reach St. Ignace in many years, as it means eventually that the city is to be revived and is destined in the very near future to become a more important center than ever and will be called upon to entertain tourists from every section of the United States.

Chas. F. Murray has taken over the Chambers dock property and all of the business connected therewith and, as lessee, will assume personal management. The business carries with it the local agency of the Standard Oil Co., the hard and soft coal privileges, flour, feed, hay, etc.

The steamer Islander has been engaged for an excursion to Cedarville Sunday, where Dill's Tigers will clash with Hossack's Wildcats on the diamond. The boat will leave the Merchandise dock at 9 a.m. and the excursionists will be accompanied by the Gateway City Band.

The tallest lightweight in the country, Jimmy Brady of St. Ignace, has been matched with Travis Davis of Seattle to fight 10 rounds as a preliminary to the Billy Weeks-Kid Gillman 15- round bout at Cincinnati Monday night. Brady stands five feet ten and a half inches and has a reach of seventy-two inches. He has been boxing seven years and has a good record. Among his bouts are a 15-round draw with Johnny Tillman and an eight-round draw with Ever Hammer. - Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Snows column - Henry Visnaw has commenced the erection of a new house on his lot adjoining the school house yard on the west. The house will be 24 by 32, two stories. Robert Rutledge and his sons are doing the work.

Robert Hamel got his large boat in motion last Friday and has made a few trips in her about the channels in the way of trying her out, although she is not entirely completed. There is still woodwork and painting to be done. The engine, a four-cycle Peerless, works very smoothly and a good muffler makes it almost silent.

We have learned that the Snows Hotel will not open this season. Fred W. Myers' illness has taken a turn for the worse and consequently the house will not open.

Moran column - If current rumors are to be credited, there are something like nineteen contestants for the honor of postmaster at Moran.

Curtis column - This is a fine growing weather and the crops of Portage look good. We are doing our bit for the war.

The authorities should take steps looking to the disposition of those old horses that are running at large in this section and spreading disease. They are not a very good advertisement for Curtis.

50 Years Ago The Republican-News &

St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, July 18, 1957

Keeping in mind the critical part weather plays in construction of the Mackinac Bridge, the Bridge Authority announced this week that sometime during the latter part of the week of July 22 to 26 is estimated when the last truss of the bridge will be lifted into place, thus linking the two peninsulas with a bridge. Notables of the construction concerns, bridge authority, highway department, and State of Michigan are expected to be present for this dramatic and historic event.

The Mackinac Bridge will keep in step with temperature changes because allowances for swing and sway were engineered into the span. Dr. David B. Steinman, designer of the bridge, engineered the span to carry normal loads at temperatures ranging from 115 degrees above zero to 35 degrees below, said John W. Kinney, Steinman's resident engineer here.

"You can call this the world's most corrected bridge," Kinney said. "Even tapes used in bridge steel fabrication were calibrated on the basis of a mean temperature of 68 degrees."

The Northwestern Oil and Terminal Co. of Grand Rapids has applied to the U.S. Army engineers for permission to place a 10- inch submarine pipeline on the existing bottom of Lake Huron (East Moran Bay). The pipeline, with mooring dolphins and connecting catwalk at the outer end, would extend 1,350 feet lakeward east from the Paul Bunyan Co. property on the north side of East Moran bay at St. Ignace. Presumably, this pipeline would handle jet fuel to be pumped from tankers to the three proposed jet fuel tanks to be erected here.

35 Years Ago The Republican-News &

St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, July 13, 1972

Archaeologists digging at the Marquette Park site in the fourth week of a 10-week study have discovered what they believe to be the pit referred to in the writing of Fr. Jacker, a mission priest who served here in the late 1800s. The excavations underway here are being conducted in an effort to determine the location of the Mission established by Father Marquette in 1671.

Art Haege, former LaSalle High School football coach and now coaching the Iron Range All- Stars, announced the addition of two outstanding former collegiate football players to his All-Star roster for this summer's July 29 benefit game with the Sheboygan Redwings. Barry Pierson, University of Michigan defensive back and now an assistant coach at St. Ignace High School, and Mike Perry, a three-year regular defensive back from Northern Michigan University and former All- American high school quarterback, are the newest additions to the now 25-man roster for the Pony League benefit clash at Ewens Field.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, July 16, 1992

A special committee has recommended stricter enforcement of parking regulations in downtown St. Ignace as the debate over double parking delivery trucks continues this summer.

The annual Les Cheneaux Yacht Club two-day Horsburgh Trophy race to Mackinac Island and back for Ensign Fleet 31 was held last Tuesday and Wednesday. Seven boats participated, with the finish coming four hours and five minutes after the start and only a 10-second spread between first and second. Taking first was Birkmeier, McNally, second, Tobin third, and Arbaugh, fourth.