Ironworkers Who Built the Bridge Honored With Lakeside Monument
"Always, the dream of every ironworker is to work on a bridge. A bridgeman is the ultimate compliment to give to that individual." - Patrick Gleason, ironworker
By Karen Gould

Mike Gleason (left), a Mackinac Bridge ironworker, and his son, Patrick "Shorty" Gleason, a Mackinac Bridge Authority board member and ironworker, spearheaded the commissioning of the ironworker sculpture now standing in Bridge View Park at St. Ignace, a permanent monument to the men who built the bridge. The statue was dedicated Saturday, July 28. The elder Mr. Gleason worked on the bridge during its construction and came out of retirement in 1999 to return to the bridge to work on the underdeck traveler replacement project.

Last year, Patrick "Shorty" Gleason, a member of the Mackinac Bridge Authority and an ironworker for 35 years, championed an effort with Ironworker Locals 25, 8, and 340 to commission the ironworker sculpture now standing in Bridge View Park.

Mr. Gleason is the son of an ironworker who worked on the bridge during its construction.

"I don't know of another monument of this magnitude anywhere in the country" Mr. Gleason told The St. Ignace News Friday, July 27. "This is very, very unique in nature because of the exact details of those old time bridgemen."

Two ironworker retirees, Mark Morton and Rick Whitson, worked with sculpture Janice Trimpe on the project.

"She transformed 600 pounds of clay to come up with this replica of a bridgeman," said Mr. Gleason, whose son, Shawn, also is an ironworker.

The sculpture was dedicated July 28 during the Mackinac Bridge 50th anniversary celebration. Prior to the unveiling by some of the men who helped build Mighty Mac, the St. Ignace Coast Guard Honor Guard stood by as taps was played by Captain Jim Bishop. The St. Ignace resident was the tugboat pilot who transported the ironworkers from St. Ignace to their bridge work stations each day. Father Jim Williams of Mackinaw City offered a blessing for the statue and prayer for all the ironworkers involved in the construction of the bridge "for those common men who did an uncommon thing."

A plaque at the base of the sculpture recognizes the five men who died while building the bridge.

"Always, the dream of every ironworker is to work on a bridge," said Mr. Gleason. "A bridgeman is the ultimate compliment to give to that individual."

The sculpture, he said, is meant to symbolize those men who worked under dangerous conditions 20 years before safety standards were set by the federal government. Fortunately, contractor American Bridge had a good safety policy, and each day they held safety meetings, he said.