An image of the commercial district of Hessel from an old photograph shows the town's former dirt street and businesses. (Photograph courtesy of Phyllis Cox) 115 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Saturday, June 3, 1893

St. Ignace was quite deserted Decoration day.

Bicycles are getting to be all the rage in St. Ignace.

Miss Etta Rhodes has sold her millinery store.

We have had more easterly winds within the past six months than was ever before known in this country.

The County Clerk drives a stylish looking horse, a recent purchase from Mr. Hess.

There are no prisoners in the jail.

A great deal has been said about dull times in St. Ignace but a survey of the situation in other localities shows that times are no duller here than elsewhere.

90 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, June 6, 1918

It is the regular thing these days for the officials of the Mackinac Transportation Co. to announce that a record has been broken in straits transportation, but the record attained in May by the Chief Wawatam is one that will probably stand for a long time. The car ferry made 231 round trips in May, meaning it crossed 462 times across the straits.

As predicted by The Enterprise, The St. Ignace Box & Float Co. is making good and promises big results in the employment of labor in the future. Already it has been found necessary to enlarge the plant and put in more machinery, and Manager Wing predicts that bigger improvements will soon have to be made to meet the demands.

Tuesday two cars loaded with floats were shipped to Boston and the plant has orders for all it can handle under present conditions.

George Dahl and Harry Powell, the two Fort Brady (Sault Ste. Marie) soldiers who recently robbed the sporting goods house of F.R. Vigeant in the Soo, may face a firing squad.

They will be charged with desertion in time of war, robbery, and, if they escape the death penalty, will have to serve long terms in a federal prison.

50 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 5, 1958

"You've witnessed the avalanche of traveling cars here on Memorial Day, and now you know we must do something about parking in St. Ignace," is the way Mayor A.G. Phillips introduced the discussion at council Monday, utilizing state dock areas for public parking.

Mackinac Bridge traffic for the month of May was far greater than in any month since last November, according to a report released Tuesday. A total of 80,030 vehicles crossed the bridge during the month, an increase of more than 57% over the 50,902 vehicles carried by the Michigan State Ferries during May 1957.

35 Years Ago

The Republican-News

& St. Ignace Enterprise

Thursday, June 7, 1973

Edwin Wuehle, president of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, will be the commencement speaker at the graduation of the Class of 1973 of LaSalle High School this Thursday, June 7.

Margaret Cronan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Cronan of St. Ignace, was selected to represent St. Ignace as the 1972-73 Miss Teen in auditions held in Sault Ste. Marie, and as such, is eligible to compete in the 1973 Michigan State competition of the International Talent and Beauty Pageant, which will be held at Eastern Michigan University on July 9-13.

15 Years Ago

The St. Ignace News

Thursday, June 3, 1993

There is virtually no risk to members of the Mackinac Straits Hospital Authority in a proposed 39-bed addition to the St. Ignace hospital's long-term care unit, township leaders were reassured last week.

Michigan Assistant Attorney General Barbara Brown, a St. Ignace native and graduate of LaSalle High School, will be the speaker for the school's 102nd commencement at 8 p.m. Friday, June 11.

When Beth Hamel leaves her Les Cheneaux Schools third grade classroom next week, she will be closing the book on a teaching career that conferred upon her a "Teacher of the Year" award, and the love and respect of students and colleagues alike.

The St. Ignace boys track team lived up to expectations Saturday, May 25, winning the school's first Class C Upper Peninsula Track and Field Championship, by edging Munising 43.5 to 43 in Marquette.

Cedarville's girls team retained its title in Class D, beating out second place Bessemer, 56-44.