State Park Beach Back in Business on Grand & Glorious Memorial Day
Pine Ridge Cemetery Group Marks 150th Anniversary of Birney's Death
May 28, 2007
By: Dave Rogers
Beach at State Park attracted scores of swimmers and sunbathers on Memorial Day.
Bagpiper Harry Farris of the Rotary Club of Bay City pipes a rousing number to kick off a brief ceremony of tribute to James G. Birney at Pine Ridge Cemetery.
It was a grand and glorious Memorial Day, one to remember especially for cool breezes and soothing sunshine.
Swimmers, sunbathers and just plain outdoor lovers returned to the beach at Bay City State Recreation Area in good numbers after volunteers worked all last week to clear muck and sift sand using a new $28,000 beach cleaner.
Veterans groups held dozens of memorial services at area cemeteries and a local historical group, Friends of Historic Pine Ridge Cemetery, observed the 150th anniversary of the death of James G. Birney, Bay City pioneer and first anti-slavery Presidential candidate.
Eric Jylha, Bay County Historical Society President, and Dee Dee Wacksman and Keith Markstrom of the 7th Michigan Cavalry Civil War Round Table were among speakers at the Pine Ridge event.
Frank Hoese, director, Don Girardeau,staff member, and Parmenter House student volunteers were honored for a stellar job in upkeep of the cemetery for the past two years.
Birney died at age 65 on November 25, 1857 after a lifetime of struggle against slavery and two pathfinding candidacies for President on the Liberty Party ticket. Birney lived in Bay City from 1842 until 1853 and died in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
A Beach Wellness Run early this spring paid off for county commissioners Ernie Krygier and Kim Coonan, County Financial Analyst Robert Redmond and a host of volunteers.
The group raised the money to buy equipment used to transform the 1,200 foot long beach at State Park into a replica of the old days, with clean sugar sand and shoreline.
A floating dock has been installed as a bridge from the shore to cleaner water and others are planned as the season progresses. The docks are one solution to shoreline muck.
Members of the Beach Wellness committee told Jeff Kart of The Bay City Times last week that they may ask farmers whose cattle may be contributing to beach muck to help in the cleanup. The ongoing job requires several pieces of heavy equipment and many volunteers to stay ahead of the problem.
The group has vowed to continue efforts to keep the beach clean and battle mysterious muck that washes up, caused by algae and runoff from the Saginaw River Watershed.
Across the nation, honored dead of all wars were recalled with patriotic fervor. Flags waved, bands played and veterans bowed their heads to the sound of a bugler playing "Taps" in the traditional way. Firing squads blast three rifle shots in an age-old custom said to date to ancient times when Indians would fire arrows into the air to scare evil spirits away from the graves of the departed.
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