Bay Cityan Part of Big Mackinac Bridge Celebration 50 Years Ago
Bay City's Francis E. Brown, Consumers Power Representative, Paraded
July 6, 2008
By: Dave Rogers
Bay City's F.E. Brown poses in a 1953 Oldsmobile convertible with Miss Baraga County during the Mackinac Bridge dedication parade 50 years ago.
The Mackinac Bridge -- Dedicated in 1958
Fifty years ago, in late June 1958, the Mackinac Bridge was dedicated, with a prominent Bay Cityan involved in the parade of 103 Oldsmobiles carrying queens from each of Michigan's 83 counties.
Although the bridge was completed Nov. 1, 1957, it was not opened to the public until June 28, 1958. A gigantic celebration was staged to mark the historic event.
The cavalcade across the bridge was comprised of 103 white 1953 Oldsmobiles, 83 carrying queens from every Michigan county and the other 20 with dignitaries.
Francis E. Brown, Consumers Power Company public relations representative from this area, a well-known local civic figure, drove one of the convertibles carrying Miss Baraga County. (The late Mr. Brown was the father of Dr. Randy Brown, Bay City dentist, who furnished the historic photo to MyBayCity.com.)
Another Bay Cityan, Richard DeMara, now a general in the Michigan National Guard and active in the Bay County Historical Society, was a young ironworker on that project; several members of his trade fell to their deaths during construction. More than 11,000 workers were involved in the project.
Before the Mackinac Bridge, travelers between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas had to cross the Straits on an hour-long ferry ride. On busy weekends, like the start of hunting season or the Fourth of July, travelers would have to wait as long as 24 hours to catch a ferry.
Bridge walkers file across Big Mac in the 2000 Labor Day Bridge Walk; this year's walk will be the 50th since Gov. G. Mennen Williams led 65 walkers across the bridge.
(MyBayCity Internet Photo)
Although the bridge was envisioned as long ago as the late 1800s, State Sen. Prentiss M. Brown, Sr. was the key figure in the bridge construction project. Brown became known as the "Father of the Mackinac Bridge."
Governor-elect G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams was another strong advocate for the bridge and helped sponsor the Mackinac Bridge Authority in 1950. The bridge designer was Dr. David B. Steinman and primary construction firms were Merrit-Chapman & Scott and the American Bridge Division of U.S. Steel.
Rising 552 feet (55 stories) above the Straits of Mackinac joining lakes Michigan and Huron, the world famed Mackinac Bridge is an engineering marvel 5 miles long. "Mighty Mac" is the longest suspension bridge in the world.
The Mackinac Bridge is considered as one of the most outstanding engineering achievements of the century. The 100 millionth crossing of the bridge happened on June 25, 1998.###
