Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BESSEMER HISTORICAL Society members meet Thursday in Bessemer. Ed Sandene is wearing the black hat and clockwise from him are, seated, Connie Pricco, Dick Steiger, Jim Rouse, Myron Re and Dan Cvengros. The society picked Dustin Filippini to create a trifold advertisement for the society before summer arrives to identify historical places of interest for area visitors.
By IAN MINIELLY
Bessemer - The Bessemer Historical Society met Thursday afternoon to talk about old times.
It is a new year for membership dues. The society is up to 132 members.
Ed Sandene discussed an inquiry he received recently. An individual had reached out to him regarding a parachutist who came to Bessemer around 1940 with a Ford TriMotor plane. Two local pilots took the parachutist and his triangle chute up for each of his 46 jumps, which set a world record at the time for number of jumps in a day. For 50 cents a passenger could ride up in the plane with them.
Local resident and businessman Dustin Filippino addressed the society regarding his ability to produce trifold advertisements to inform visitors of key area sites. The board agreed unanimously to hire Filippino to produce 1,000 brochures before the summer so they are available for the big events coming up.
Connie Pricco is taking point with Filippino as the board works through her with a common voice.
The old newspaper storage issue was discussed. The storage boxes range in price from $16 to $40 and the board discussed how to keep the papers in usable condition and how many boxes are necessary. Cindy Olsen informed Sandene she would be willing to work with the society on preservation, as she has some experience in this. Myron Re volunteered to assist.
The board brought up the issue of having some of the old newspapers on microfilm, but lacks a microfilm reading machine. They have a need for a microfilm reader and considered different methods of engaging if anyone has one lying around.
The board approved donations to the city of Bessemer and Bessemer Township regarding Fourth of July donations.
Sandene said an article he wrote was recently published in the Finnish American Reporter, a monthly newspaper published by Finlandia University in Hancock. Two people had responded to the article, a 98-year-old man in Connecticut and another person from California with historical ties to the area.
