Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
John Frello, from left, Richard Steiger, Dan Cvengros and Connie Pricco read the Declaration of Independence in front of Bessemer City Hall Sunday afternoon.
BESSEMER - While the Fourth of July weekend has become filled with cookouts and fireworks, a small crowd gathered in downtown Bessemer Sunday to recite the Declaration of Independence and mark the historical context of the holiday.
After talking briefly about the history of the document; Connie Pricco, Dan Cvengros, Richard Steiger and John Frello took turns reciting the declaration's text. The group read several parts in unison, including the famous "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
Once they finished, Pricco pointed out that the words weren't written that long ago.
"It's not that long ago in relative terms," Pricco told the assembled crowd. "We're a young country."
The group then took a tour of downtown Bessemer, learning about its history - including Sophie and Lead streets' origin as Indian trails and the Works Progress Administration's role in building the Bessemer City Hall.
