Billy Bushy, the Big Bay hermit
MARQUETTE — In 1933-34, William “Billy” Bushy, a hermit living near Big Bay “set a state isolation record” after spending the winter “holed-in” on his homestead, having gone six months and ten days without seeing another person. A newspaper article documenting the feat does not ...
1946 Mather Iron Mine Strike
MARQUETTE — In honor of Labor Day, we’re looking back at the 1946 Marquette Iron Range Strike. During World War II, workers and unions pledged not to strike and as a result, they experienced stagnant wages and benefits during the four years of the war. The end of the war saw an incoming ...
Mary Ann Peck was NORTORIOUS
By JIM KOSKI and BETH GRUBER Marquette Regional History Center Special to the Journal MARQUETTE — In the 1880s, Mary Ann Peck was a notorious resident of south Marquette. Her early life is a mystery. She was born in Michigan around 1845-1850, apparently of Mitis ancestry. In 1873 she had a daughter, Mary, but more commonly called Maud. The first official record, the 1880 U.S. Census, shows Mary Ann and Maud in Marquette. Mary Ann was a seamstress but as a single mother, her employment opportunities were quite limited and she eventually turned to an illicit profession to ...