EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

SANDS TOWNSHIP — The air was filled with familiar aromas — pasties, chickens roasting on the spit, nachos, Italian sausage — while squeals of fright and delight came from nearby carnival rides. A field away, a stream of cars idled, waiting to park in one of several hundred parking spaces bulldozed out of sand at the new Marquette County Fair. “I never expected this turnout,” said Charles Bergdahl, fair board president. That seemed to be the general reaction of officials and visitors to the first Marquette County Fair, which replaced the Marquette County Festival at Lakeview Area in Marquette. With rides provided by Skerbeck Carnivals of Escanaba, Midway games, horse shows, baking and cooking contests, the fair drew people from all over the Upper Peninsula. Bill Daniel, a Sawyer Air Force Base airman who was flanked by his wife and two children, praised the event. “We like it,” said Daniel. “They did a good job.” Bergdahl said the fair board plans to develop the Marquette County Fair until it rivals the Upper Peninsula State Fair held in Escanaba. Bergdahl speculated that as many as 30,000 people will visit the fair. County Board Chairman Gerald Corkin was pleased that so much was done at the site in so little time. Construction began June 18 at the 60-acre site several miles west of the intersection of Marquette County roads 553 and 480.

60 years ago

NEGAUNEE — Following the painting of lines denoting parking stalls by public works department personnel, Lt. Robert Johnson of the Negaunee City Police called the attention of local motorists to the fact that angle parking is now in effect on Marquette Street. “This is an improvement which has been recommended by the police department in an attempt to eliminate the unusually large number of scraped and dented fenders which occurred when motorists used this area for parking,” Lt. Johnson sai