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

30 years ago

September 28, 1992 RAPID RIVER – The Delta County Townships Association won’t vote on a proposed countywide 911 dispatch until individual township boards act on it. The association met late last week in Rapid River and heard a presentation by County Commissioner Tom Elegeert, who said the cities of Gladstone and Escanaba have approved the concept. Some members of the association asked Elegeert for a more formal written explanation of costs and present to their boards. Township representatives, preferring not to vote on the plan, asked that it be sent to each township for consideration. The proposal would not require a millage such as the one defeated by voters last spring. Instead, a charge equaling 4 percent of basic telephone service would be applied to monthly bills for each phone line in a home or business. Elegeert said the telephone companies are also entitled to collect about 25 cents to recover their costs.

60 years ago

September 28, 1962 – ISHPEMING — Backyard gardeners and homeowners having a few apple trees in their yards can take part in the Marquette County Harvest Festival to be held in the National Guard Armory in Ishpeming next month. Melvin N. Nyquist, Marquette, county extension director for Michigan State University, said there are classes in the festival for those growing primarily winter vegetables. The festival will take place this year on Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 11 through 13. Vegetables which can be exhibited must all be cleaned, but not washed, Nyquist said. There are places for exhibits in white and yellow onions, pumpkin, carrots, rutabaga, and beets. There are also classes for cabbage (where three heads must be exhibited), acorn, hubbard, buttercup and any other squash, where three of each must be exhibited, he added. All of the exhibits are open to anyone in the county. In the apple class peck samples of apples must be exhibited and not plates, with the exception of crab apples. Exhibits will be accepted in Wealthy, Wolf River, Snow, McIntosh and any other varieties. One of the other classes which is rather unique to the Marquette County Harvest Festival is the exhibit of Christmas trees. The trees exhibited must be from four to seven feet high, Nyquist stated. The exhibitors must furnish their own stands and they must have trees for sale. Trees to be exhibited will include the Balsam Fir, White and Black Spruce, and Red or Scotch Pine.