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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — The Tree Committee and Marquette Beautification and Restoration Committee celebrated Arbor Day last week by planting two trees on the south lawn at city hall. Margaret Hilton, winner of this year’s Big Tree Contest, was a special guest at the ceremony. Hilton nominated the prize-winning birch, which had a diameter of 48.7 inches, in the side yard at 510 East Michigan St. The Big Tree Society of Michigan has tagged the white birch as the second largest of its species in Michigan. Hilton received a crabapple tree from Timbercrest Nursery and a membership in the National Arbor Day Foundation from the beautification committee. The city of Marquette, now in its second year of a tree-planting program, will plant 75 trees within the city this spring. Residents interested in city-owned street trees can call city arborist Paul Albert.

90 years ago

MARQUETTE — The city street department has completed the overhauling of the driveway around Presque Isle and Charles A. Pearce, superintendent of the department, said Saturday that his men would return to the Spring Street pavement job today. An asphalt penetration pavement will be built on Spring Street from Third Street to Seventh and the street made uniform in width. Concrete curbs have been placed and a new crossing built at the Third Street intersection. After the Spring Street job is finished the department will turn its attention to the improvement of Lake Street from Washington around the lake shore to the foot of East Ridge. This is the major improvement project in this season’s street program, $10,000 having been put in the budget for it. The street will be given an asphalt penetration pavement.