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Superiorland Yesterdays

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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — Closure of the Ropes Gold Mine doesn’t surprise Wattsson & Wattsson Jewelers of Marquette, whose main claim to fame is its “Michigan Gold” products made from Ropes’ precious metal. The Marquette jewelers’ U.P. gold products have won several awards for the business including U.P. Business of the Year from the Marquette Chamber of Commerce. “We plan to produce pure U.P. gold products to the end of the year,” said Ron Wattsson, owner and vice-president of the company. “Past that, we’ll have to start diluting with other gold. We should have enough to keep producing products with U.P. gold for the next five to 10 years.”

Wattsson & Wattsson produces more than 400 items made of gold exclusively from Ropes, including rings, pendants, pins and coins. Production of pure U.P. gold items will continue through the Christmas season, and as diluted items with about 30 percent U.P. gold beyond that. “In fact,” Wattsson said, “the mine’s closure may even help sales. I think anyone who has been holding off may feel spurred to purchase now.”

60 years ago

SAWYER AIR FORCE BASE — “Sir, I present the command.” With these words, command of the 56th Fighter Group, O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, will be assumed by Col. Phillip N. Loring, commander of K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base. The changeover will also mark deactivation to stand-by status of the 473rd Fighter Group, currently stationed at Sawyer. Command will be given over by Lt. Col. Russell C. Jackson. The move will mark the end of the Air Force’s Air Defense Command activity at O’Hare. The command’s other unit, the 62nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, moved to Sawyer Aug. 1 and is in the process of converting from F-86 aircraft to supersonic F-101B fighters.

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