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

30 years ago

NEGAUNEE–It may feel like the Upper Peninsula is getting its January temperatures in December this year, but it’s not. It’s actually colder than that. Extremely cold temperatures have made this one of the coldest Decembers on record, even for the usually frozen U.P. Temperatures this month at the National Weather Service’s station at Marquette County Airport have averaged 10.1 degrees this month–9.5 degrees below the December average. “It’s even below normal for January,” said Jerry Smith, a forecaster for the National Weather Service, this morning. “On our 30-year average, the coldest days of the year are Jan. 21-23 with an average of 11 degrees, then it starts warming up about one degree a week. Marquette set its second record low for the month this morning with a 21 below zero mark, eclipsing the old mark of 15 below set in 1970, according to the National Weather Service. When the wind chill is added to that, the temperature was in the 40-below range.

90 years ago

ISHPEMING–All of Ishpeming’s street and sidewalk plowing equipment was in action early yesterday morning and residents had little difficulty traveling about the city, although the storm continued throughout the day. Plows went into service yesterday morning at 4 o’clock and by 7 o’clock roads leading to mines were opened. After the principal highways were cleared, crews attacked snow in the downtown and residential sections and by noon nearly all streets were plowed sufficiently to permit traffic to move with little difficulty. Besides the men used on the plows, a large force was employed to work with shovels, the men following the plows and opening up cross walks and street intersections after the plows passed.