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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — The 34 members of Northern Michigan University’s Marching Band will ring in the new year by marching and playing in London’s City of Westminster, leading the Lord Mayor of Westminster’s New Year’s Day Parade. While threat of terrorist activity is on the minds of some band members, most are concerned with shopping, sightseeing, and enjoying slightly warmer weather. “We’re all pretty excited,” said Band Director Dave Haglund. “A few of the students have been overseas, but most of them haven’t–and a handful have never flown before.” The band is scheduled to march by the hundreds of shops on London’s Oxford Street and members will get a chance to peek in the windows as they go. The band is one of 11–and the only university level band– from the United States invited to participate by the Lord Mayor. Also scheduled to attend is the West Bloomfield High School Band and bands from the Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany, and Italy. There will be 18 marching unites in the parade as well as floats. Each band will play briefly before the Lord Mayor’s reviewing stand at Royal Hyde Park in a performance judged by an international panel.

60 years ago

GWINN — The Laundromat owned and operated by Norman Hocking has been opened in the Vercellino building with washers with a 10-load capacity. The banks of the machines include 12 washers in addition to five 50-pound capacity gas dryers. Other features at the Laundromat include a coin-operated soap dispenser, water softener, automatic coin changer, and pop and cigarette dispensers. The unattended machines will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The interior of the building has been redecorated and a boiler capable of supplying up to 285 gallons of hot water an hour–enough to supply more than the number of washers available–has been installed. The machines have been arranged to allow for further expansion of facilities.