[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 87 (Thursday, June 10, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S4846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF MANISTIQUE

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the small towns and cities that dot 
this great Nation are at the core of our country's character and 
cultural fabric. These communities, and the legacy they embody, fashion 
the great American story through their unique chapters in this ongoing 
narrative. It is in this spirit that I recognize the sesquicentennial 
anniversary of the founding of the city of Manistique, MI. The 
residents of this great city will come together to celebrate this 
significant milestone with a summer of festivities.
  This community in the upper peninsula was first named in 1860 by 
Charles Harvey, a businessman who sought to build a small dam on the 
Manistique River. He would first name the area Epsport, after his 
wife's family name. In 1879, Epsport was named county seat of 
Schoolcraft county, and a few years later, it was renamed Manistique 
Township. This area experienced a period of rapid development, 
beginning in 1872 with the relocation of Weston Lumber Company to 
Manistique by its founder, Abijah Weston. The rise of the timber 
industry spurred the creation of other industries, such as limestone, 
shingles, cooperage, a box factory, a charcoal iron company and a 
handle factory.
  Like many small towns and cities in the upper peninsula, Manistique 
has navigated major shifts in its core economy. The timber industry 
peaked in this region around 1920 and, along with it, the city's 
population, boasting close to 10,000 residents, aided also by the 
expansion of the Soo Line Railroad to the area. As the timber industry 
declined, it was replaced by farming, limestone production and a paper 
mill, and after World War II, tourism emerged as a major industry. 
Nestled along the northern shore of Lake Michigan where the lake meets 
the Manistique River, this region offers tourists considerable natural 
beauty and countless opportunities to experience the outdoors in its 
natural state, from the shores of Lake Michigan, to the Seney National 
Wildlife Refuge, to Hiawatha National Forest, to name a few.
  Manistique's sesquicentennial anniversary is a tribute to the 
strength and perseverance of its citizens and to the many that have 
played a role in the formation and evolution of this city from its 
inception. I invite my colleagues in the Senate to join me in 
recognizing this milestone, and I wish the residents of this city 
another century and a half of achievement and success.

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