[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9988]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LIFE OF LAWRENCE A. RUBIN--FATHER OF THE MACKINAC BRIDGE

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                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 27, 2010

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a true Michigan legend, 
Lawrence A. Rubin, the father of the Mackinac Bridge. Through his hard 
work and unbridled passion, Larry was at the heart of funding and 
building the Mackinac Bridge. It was with a heavy heart that I learned 
of his passing on May 11 at the age of 97, but I know that Larry's 
spirit will live on each time someone makes their first trip across 
that five mile expanse of concrete and steel suspended over the 
sparkling blue waters of the straits separating Lake Michigan and Lake 
Huron.
  Although he was born December 7, 1912 in the suburbs of Boston, 
Massachusetts, we Michiganders count Larry as one of our own. He 
graduated from the University of Michigan in 1934 with a degree in 
business. In addition to his studies, Larry played on Michigan's 
football team serving as a backup to future President Gerald Ford. 
After graduating, Larry opened an advertising agency and held several 
transportation focused positions before being appointed as Executive 
Secretary of the Mackinac Bridge Authority in 1950.
  The building of the Mackinac Bridge was by no means non-
controversial, and Larry was a key player in negotiating both the 
funding and construction phases of this expensive and expansive 
project. He not only attracted investors to purchase the bonds needed 
to fund construction of the bridge, but he also worked to make sure 
those bonds were repaid.
  Larry's vision for the Mackinac Bridge extended beyond simply making 
transportation between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas more 
convenient. From the beginning he recognized its potential to draw 
vacationers and tourists to the area. At five miles from shore to 
shore, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world in 1955 with 
46-story tall towers stretching to the sky. Whether driving in daylight 
over the churning waters of the Straits of Mackinac or under the 
illumination of its thousands of lights at night, the trip across the 
Mackinac Bridge is a captivating experience.
  One of the best known traditions of the Mackinac Bridge is the Labor 
Day Bridge Walk. This too can be traced to Larry, who organized the 
first Bridge Walk in June, 1958. The following year the Mackinac Bridge 
Walk was moved to Labor Day weekend. Larry's talent for accomplishing 
big things was again recognized--the Bridge Walk has grown from 68 
participants its first year to an average of 50,000-65,000 
participants.
  Larry may have officially retired from the Bridge Authority in 1983, 
but even in retirement he continued his involvement with the bridge, 
writing two books about the Mighty Mac, participating each year in the 
Labor Day Bridge Walk and even building his home overlooking the 
straits to allow him to see his beloved bridge each and every day.
  It was Larry's unfailing energy that ensured the success not only of 
the Mackinac Bridge, but in each endeavor he set out to do. He was 
active in the St. Ignace community, serving as director of the Upper 
Peninsula Travel and Recreation Association, chairman of the Mackinac 
Straits Hospital board and as a founder and board member of the local 
library. He was an avid downhill skier, and could be found hitting the 
slopes until he was 90.
  Madam Speaker, it is difficult to envision how the Mackinac Bridge 
would exist today without the drive and the vision of Larry Rubin. The 
bridge is a lasting symbol of a unified Michigan and for this we owe 
our heartfelt thanks and Michigan pride to Larry. With his passing, 
Michigan has lost an icon and our thoughts and prayers go out to his 
wife Elma and their family. Therefore Madam Speaker, I ask that you, 
and all of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, join me 
in honoring the life and accomplishments of Lawrence A. Rubin--the 
great champion and father of the Mackinac Bridge.

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