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

30 years ago

MARQUETTE — The busiest road in the U.P., U.S. Highway 41, will be undergoing changes to restore traffic order. The comprehensive plan, which will be an expected cost of $27,000, will be updated regularly as of now, and twenty years into the future. Les Ross, director of planning for Sundberg, Carlson, and Associates says the city no longer wants to or should develop along the highway. The big picture for the plan is improving quality of life that is being diminished by dangerous traffic patterns. To account for the danger, in part, is the speed at which people drive as well as the amount of people on the road per day (the township population has increased from 2,669 in 1980 to 2,757 in 1990, and is steadily growing.) For immediate changes to the highway, the Michigan Department of Transportation will install two one sided traffic lights between the entrances to Wal-Mart and Kmart in the summer.

60 years ago

HOUGHTON — Michigan Technological University is sponsoring a summer conference on the geology of Lake Superior through a grant funded by the National Science Foundation. Twenty-five American and Canadian college geology teachers will receive travel and living expenses to attend the conference under Tech’s professors of Geology and Geographical Engineering. Participants will spend most of their time on the 1,600 mile field studying Lake Superior, visiting mining areas and provide knowledge on the precious mineral deposits of the mining districts. The group’s intent is to outline the present and future problems of the economic development and exploitation of the region’s ore deposits.