Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BESSEMER'S NEW Ethnic Commons Park and Trailhead will officially be dedicated during a ceremony on Wednesday. The park, which honors the different nationalities of people who established the city, was a Downtown Development Authority effort that began five years ago.
BESSEMER - After a five-year process, the Bessemer Downtown Development Authority will formally dedicate the city's new Ethnic Commons Park and Trailhead on Wednesday.
The Gogebic Range Concert Band will play "The Star Spangled Banner" while the A.D. Johnston Choir sing the lyrics.
In addition to dedicating the new park, the event will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of "The Star Spangled Banner," written by Francis Scott Key.
A 17-by-25-feet replica of the garrison flag from Fort McHenry will be on display at the dedication.
The original flag, which has 15 stars and 15 stripes, and inspired Key's writing of the anthem, is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. The replica was provided by the Fort McHenry National Park and Shrine in Baltimore, Md.
Various community organizations will raise the U.S. flag at the dedication, along with flags from six countries to honor the diverse immigrants who settled Bessemer: Cornwall, Croatia, Finland, Italy, Poland and Sweden.
Panels next to each of the flagpoles will offer stories of the immigrants who came to the area to work in the mines, forests and start businesses in the late 1800s and early 20th century.
Bessemer's mayor, Butch Semmerling, and other city council members will hold a ribbon cutting. There will also be a few honorary ribbon cutters whose parents actually immigrated to Bessemer from the various countries being honored.
The musical group Dorothy and the Boys will be adding some ethnic music during the program, and Marty's Goldenaires will perform at 7 p.m.
Janice Massie, of the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, and Melissa Rajala, Bessemer's library director, have organized a two-part art project for the dedication ceremony.
Third and fifth graders from Washington Elementary School have been studying mining and logging in the area. Drawings on the topics done by the students will be on display in the old Gambles building on Sophie Street.
Local artists have also drawn pencil and charcoal portraits of their ancestors. Organizers of the dedication said since the park focuses on heritage, the portraits fit in very well with the ceremony. The portraits will be on display in the Sophie Street Cafe.
Ethnic costumes are encouraged and all are welcome to attend the dedication, which will begin at 6 p.m.
Refreshments will be available after the program in the park on Mary Street.
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Bessemer City Hall auditorium.
