January 1960
- charliebunton
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Rogers City rang in 1960 with a birth announcement that felt like a promise for the new decade. At 2:49 p.m., in the caring hands of Dr. Arthur Foley, Rebecca Sue Heythaler became the first baby born in Presque Isle County that year — a bright new addition to the family of Wilfred "Tommy" and Marilyn Heythaler of Belknap. Soon she'll be wrapped into the warm chaos of an already lively household, greeted by her siblings Jamie, Sherri, Laurel, and Timothy, five young Heythalers now carrying the new decade forward together.
While the Heythaler family welcomed new life, the rest of Rogers City welcomed winter the way it always has: with skis strapped on and eyes turned toward the slopes. Snow had fallen in a clean, bright layer over the countryside, the kind that softens sound and sharpens color. Up at Black Mountain Ski Area, the Rogers City High School Ski Club embraced the season with the enthusiasm only winter lovers truly understand. Weekends were spent carving trails through powder, breath rising in clouds, laughter echoing between the trees. Under the sponsorship of teacher Donald Hudak, and led this year by club president John Vogelheim, the group carried on a tradition that stitched together youth, community, and the thrill of cold wind on warm faces. It was the kind of winter ritual that made the world feel both wide and welcoming.
Down at the Calcite plant, winter meant steady, deliberate, and essential work. Preparations for the spring shipping season were underway, the kind of behind‑the‑scenes labor that kept the great machinery of Rogers City industry humming. But this winter also brought change. Christian Beukema, long‑time President of Michigan Limestone Division of U.S. Steel, had been named President of U.S. Steel’s Oliver Iron Mining Division in Duluth. His successor, Carl G. Hogberg, stepped into the role with decades of experience behind him. A native of Escanaba and a graduate of Michigan College of Mining and Technology in Houghton, Hogberg had been with U.S. Steel since 1935. Rogers City welcomes him and looks forward to the direction he'll bring in the years to come.
Across town, members of the Rogers City Kiwanis Club gathered to commemorate their twenty-fifth anniversary, having been chartered on January 29, 1935, during a dinner meeting at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Dr. Samuel Rutledge was chosen as the first president, with Edward Westrope as vice president, John Sibley as secretary, and Reverend S.J. Francis as treasurer. Surviving charter members attended to celebrate this significant milestone.
And finally, for hockey fans and sports lovers alike, a historic moment unfolded on the ice. Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe added yet another extraordinary chapter to his career, tallying a goal and an assist in his 888th career game — a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. With that performance, Howe officially became the National Hockey League's all-time leading scorer, surpassing the legendary Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens and pushing his career point total to an astonishing 947. It's a reminder that greatness, built game by game, season by season, eventually writes itself into the record books.
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