July 1959
- charliebunton
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Summer has arrived with all its warmth and wonder, and the whole town is turning out for the event everyone waits for all year: the Fourth of July celebration. For weeks the excitement has been building, and nowhere more so than among the thirteen spirited young women competing for the title of Miss Limestone Queen. Under this year's cheerful slogan, "Everyone Wears A Button," each contestant sold buttons at a dollar apiece, with a minimum of 75 required to qualify, and the top five sellers earning a coveted spot on the royal court. From there, a panel of three judges faced the difficult task of choosing a queen from among so many deserving young women.
In the end, 17-year-old Jane Yarch claimed the crown, joined on her court by Sandra Robarge, Ruby Claus, Carol Claus, and Darlene Felax. The other contestants, Kay Morley, Marilyn Peltz, Christine Stafford, Gladys Modrzynski, Beverly Altman, Sally Lamb, and Connie Meyers, brought their own grace and spirit to a competition that made the whole town proud.
The celebration itself was nothing short of spectacular. A grand parade marched down Third Street, followed by a giant barbecue dinner that drew neighbors together over good food and good company. A softball game pitted Rogers City against Ann Arbor in a friendly test of small-town pride. As evening fell, the Queen's Ball took center stage, with the Jack Braun Orchestra of Ann Arbor providing the music as Queen Jane Yarch was crowned by Lewis Patterson, Manager of the Northern District of Michigan Limestone.
There was something for every age: a kiddie parade and children's field games kept the youngest residents entertained, a water sports show thrilled crowds along the shore, and a bustling midway carnival with its food booths filled the air with laughter and the smell of summer treats. The Rogers City Community Band gave a concert that carried the spirit of the day into the evening, and when darkness finally settled over Lake Huron, a dazzling fireworks display lit up the sky in a fitting finale to the festivities.
This year's celebration carried an extra note of international flavor, as 70 foreign exchange students representing 22 countries joined in the festivities, experiencing firsthand how Americans celebrate their independence. Their visit included a tour of the Calcite Plant and an afternoon soaking in the fun at Lakeside Park, a memorable glimpse of small-town America at its best.
Sharp-eyed parade watchers also noticed something new fluttering above the Post Office: a 49-star flag, freshly designed this year to honor Alaska's admission as the nation's 49th state, its stars arranged in seven tidy rows of seven.
The excitement hasn't been limited to the holiday alone. It has already been a remarkably busy summer at Quarry View, where visitors from around the globe have gathered to watch the plant and quarry operations unfold below the viewing stand at Calcite. More than 10,000 people have already signed the guest book this season, a testament to the enduring fascination with this corner of Michigan's industrial heritage.
Rogers City is also welcoming a new doctor this summer, and one whose name will sound familiar to longtime residents. Dr. Richard Foley, a 1958 graduate of the Medical School of Marquette University, has joined his brother Dr. Arthur Foley in practice, continuing a tradition of care that began with their father, the late Dr. Ernest Foley of Alpena, a widely respected surgeon in the region for many years. Richard's arrival marks the start of what promises to be many years of dedicated service to the community.
Not every moment of the season has been quite so celebratory. Rising summer heat set the stage for a wildfire that broke out along the Swan River just south of town, consuming acres of dry grass and brush before the swift response of the Rogers City Fire Department brought the blaze under control, sparing the surrounding area from more serious damage.
Out on the water, the crew of the Str. Calcite had a rescue to remember. At dusk, First Mate Robert Schepler and Wheelsman William Miller spotted a small rowboat adrift roughly ten miles out in Saginaw Bay, carrying four boys from Whittemore, ages 14 to 20, who had anchored offshore to fish and found themselves swept out by a stiff and building wind. For five harrowing hours, as gusts climbed to 30 miles per hour, the boys fought to keep their boat pointed into the waves and out of danger. Cold, soaked, and frightened but unhurt, they were pulled to safety and treated to a warm dinner aboard the Calcite before being reunited with their relieved parents onshore, a story of courage and quick thinking that will be told in Rogers City for years to come.
Finally, a number of local residents made the trip to nearby Indian River to witness a moment of real historical significance: the dedication of the Cross in the Woods Catholic shrine. What began in 1946 as a small mission founded by Rev. Charles D. Brophy to serve the area's Catholic community has grown into something extraordinary. In 1954, workers raised a towering 55-foot cross carved from a single 2,000-year-old Oregon redwood. This month, after four years of painstaking work, renowned Michigan sculptor Marshall Fredericks completed his masterwork, a 28-foot bronze figure of Jesus Christ weighing seven tons, and it was finally bolted into place upon the cross. It is a moment destined to echo far beyond this summer, as the shrine is poised to become one of Michigan's most beloved roadside destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year for decades to come.
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