Twenty five years ago the Battle Creek Enquirer published a picture of two Calhoun County Road Commission bridge crew, Doug Shilling and Mike Hackworth, assembling the first of five historic truss bridges in the Calhoun County Historic Bridge Park. Today these five bridges continue to provide visitors to the park with a connection to the past, to the craftsmen who fabricated Michigan’s early transportation road system. This week Calhoun County voters are asked to consider renewing a millage that funds the development and maintenance of local parks. The millage, first approved by voters in 2020, has already resulted in significant improvements popular with visitors to the county’s many parks. Among the parks that will benefit from a renewal of the millage is the Historic Bridge Park. Preserving and enhancing the park will give those who visit the historic bridges a renewed appreciation of Michigan history and craftsmanship.
Vern Mesler, 2024
