In the News... Built in a Day

 According to this article from the June 11, 1913 edition of the Nevada State Journal (Reno, NV), a 250-mile stretch of the future US-23, between Bay City and Mackinaw City, was built in ONE day by the hardworking citizens of Northeastern Michigan.

EIGHT THOUSAND JOIN IN ROAD WORK
Alpena, Mich., June 10. --


Eight thousand business and professional men and farmers in Northeastern Michigan made road laborers of themselves and constructed more than 250 miles of roadway between Bay City and Mackinaw City.  Where there had been at sunrise mile after mile of corduroy road, sand holes and swamps [by] night fall found an almost unbroken stretch of leveled highway.  The new roadway forms a part of the state highway from Detroit to Mackinaw City.  The stretch built yesterday passes through 48 townships.  Four thousand teams and 750 automobiles participated in the great bee.  The women of the country also did their share of the work, 500 of them being engaged in the task of feeding the workers along the route.

From the modern perspective, it's pretty mind-blowing to think about - every man between Bay City and Mackinaw City voluntarily sacrificing an entire day to accomplish such a big task.  Can you imagine what we could accomplish today if we were all willing to donate our time and work together for just one day?