Tiny Northern Michigan Town Should Restore This Faded Landmark

The northern Michigan mining town of Negaunee has a rich history including being the smallest city in America to ever host a professional sports event.

But what could be a gleaming welcome way into town has been seemingly forgotten and could be revived to a former glory.

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The monument is the railroad underpass that serves Teal Lake Avenue from M-28, the main highway which bypasses downtown into the city's business district.

Today the overhead signage celebrates the city's high school sports team and celebrates the "Miners" from Titletown - a name better associated with Green Bay in Wisconsin to the south. A sign also points traffic to the "Negaunee Business District.

Lost behind the signage is the faded letters that spell out the town's name in the metal rail crossing: N-E-G-A-U-N-E-E. The leading N and E are largely faded and rusted away while the trailing E-E give a feel for the former look of the overpass.

The sides of the underpass are painted with a 4th of July scene on the western side and a panorama of Teal Lake and the Jackson mine on the east.

Drivers heading out of town heading north towards M-28/US-41 see just a blank, unpainted overpass with just a green patina of age.

Imagine the bit of civic pride from a gleaming overpass with the city's name freshly painted as residents and visitors pull into town.

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Gallery Credit: Eric Meier

Categories: Michigan News