Since Bridgefest, which took place this past weekend, was overshadowed by the devastating flash floods in our area, we’re going into the archives for a U.P. Bridgefest on the Pasty Cam. We start out with a view from the Mackinac Bridge, taken in 2003, by Josh Griffin. He said he was crossing around 9:30 p.m. when he snapped this beauty.

The next photo was captured by Cindy Freeman in 2014. You can barely tell, but that’s the Mighty Mac peeking out of the fog bank. Weird how it’s covering the middle section of the Bridge, yet the towers are rising mysteriously from the center.

The Bridge featured back in 2016, was one of the predecessors to the current Portage Lake Lift Bridge. I don’t have a year handy for when this Bridge was in operation, so feel free to chime in with that if you happen to know the timeframe.

And of course you are all familiar with the present structure that spans the Portage Canal and takes us back and forth from the “island” many of us call home here in the Copper Country. Melanie Hakala Rossi took this photo just yesterday and you can see how brown the water is from the mud and sludge that has flowed into the canal from the recent flooding. It’s been amazing how quickly many of the washouts are being repaired. There are still a number of roads closed, but detours are operating and keeping traffic flowing smoothly.

Today’s video feature gives us a quick history lesson about the area and the bridges that have connected the towns of Houghton and Hancock through the years.

One of our Pasty Cam viewers has asked me to post the following message:

I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP WITH SOMETHING EXCEPTIONALLY DEAR TO ME: Until July 15th, the proceeds from every single sale of my Book and Albums, sold off my Website, A.J. Harrison Music will go to the catastrophe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! 100% of everything will be donated. I will make $0.00 on this endeavor. Please help me to help them. Spread the word please. It is unbelievable up there, and this is where my roots lie. Please help me to help them.
Thanks very much! . . . A.J. Harrison

That's a lot of bridges to cross.
A.J....I visited your website and found an interesting book in "Sponsored products related to this item", will this go towards your proceeds???

That brown water reminds me of Torch Lake when the Quincy dredges were operating when I was a kid. Heard on TV that the last time that much rain fell in Houghton county was 1909. The damage really covered a large area UP there.

Yes, Ken, it reminded me of Torch Lake
also. There was a post on FB from Neil
Harri of the mud entering the big lake out
at the North entry. So terribly sad.

I hope it doesn't take long to rebuild.
You just don't expect this UP there. God
help them.

The bridge pictures are great. I've
always loved that one of the Mighty Mac
with the freighters passing under.
Beautiful!

So terribly sad to hear of the 12 year old boy that died due to the flooding in Stanton township. In the midst of the flooding it was reported that a basement wall collapsed on him.

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