10/27/11 Two events were recently held to dedicate the Historic Michigan Road Byway. The first event was held in the northern half of the state in Logansport on October 14th. The People’s Winery, housed in a historic bank building on the byway, and Bridgewater Catering hosted the event. It included a proclamation by Logansport Mayor Mike Fincher naming October 14th as Michigan Road Day in Logansport, comments by co-chairs of the byway committee Jim Grey and Kurt Garner, and a ribbon-cutting in front of the People’s Winery across the newly named Historic Michigan Road Byway. The byway logo, designed by committee member Kado Downs, was also unveiled at the event.
The second celebratory event was held on October 18th in Greensburg. A reception was held at High Point Orchard’s events hall which is a restored 1854 barn that overlooks the byway. Mainstreet Greensburg played host to the event. Mainstreet Greensburg’s executive director, Bryan Robbins, and High Point’s owner, Randy Cyman, spoke about the economic impact anticipated due to the byway designation.
Lt. Governor Becky Skillman signed the order designating the Michigan Road as a byway on September 9, 2011. A committee composed of individuals from the counties through which the historic route passes will meet in early 2012 to set priorities for signage and marketing. The byway will tap into the growing heritage tourism industry, which will prove a valuable development tool for local communities’ economies. For more information on the Historic Michigan Road Byway contact the committee or take a tour of the road at HistoricMichiganRoad.org. The Historic Michigan Road is also on Facebook.
Photo 1) Kurt Gardner and Kado Downs of Logansport unveil logo.
Photo 2) Committee members Katherine Taul, Ripley County Tourism, Jim Grey, co-chair from Indianapolis, Melanie Maxwell, Decatur County Tourism, Kurt Garner, co-chair from Marshall County, and Bryan Robbins, Mainstreet Greensburg.
Photo 3) The ribbon cutting has (l to r) Kurt Garner, Mayor Fincher, Jim Grey, Kado Downs, Terry Lee-Fulton Co. Economic Development Director, and Bonnie Maxwell, Carroll County EDC., all committee members except for Mayor Fincher.
