Labor Day Albion 2019 – Walk the Trail included an educational segment in Holland Park.
Dr. Wes Dick, Albion College professor of history, talked about the origin of Labor Day, and how the Great Migration came about after World War I stopped the flow of immigrants to the United States. The immigrants had been the source of labor for much of the northern factories, and so new workers were brought north from the southern states. He then introduced Bob Wall, another historian, and teacher.
Bob talked about his experience attending West Ward School, that started as a school in the ward of Albion that was on the west side of town. It started off as a place where the immigrant children attended. Even though the school did not provide equal quality of books, the teachers there did a good job preparing the students for the world and acclimating them to the ways of the North, that was different from the South.
After the talks about Labor and Education, members of the North Country Trail Association, Mark Lelle, and Eric Worley talked about Albion’s new Trail Town status. Worley is the president of the Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce. Albion is also the hub of four trails, as the video explains.
Then, Leslie Dick talks about the earliest trails that run across Michigan, roughly following the old Michigan Avenue and I-94.
The hikers were treated to hot pizza from Hungry Howies Albion, and cold water from Ruperts Culligan of Albion.
Labor Day Albion – Walk the Trail is sponsored by Albion Health Care Alliance.
See a photo tour of Labor Day Albion 2019 – Walk the Trail by clicking on the image below.
Thanks to this and other Albion hiking events, Albion is now recognized as a Trail Town by North Country Trail Association.
Click on the logo above to see the official information about Albion Trail Town.
See information about Labor Day Albion – Walk the Trail 2018.
Labor Day Albion – Walk the Trail 2017
Labor Day Albion – Walk the Trail 2016.
