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August 30, 2005Fire destroys Mackinaw City landmark that held bridge artifactsBuilding housed museum, eateryByRecord-Eagle staff writer MACKINAW CITY - Authorities continue to search for the cause of a fire that destroyed a Straits area landmark that housed the largest known collection of artifacts from the Mackinac Bridge construction. Fire overwhelmed a historic building that housed Mama Mias Pizza and the Mackinac Bridge Museum. The blaze began around 10 a.m. Sunday and took firefighters four hours to control and nine hours to extinguish. Both businesses are owned by 77-year-old J.C. Stilwell, an ironworker who helped build the bridge that opened to traffic in 1957. The entire building was destroyed, officials said, including the downstairs restaurant and the upstairs museum. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, the lone injury among the 80 firefighters called to the scene in downtown Mackinaw City. Seven fire departments responded, including members of the Mackinac Island Fire Department. "It was a hot one. A lot of smoke and flame," said Mackinaw City Police Chief Patrick C. Wyman, also a volunteer firefighter. Among the ruined bridge artifacts were drawings and designs of the bridge, documents, photographs, tools used during construction, hard-hats and a diving suit. The free museum opened in 1980 and was popular among thousands of visitors to the Straits area each year. Mike Thompson, employed at both the restaurant and museum, said it seemed odd not to be at work. He said the fire is a devastating loss to efforts to preserve Mackinac Bridge memorabilia. "There's tons of irreplaceable stuff that is gone now," he said. The museum was dedicated to the memory of the five men who died during the construction of the five-mile bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. The cause of the fire has not been determined, but arson is not suspected, officials said. See Related Story: Fire hits Mackinaw City museum and pizza parlor - August 29, 2005
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