Construction of the Ironworkers Walk of Fame, a memorial honoring the union ironworkers who built the Mackinac Bridge, and all those across the United States and Canada, has officially begun in Mackinaw City. The Ironworkers Walk of Fame is designed to recognize the Union Ironworker, and Mackinac Bridge Bridgman of North America, by incorporating the brick paver concept currently used throughout the village of Mackinaw City, Michigan.

The first phase of the project is selling brick pavers. Marilyn McFarland, the former Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau director, says a minimum of 300 pavers need to sold to help determine the project's size and scope. Bricks can be engraved with the names of the men who built the bridge - from any trade. Also invited to have their names engraved are any iron worker from North America. McFarland says families of deceased trades workers are invited to submit the names of loved ones to be engraved as well.

In 2007, at the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Mackinac Bridge, a statue of an iron worker was unveiled to honor the work of the men who built the bridge.

"The idea of putting up our own monument started snowballing after the 50th anniversary celebration," says McFarland, who is coordinating the effort. Noting the annual Iron Workers festival held in town, she said, "Mackinac City has always embraced iron workers. So we asked ourselves, "Why haven't we done this yet?"

The memorial will be erected along North Huron Avenue between Colonial Fort Michilimackinac and the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse historic parks.

As part of the effort, Mackinac Bridge workers are also encouraged to indicate five favorite jobs that they worked on, that will be incorporated into the related website, Ironworkers Walk of Fame, and possibly a living history display at the site.