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 Marilyn McFarland, the former Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau director, 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?"

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, is now well on its way 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 consisted of the selling of brick pavers. Bricks are engraved with the names of the men who built the bridge—from any trade as well as 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.

Purchase a brick paver and become an inductee on the Ironworkers Walk of Fame site.

The second phase consists of the placement of a 25ft globe crafted of I-beams and three 7ft Ironworker characters, two men and one woman, constructed of ironworker tools and components. Moran Iron Works of Onaway Michigan will complete the fabrication and construction of the monument phase. The monument will be built in stages beginning with a stand-alone character placed in front of the globe structure which will be unveiled during this year's Ironworkers Festival on August 13, 2010 in Mackinaw City.