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Seaway plans June ceremony in Massena to honor those who died during its construction

Posted 4/7/16

MASSENA -- The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) will hold a memorial ceremony in Massena in June to pay tribute to the workers who lost their lives during the original …

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Seaway plans June ceremony in Massena to honor those who died during its construction

Posted

MASSENA -- The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) will hold a memorial ceremony in Massena in June to pay tribute to the workers who lost their lives during the original construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The ceremony will take place at the Eisenhower Lock Visitors' Center, 190 Barnhart Road, at 2 p.m. Friday, June 3.

It took less than five years – from late 1954 until early 1959 – to complete the massive engineering and construction project creating a new waterway. An army of men and women – 22,000 carpenters, engineers, and laborers – worked on the Seaway project, which was considered one of the most important publicly funded projects of the twentieth century.

David Hanna, the father of Bonnie Pearson of Ogdensburg, was the first American worker who died while working on the construction of the Seaway.

When the SLSDC was reminded of that, they decided to ask for help in identifying and sharing the stories of other people who were involved in the Seaway’s construction.

“There are likely many other similar stories of these incredible workers waiting to be shared,” a press release from the SLSDC said.

Those who can help are asked to contact Kyle Savage at the SLSDC, (202) 366-0898 or Kyle.Savage@dot.gov.

The June ceremony will be open to the public, when a dedication of a memorial plaque will honor the individuals who died during the Seaway’s construction.