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By: Gary Fisher
President - Genesee County Historical Society
Many of you are probably unaware that the magnificent Saginaw Street arches, which span the equally historic bricks, are owned and cared for by the Genesee County Historical Society. So, I always love to clue folks in on that fact. While the arches are a source of community pride, only one group handles the day-to-day issues with them: the GCHS, with help from our awesome partners at the Downtown Development Authority. It’s a big responsibility, one we take very seriously, and it’s with great pride that I am pleased to provide this update on the ongoing revitalization project we’ve been engaged in.
There have been three major phases of this project, with the first phase being the repair of some damaged and deteriorating components. The second phase was the painting of all the arches. The third phase is in motion now and has been for over a year, involving the replacement of the custom-designed bases.
We are still holding out hope that a piece of the project can be completed before the snow flies, but it’s not assured. But what is assured is that we will stay on top of it to see the project through to completion, and regardless of whether the project is successful, we will let everyone know when that happens.
The GCHS board is made up of an all-volunteer group, many of whom have dedicated countless hours in service of both the arches and the GCHS. It’s impossible to thank all the players enough for the work they have done. Their efforts range from fundraising to working with contractors and dealing with some community members who have been less than graceful regarding the arches and the project, which has been a bit disappointing.
But it goes with the territory in these often-rancorous days when electronic communications sadly make it easy to be mean and disrespectful. It does, however, serve to amplify, by magnitudes of order, the commitment of those who have stayed the course to see the preservation of these iconic structures through to the finish line, and beyond.
It also serves to magnify the importance of the tangible magnificence of those arches, those iron symbols of the community that put the world on wheels, first of the carriage variety when Flint became ‘The Vehicle City’, and later, when those wheels turned to rubber.
It is our earnest desire that these sturdy guardians of our innovative, creative, and productive heritage will long stand guard over the spine of our city and county, reflecting the unshakable resilience of the community they symbolize.
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