MARQUETTE -- The Marquette Regional History Center explored Marquette County's connections to the Civil War on Tuesday. A special program highlighted the connections with readings of letters from Marquette residents who served in the Civil War. Live music from the era illustrated how soldiers spent their down time. Local Civil War enthusiasts say Marquette's mining played a major role in the North's victory in war.
"Probably the most important significance of the Civil War was the economic significance of the iron ore; the Civil War caused the iron mining to be greatly accelerated and was a real factor in the victory," said Civil War enthusiast Dewey Jones.
The letters read at Tuesday's program are available to read in the library of the History Center. They follow Marquette resident Michael Watson who served in the cavalry for three years during the Civil War.
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