Mason brainstorms for its 150th birthday

 By WILL KANGAS
wkangas@lsj.com
March 30, 2012
From Ingham County Community News

MASON — Mason’s 150th birthday in 2015 will be a year-long celebration that will be more than just a salute to the city.

It will increase civic pride, honor history, stimulate the local economy and focus on the future, according to organizers.

Mason’s sesquicentennial celebration was officially kicked off on March 28 at a community interest and brainstorming session at city hall.

Mason planning commissioner Marlon Brown began the meeting by asking the group of about 50 people what the goal of the celebration will be.

“An event like this should strive to encourage community involvement and service and to foster a greater community awareness,” Brown said.

He also said the event should have an overall theme that includes the “Hometown, U.S.A.” slogan and where “people value the past, live in the present and look ahead to the future.”

Local American Legion Post Commander Terry Fobbs said celebration should include some kind of museum or monument to commemorate the city’s rich military service history. He also said the fact that Mason is the typical “Hometown, U.S.A.” is why he came to live there.

“I’ve told others about Mason, and now they have come to live here,” Fobbs said about a German friend that wanted to live in a hometown American city.

“I think that concept is something that should be in the overall celebration as well.”

Mason resident and Mason Area Chamber of Commerce President Doug Klein said he believed it was important to note that previous celebrations used the term “Mason area,” which means it didn’t exclude others.

Klein also brought a study of the logos of several other 150th celebrations throughout the country. Organizers feel a logo that incorporates the spirit of Mason should be developed, and he introduced a contest for the logo that will offer a $200 first prize that will include cash and prizes.

Others at the meeting suggested having oral history readings and tracking a “Mason family tree” that would include the descendants of people that helped found the city.

Brown said the next step will be to form a community steering committee for the celebration, which will culminate with a week-long festival probably in the summer.