CLEVELAND, May 7 — In honor of the BLE’s 140th anniversary, the City of Marshall, Mich., has declared May 4-10 “Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Week.”
Mayor John Miller declared that “because the organization’s roots were laid in Marshall and has branched across North America,” the week would be dedicated to the organization. Twelve Michigan Central Railroad locomotive engineers founded the BLE in Marshall on May 8, 1863.
“We are very proud of our history in the City of Marshall and thank Mayor Miller for helping us celebrate this major milestone,” President Don M. Hahs said. “The Brotherhood’s 140th anniversary is an historic achievement and we are pleased that Marshall has recognized it.”
The home of John C. “Yankee” Thompson, one of the BLE’s founding fathers, is a historical landmark in Marshall. The house at 663 West Hanover Street is where the engineers met in April 1863 and spearheaded the efforts to found the organization. Throughout the years, many BLE members and leaders have visited the historical home, including during the 1996 International Convention in Detroit.
The BLE is the oldest existing labor organization in North America.
Click here for a PDF of Mayor Miller’s proclamation:
http://www.ble.org/pr/pdf/140.pdf