A gallows constructed along M-28, east of Marquette, will have to be removed, a township official said on Tuesday, May 12, because it violates zoning regulations in Chocolay Township.
“It’s gotten a lot of attention from residents in the area,” Chocolay Township Manager Greg Elliott said on Tuesday. “It’s unfortunate. It’s near a scenic turnout (on Lake Superior), the (Kewadin) casino is nearby, Lakenenland is just down the road.”
Numerous photos posted on Facebook and other social media show a wooden gallows with a noose hanging from the crossbar, as well as a banner for the country’s 250th birthday that says “WE THE **** PEOPLE.”
A nearby sign advertises Pegenau Builders. The owner of Pegenau Builders, Thomas Peganau, did not immediately reply to a text message seeking comment.
“This is about we the ppl of this planet ! Not race ! Its about the government u pay to stand on your neck n lie to you while you make meager means n justify an existsnce that could be so much better had they told everyone the truth ! Stop stealing from that kids that arnt even born yet , quit lying all i ask !” a post on Pegenau Builders’ Facebook page says, in part.
People commenting on Facebook have noted the racial connotation of gallows in connection with lynchings of Black people, and the potential reference to killing government officials because of a gallows built in Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
Elliott said township officials became aware of the gallows on Friday, May 8, when media contacted the township about it.
Elliott said officials were not clear at first whether the structure was within the Michigan Department of Transportation right of way for M-28 and asked the department to check.
When MDOT said it appeared to be on the edge of the right of way, the township then checked setback regulations and determined it was too close to the right of way.
Regulations require structures to be 30 feet from the edge of the right of way. Elliott said the township sent a letter to Pegenau informing them they would need to obtain a permit for construction, and then relocate the structure or rebuild it 30 feet farther away from the road.
See photos of the gallows from Facebook
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Marquette-area township orders gallows along major U.P. highway moved
Reporting by Dan Basso, USA TODAY NETWORK / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
