ST. IGNACE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – An auction has been opened that is letting Michigan residents try to obtain a piece of state history.
The online auction, running until Tuesday, May 18, allows people to bid on pieces of grating from the original Mackinac Bridge.
According to MLive, buyers can bid on barrels up to 470 pounds that contain around 140 pieces of grating from the original bridge. To date, dozens of bids have been received. Some of the highest ones have risen to over $700 a barrel. Only a handful of barrels are listed on the auction website.
The steel is approximately 60 years old and was originally coated in lead-based paint. The auction website says much of the paint is now gone, but buyers will have to sign a hold-harmless agreement if they win the auction.