Big Sam
"Stanley Gratchek, also known as Smiling Sam and Big Sam, immigrated from Poland with his brother Anthony in the early 1900's. They came to northern michigan to cut timber in the Jordan River Valley. America's growth has been, and continues to be dependent upon the strength, courage, sweat and blood of hard working immigrants. Many survived to build families and homesteads. Many didn't. Sam's job was dangerous: bringing huge logs down the side of a very steep hill to load them on a rail car in the valley. That hill is now known as Dead Man's Hill and this song is about Sam's last day. Being a third generation immigrant myself I appreciate my heritage as the thread of courage that ties me to our beautiful and challenging northern Michigan and also requires me to invest in the positive future of America. I thank my grandparents for their courage and good choices that brought me here to live and love and be happy."
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