June 5-7, 1999
Fulton, IL, USA - Ground-breaking & Arrival of the Octagon
Two 40 ft. containers with the octagon arrived in Fulton, IL by semi-truck early morning of June 7th, 1999. Atlas Trucking delivered them, as promised, around 8 AM.
The previous Saturday (June 5, 1999) the ground-breaking ceremony had already been performed by the mayors of Fulton, Clinton, Morrison, Thomson and Sterling, assisted by their respective Chambers of Commerce and Mr. Jerry Lack, representing U.S. Representative Lane Evans.
Project manager Bert Bulder from Lowlands Management couldn't resist joining one of the drivers on a semi-truck during the last few yards that Monday morning.
Quite some people in Fulton had been awaiting this day... Even a telephone pole at the site was bearing witness of this: "Coming soon".
A 20+ metric ton crane is getting ready to lift the containers off the semi-trucks while the first of two trucks alignes the crane. A fork lift, graciously provided by Mr. Brinkman, is awaiting the unloading.
The wheather, in the mean time, was becoming blistering hot for the exposed, too sensitive skins of the Dutch workers and project manager. The following days all their exposed parts would become "untouchable", according to the Fulton Journal. How right your were, Henry...
While the truck slowly pulls out, the crane holds the first of two containers.
After this the unloading starts with the formidable help of the BPW guys from Fulton.
Until finally
all of the content of the containers is ready for reconstruction of the
octagon on site.
