Alpena, Michigan | |
|---|---|
City | |
| City of Alpena | |
 Alpena City Hall | |
| Nickname: "Sanctuary of the Great Lakes" | |
 Location withinAlpena County | |
  Alpena Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Coordinates:45°03′42″N83°25′58″W / 45.06167°N 83.43278°W /45.06167; -83.43278 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| County | Alpena |
| Settled | 1835 |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Incorporated | 1871 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Cindy Johnson |
| • Mayor pro tem | Michael Nowak |
| • Manager | Rachel Smolinski |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.86 sq mi (22.94 km2) |
| • Land | 8.17 sq mi (21.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.68 sq mi (1.77 km2) |
| Elevation | 590 ft (180 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 10,197 |
| • Density | 1,247.8/sq mi (481.78/km2) |
| Demonym | "Alpenan(s)" |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 49707 |
| Area code | 989 |
| FIPS code | 26-01740[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0620017[3] |
| Website | www |
Alpena (/ælˈpiːnə/al-PEE-nə) is the only city in and thecounty seat ofAlpena County, Michigan, United States.[4] The population was 10,197 at the2020 census,[citation needed] making it the third most populated city in theNorthern Michigan region, afterTraverse City andCadillac. The city is surrounded byAlpena Township, but the two are administered autonomously. It is the core city of the Alpenamicropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Alpena County and had a total population of 28,907 at the 2020 census.[5]
Alpena is located at the head ofThunder Bay, a bay ofLake Huron. Offshore of Alpena is theThunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which protects an estimated 116historically significant shipwrecks.[6] Alpena is the second-largest American city on Lake Huron, behindPort Huron.
The Alpena area is home to theOjibwe,Ottawa, andPotawatomi people. These people groups inhabit the area surrounding theGreat Lakes, including Michigan. The Thunder Bay Band of Chippewa and Ottawa merged with theMackinac Bands of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians in the mid-1800s under Chief Way-ge-maw-waw-be.
Alpena County was originally set off fromMichilimackinac County as Anamickee County founded in 1840, which in 1843 was changed to Alpena, a pseudo-Native American word — aneologism coined byHenry Schoolcraft, meaning something like "a good partridge country."[7][8][9] This was part of a much larger effort to rename a great many of the Michigan counties at the time.[8]
The first European settler at modern-day Alpena was W.F. Cullings, a fisherman in 1835. In 1856, George W. Fletcher and three others fromDetroit platted a village by the name ofFremont, afterJohn C. Frémont. The community was briefly renamedThunder Bay in 1857 before being renamed again to Alpena in 1871.[10] The city of Alpena was officially incorporated by Michigan State Legislature on March 29, 1871.[11]
Most of the city was lost in theGreat Michigan Fire of 1871.[12] Less than one year later, on July 12, 1872, Alpena was hit by another fire, the largest in its history, which destroyed 15 acres (6.1 ha) of homes and businesses[13] for a total amount of 65 buildings.[14] The blaze started in a barn and lasted for two hours, killing at least four people and causing at least$180,000 (equivalent to $4,720,000 in 2024) in damages.[15][16][17] Alpena was again hit by a disastrous fire on July 11, 1888.[16][17] In the early 1910s a failed attempt was led by theAlpena Motor Car Company to turn the city into "Automobile City" and compete withDetroit.
In 1920 the population of the city was 11,101, and in 1927 the trade through the city's port was valued over 8 million dollars, and the output of the 24 factories at a little under another 8 million.[18]
The city has a number of notable buildings, including theArt decoAlpena County Courthouse, theI.O.O.F. Centennial Building, andTemple Beth El, one of theoldest synagogues in the United States.[A]
There are seven recognized historical markers in the city:[21]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.23 square miles (23.91 km2), of which, 8.54 square miles (22.12 km2) of it is land and 0.69 square miles (1.79 km2) (7.48%) is water.[22] The city is on the shore ofLake Huron'sThunder Bay, withAlpena Township surrounding it on land.
Alpena has ahumid continental climate (Dfb) with warm summers along with cool nights, moderated by nearbyLake Huron and cold, snowy winters with annual snowfall averaging 84 inches (210 cm).[23]
| Climate data for Alpena County Regional Airport, Michigan (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1916–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) | 65 (18) | 87 (31) | 90 (32) | 94 (34) | 104 (40) | 106 (41) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 90 (32) | 77 (25) | 65 (18) | 106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 45 (7) | 49 (9) | 62 (17) | 75 (24) | 86 (30) | 92 (33) | 92 (33) | 91 (33) | 86 (30) | 79 (26) | 62 (17) | 50 (10) | 95 (35) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 28.1 (−2.2) | 30.2 (−1.0) | 38.4 (3.6) | 52.2 (11.2) | 65.8 (18.8) | 75.9 (24.4) | 80.5 (26.9) | 78.8 (26.0) | 71.0 (21.7) | 57.6 (14.2) | 44.6 (7.0) | 33.6 (0.9) | 54.8 (12.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 20.0 (−6.7) | 20.7 (−6.3) | 29.3 (−1.5) | 41.2 (5.1) | 53.4 (11.9) | 63.2 (17.3) | 68.2 (20.1) | 66.6 (19.2) | 59.0 (15.0) | 47.4 (8.6) | 36.6 (2.6) | 26.6 (−3.0) | 44.4 (6.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 11.9 (−11.2) | 11.2 (−11.6) | 19.1 (−7.2) | 30.2 (−1.0) | 40.9 (4.9) | 50.4 (10.2) | 55.9 (13.3) | 54.5 (12.5) | 47.0 (8.3) | 37.2 (2.9) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 33.9 (1.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −10 (−23) | −11 (−24) | −4 (−20) | 17 (−8) | 28 (−2) | 37 (3) | 44 (7) | 42 (6) | 32 (0) | 23 (−5) | 12 (−11) | −1 (−18) | −15 (−26) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −28 (−33) | −37 (−38) | −27 (−33) | −7 (−22) | 20 (−7) | 27 (−3) | 34 (1) | 29 (−2) | 23 (−5) | 12 (−11) | −6 (−21) | −27 (−33) | −37 (−38) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.81 (46) | 1.52 (39) | 1.81 (46) | 2.93 (74) | 2.78 (71) | 2.74 (70) | 3.20 (81) | 3.09 (78) | 2.84 (72) | 3.01 (76) | 2.07 (53) | 1.87 (47) | 29.67 (754) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 19.3 (49) | 17.0 (43) | 10.6 (27) | 6.6 (17) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 6.6 (17) | 16.9 (43) | 77.6 (197) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 15.6 | 11.8 | 11.0 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 11.2 | 13.9 | 13.8 | 14.0 | 145.4 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 15.1 | 12.5 | 7.1 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 5.9 | 11.6 | 56.0 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 76.2 | 73.3 | 71.6 | 66.8 | 66.0 | 70.5 | 71.0 | 76.1 | 78.5 | 76.4 | 78.2 | 79.6 | 73.7 |
| Averagedew point °F (°C) | 12.4 (−10.9) | 11.8 (−11.2) | 19.9 (−6.7) | 29.3 (−1.5) | 39.6 (4.2) | 50.5 (10.3) | 56.7 (13.7) | 56.3 (13.5) | 49.6 (9.8) | 38.7 (3.7) | 28.8 (−1.8) | 19.0 (−7.2) | 34.4 (1.3) |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 108.8 | 133.5 | 195.5 | 222.9 | 279.5 | 294.6 | 316.9 | 257.1 | 193.9 | 143.5 | 82.8 | 73.9 | 2,302.9 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 38 | 46 | 53 | 55 | 61 | 63 | 67 | 59 | 52 | 42 | 29 | 27 | 52 |
| Source:NOAA (relative humidity, dew point, and sun 1961–1990)[24][25][26] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Alpena, Michigan (Water Treatment Plant near downtown), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1873–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) | 62 (17) | 81 (27) | 88 (31) | 95 (35) | 100 (38) | 104 (40) | 100 (38) | 99 (37) | 87 (31) | 77 (25) | 65 (18) | 104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 27.1 (−2.7) | 28.6 (−1.9) | 36.8 (2.7) | 48.4 (9.1) | 60.8 (16.0) | 71.0 (21.7) | 77.1 (25.1) | 76.2 (24.6) | 68.9 (20.5) | 55.9 (13.3) | 43.0 (6.1) | 32.8 (0.4) | 52.2 (11.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 20.6 (−6.3) | 28.8 (−1.8) | 40.3 (4.6) | 51.9 (11.1) | 62.4 (16.9) | 68.3 (20.2) | 67.2 (19.6) | 59.8 (15.4) | 47.7 (8.7) | 36.4 (2.4) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 44.2 (6.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.4 (−10.3) | 12.7 (−10.7) | 20.8 (−6.2) | 32.1 (0.1) | 43.1 (6.2) | 53.7 (12.1) | 59.4 (15.2) | 58.1 (14.5) | 50.7 (10.4) | 39.6 (4.2) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 20.9 (−6.2) | 36.2 (2.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −27 (−33) | −28 (−33) | −19 (−28) | −2 (−19) | 21 (−6) | 34 (1) | 33 (1) | 36 (2) | 25 (−4) | 15 (−9) | −4 (−20) | −15 (−26) | −28 (−33) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.19 (56) | 1.70 (43) | 1.81 (46) | 3.11 (79) | 3.17 (81) | 2.72 (69) | 3.29 (84) | 3.45 (88) | 2.94 (75) | 3.24 (82) | 2.27 (58) | 2.05 (52) | 31.94 (811) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 15.6 (40) | 14.4 (37) | 6.2 (16) | 3.5 (8.9) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 3.0 (7.6) | 16.6 (42) | 59.4 (151) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 19.8 | 15.5 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 14.1 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 12.0 | 12.9 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 17.3 | 175.6 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 9.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 6.9 | 29.8 |
| Source:NOAA[24][27] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 6,153 | — | |
| 1890 | 11,283 | 83.4% | |
| 1900 | 11,802 | 4.6% | |
| 1910 | 12,706 | 7.7% | |
| 1920 | 11,101 | −12.6% | |
| 1930 | 12,166 | 9.6% | |
| 1940 | 12,808 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 13,135 | 2.6% | |
| 1960 | 14,682 | 11.8% | |
| 1970 | 13,805 | −6.0% | |
| 1980 | 12,214 | −11.5% | |
| 1990 | 11,354 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 11,304 | −0.4% | |
| 2010 | 10,483 | −7.3% | |
| 2020 | 10,197 | −2.7% | |
| source:[28][failed verification] | |||
As of thecensus[29] of 2010, there were 10,483 people, 4,734 households, and 2,565 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,227.5 inhabitants per square mile (473.9/km2). There were 5,278 housing units at an average density of 618.0 per square mile (238.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.8%White, 0.5%African American, 0.4%Native American, 0.7%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.1% fromother races, and 1.4% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 4,734 households, of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% weremarried couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.8% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.84.
The median age in the city was 42.5 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.7% were from 25 to 44; 27.9% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
As of thecensus[2] of 2000, there were 11,304 people, 4,874 households, and 2,865 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,348.9 inhabitants per square mile (520.8/km2). There were 5,200 housing units at an average density of 620.5 per square mile (239.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.66%White, 0.42%African American, 0.43%Native American, 0.48%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.09% fromother races, and 0.91% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.59% of the population.
There were 4,874 households, out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% weremarried couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,353, and the median income for a family was $40,056. Males had a median income of $34,534 versus $21,951 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,476. About 10.4% of families and 13.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
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While tourism is an important component of the area's economy, both Alpena andRogers City have an industrial base. In particular, Alpena is home to Lafarge-Holcim cement plant and to Besser Company (maker of a concrete block making machinery), as well as a drywall board manufacturing facility owned by Decorative Panels International. Rogers City is the location of the world's largestlimestone quarry (seeMichigan Limestone and Chemical Company), which is used insteel making in the Great Lakes andRust Belt regions.
MidMichigan Health, a federally-designated rural regional medical referral center, is the largest employer in the city of Alpena.[30]
Until it largely closed in 2022, Alpena's primary shopping center was theAlpena Mall, the only enclosedshopping mall in the northeasternLower Peninsula. In full operation, the former mall featured approximately 20 stores, withJCPenney andGordon Food Service as theanchor stores.[31] Other retailers operate in this part of town and onM-32 west of town and south onUS-23.
Alpena was also home to theAlpena Thunder hockey team, which was disbanded in 2011.[citation needed]
Alpena is served by a number of institutions that enhance the artistic and cultural character of the city, reflecting its rich heritage in Great Lakes shipping and industry. Alpena is the gateway to theThunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, one of Michigan's13 underwater preserves. The cold, fresh waters of the Great Lakes serve a valuable role in preserving the numerous shipwrecks in Lake Huron, documenting a history of tragedy that spans over 300 years. The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena is the interpretive and administrative center of the sanctuary, located on the banks of the Thunder Bay River.[32][33]
The local history of the Alpena area is documented by theBesser Museum, founded with an endowment from industrialistJesse Besser. The Besser Museum is located on an 8 acres (3.2 ha) campus in northern Alpena, and is accredited by theAmerican Alliance of Museums. Permanent attractions at the Besser Museum include a planetarium and theKatherine V., a wooden fishing tug that spent its entire life on Lake Huron. The Besser Museum also features rotating collections of art, science, and local history. The museum is the publisher ofThe Town that Wouldn't Die: A Photographic History of Alpena, Michigan from Its Beginnings Through 1940.[34]
TheAlpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library servesAlpena County. Its special collections include the Northeast Michigan Oral History Archive, the comprehensive Great Lakes Maritime Collection, and a full collection of Alpena newspapers dating back to 1871.
Arts organizations in the Alpena area include the Alpena Symphony Orchestra; the Alpena Civic Theatre; and the Thunder Bay Theatre, Northeast Michigan's year-round professional theatre located in the historic 1904 Spens Block on North Second Ave. Cinema in Alpena is supported by the newly opened Sanctuary Cinema, located in a formerJCPenney store in Downtown Alpena, and theMaltz Opera House, currently[update] under renovation to its 1920s-era appearance.
Alpena County Regional Airport is the northeastlower peninsula of Michigan's main commercial airport and handles dailyDelta Connection flights toDetroit,Minneapolis/St. Paul viaDetroit, and toPellston operated bySkyWest Airlines. It is a public-use airport located in Wilson Township, Michigan six miles (10 km) west of the central business district of Alpena. The MichiganAir National Guard'sAlpena Combat Readiness Training Center co-utilizes the airfield.
Alpena is situated along theLake State Railway, formerly theDetroit and Mackinac Railway (D&M).[44] Earlier railroads that served Alpena were built and owned by theAlger Smith and Co. logging company: (1) theDetroit, Bay City and Alpena Railroad, which entered Alpena from the south around 1886, and (2) theAlpena and Northern Railroad.[45][D]
US 23 serves Alpena on its way along theLake Huron shoreline. It has been designated the "Sunrise Side Coastal Highway", and runs along (or parallels) the Lake Huron shore. To the north, it passesGrand Lake andLong Lake, then toRogers City, throughCheboygan, and on toMackinaw City, where it ends atI-75 and theMackinac Bridge. On US 23 as it crosses Birdsong Bay just south of Alpena exists a sign which notes that it rests on the45th parallel, indicating travelers are halfway between the equator and the North Pole.[47] This is one of 29 places (six are in Michigan) in the U.S. where such signs are known to exist.[48] US 23 continues south toOssineke then further south toOscoda andTawas City. US 23 south joinsInterstate 75 nearStandish where it continues south downstate.
M-32 ends its 100-mile (160 km) easterly route fromLake Michigan to Lake Huron traversing the northernLower Peninsula within downtown Alpena at an intersection with US 23. | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Alpena, along with the rest of Alpena County and portions ofPresque Isle County, is served byAlpena Public Schools. Alpena Public Schools was established as the first county-wide school district in the state of Michigan in 1963. The district hasone high school, a junior high, an alternative/adult high school, and six elementary schools. The elementary schools are Besser, Ella White, Hinks, Lincoln, Sanborn, and Wilson Elementary Schools. Geographically, it is the largest school district in the Lower Peninsula, encompassing more than 620 square miles (1,600 km2).
There are two private schools in Alpena. All Saints Catholic School is affiliated with the four Roman Catholic parishes in the city (St. Anne's, St. Bernard's, St. John the Baptist and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception) and provides preschool to 8th grade education. Immanuel Lutheran School is supported by the Immanuel Lutheran Church and has preschool to 8th grade classes.
Alpena is also home toAlpena Community College. ACC is a two-year associates program that has partnerships withSpring Arbor University and several other Michigan institutions.
Alpena is home to severalradio stations.
| Call Sign | Frequency | Format | City Broadcast From |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHAK | 960 | Talk | Rogers City |
| Call Sign | Frequency | Format | City Broadcast From |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPHN | 90.5 | Religious | Gaylord |
| WCML | 91.7 | Public | Alpena |
| WFDX | 92.5 | Off the Air | Atlanta |
| WKJZ | 94.9 | Classic Hits | Hillman |
| WRGZ | 96.7 | Classic Rock | Rogers City |
| WATZ | 99.3 | Country | Alpena |
| WHAK | 99.9 | Classic Hits | Rogers City |
| WWTH | 100.7 | Classic Rock | Oscoda |
| WMJZ | 101.5 | Classic Hits | Gaylord |
| WKJC | 104.7 | Country | Tawas City |
| WGFM | 105.1/103.7 | Rock | Cheboygan |
| WZTK | 105.7 | Oldies | Alpena |
| WWMK | 106.3/98.1 | Classic AC | Cheboygan |
| WHSB | 107.7 | Top 40 | Alpena |
Alpena is thethird smallest (208)NielsenDesignated Market Area (DMA) in the United States.[50]
Television stations located within theAlpena DMA:
Cable only television:
Northeast Michigan is also served by selected major network affiliates from theNorthern Michigan DMA, as well asCBC Television programming fromCBMT-DT inMontreal.Cable television service is provided within Alpena and many outlying communities byCharter Communications.
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)Alpena's Temple Beth-El is Michigan's only synagogue east of I-75 from Bay City to Sault Ste. Marie.
In 1875, the Hebrew Benevolent Society was formed for the purpose of "buying a burial ground." Founders then chartered a society and rented a room in which to hold regular meetings and prayer services (1877). As with all newly emerging Jewish congregations of the era, the Hebrew Benevolent Society was chartered to take care of its sick, bury the dead, and hold Sabbath and holiday services, which at the time, were conducted by officers and selected members.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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Municipalities and communities ofAlpena County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Charter township | ||
| Civil townships | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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