Discover 5 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Alpena (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Alpena Light, Alpena County Courthouse, and Besser Museum. Also, be sure to include Thunder Bay Arts Council & Gallery in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Alpena (Michigan).
Table of Contents
Alpena Light
Lighthouse in Alpena County, Michigan. The Alpena Light, also known as the Thunder Bay River Lighthouse or Alpena Breakwater Light, is a lighthouse on Lake Huron near Alpena, Michigan. Standing on the north breakwater of Alpena Harbor, the light marks the entrance to the Thunder Bay River from Thunder Bay. The current lighthouse, built in 1914, replaced earlier wooden structures which had been in use since 1877 and 1888. The current light is a weather-protected structure on a steel frame. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, and the state inventory list the same year.[1]
Alpena County Courthouse
Courthouse. There have been several Alpena County Courthouses in Alpena, Michigan. These included buildings which housed the Circuit Court, the District Court and the Probate court.
Alpena County's first courthouse was destroyed by a fire on December 12, 1870. Its replacement built in 1881 met a similar fate on December 22, 1932. The current courthouse built in 1934 is an historic Art deco courthouse building located at 720 Chisholm Avenue in Alpena, Michigan. It was designed by architect William H. Kuni of Detroit and built by the Henry C. Webber Construction Co. of locally produced poured Portland cement made from locally quarried limestone. According to Kuni, it was the first monolithic poured building constructed during the winter in a cold climate. Kuni also designed the Tuscola County Courthouse.
It was financed partly by local bonds and WPA grants.
The building, dubbed "Fort Alpena" by a local writer, is embellished by architectural sculpture, including an eagle perched atop the clock on the main facade and figures of Justice and Law as well as "fascia designs show(ing) images of the county's lumbering, shipbuilding, farming, fishing and recreational industries."
On December 8, 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, item # 83003643. It is a state registered historic site.
The Alpena Courthouse Annex which houses the District Court and the Probate Court is located at 719 Chisholm Avenue and was built in 1997.[2]
Address: 720 West Chisholm Street, Alpena
Besser Museum
Museum in Alpena, Michigan. The Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan is a community museum serving Alpena County and surrounding counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Alpena is a port city on Lake Huron. The museum defines its role broadly — to preserve, protect and present history and culture closely connected with the heritage of Northern Michigan and the Great Lakes. The museum includes a small publicly-owned planetarium.[3]
Address: 491 Johnson St, 49707-1496 Alpena
Thunder Bay Arts Council & Gallery
Art gallery, Museum, Shopping
Address: 127 W Chisholm St, 49707-2445 Alpena
I.O.O.F. Centennial Building
The I.O.O.F. Centennial Building is an historic building located at 150 East Chisholm Street in Alpena, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. It dates back to 1876 and is “an excellent example of late Victorian commercial architecture.”[4]