Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse & Saving Station

Posted on April 13th, 2021

Lighthouses are a major part of Alpena’s history with shipping and logging industries, today for #ThrowbackThursday, the spotlight is on Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse. Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse was built in 1832 on Thunder Bay Island, about ten miles east of Alpena, Michigan. Congre…

Everyone Is Irish On St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted on March 15th, 2021

On March 17th, everyone is Irish! This week we will celebrate the annual tradition of St. Patrick’s Day and our Irish heritage by wearing green, drinking green beer, and eating corned beef and cabbage. But where did this all come from? The traditional Irish St. Patrick’s day feast consisted of p…

Celebrating Anna Garrity on Women’s Day

Posted on March 5th, 2021

In honor of Women’s Day, we celebrate Anna Garrity, one of the first female lighthouse keepers on the Great Lakes. Anna was born at the New Presque Isle Lighthouse on March 29, 1872, and was the daughter of Irish immigrants, Patrick Garrity Senior and Mary Chambers. Patrick operated the Old Presqu…

Stories of Yesteryear: Remembering Alpena’s Winter Carnival

Posted on January 8th, 2021

The winter weather has us reminiscing on days gone by. Back between the early 1930s to the 1960s when Alpena hosted a winter carnival during the snowiest time of the year. Alpena’s first winter carnival queen, Mary Meharg 1935. Photo courtesy of the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Library…

The Gales of November in Shipwreck Alley

Posted on November 24th, 2020

November is shipwreck month here in Alpena: Sanctuary of the Great Lakes. Alpena is home to Thunder Bay, which is known as “shipwreck alley.” It is the resting spot for over 200 shipwrecks, many of them which sunk during the month of November. In fact, it is quite common that most shipwrecks along…

Top Haunted Places and Urban Legends of Alpena

Posted on October 20th, 2020

A bump in the night, a whisper in your ear. Is it your imagination? Perhaps it’s the wind. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s something else. Hauntings, urban legends, and Native American folklore are cultural experiences that can be found all over the world. Alpena is no exception with a rich histo…

The Presque Isle Lodge – Defining the Destination Since 1920

Posted on August 3rd, 2020

Nestled on the coast of beautiful Grand Lake halfway between Alpena and Rogers City, Presque Isle Lodge provides a peaceful escape from the stressors and hustle of big city living. The History… The Lodge was built in 1920 by Newell A. Eddy Jr., when the construction of what would become US-23 o…

Remembering the Legends of “The Lau”

Posted on July 23rd, 2020

Our community is absolutely devastated by the tragic fire that occurred at John A. Lau’s Saloon on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The 134-year-old building was rich in history and memories. John A. Lau Saloon, (also known as “The Lau”) was one of the oldest buildings of historic downtown Alpena. K…

Looking to the Past to Bring a Brighter Future

Posted on May 20th, 2020

Reflecting back on the past can sometimes help us understand our present and future. We are all encountering different, yet similar struggles during this stressful time. With the COVID-19 crisis we are experiencing now, it has encouraged families to take a step back and consider new ways of living…

Little Red Lighthouse. Photo by Judy Hart.

Our Backstory: A Historic Look at the Port City of Alpena

Posted on May 7th, 2020

The historic port city of Alpena is nestled between a vast emerald forest and a clear blue bay. Founded in 1871, Alpena began as an early commercial fishing port and soon grew to be one of the nation’s most profitable lumber harvesting locations. Lumber camps dotted the region and logs were f…