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HISTORY OF ALPENA COUNTY AFTER 1870 BY WILLIAM BOULTON IN 1876
PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THE CITY
A person approaching Alpena from the bay, the first time, ¦will not be very much impressed by the scene before him, especially if he be artistically inclined. The woods on both sides of him have nearly all been burnt by fires or cut down by the energetic lumberman, and the once beautifully wooded shores are now spotted with gaunt, desolate looking skeletons of dead trees. The land on which the city is situated is low, and not at all inviting to one who is fond of high mountains, bold crags, and similar poetical but impractical places. The scene before the approaching visitor will be a vision of houses, mills, lumber piles, and vessels, while prominently in view be will notice the fine appearance of the Central school building, and the bold, commanding, yet graceful appearance of the Fletcher House. But to a practical mind the view as the boat steams up the river, presents a very different appearance, and such a mind will readily recognize the signs of commercial activity and prosperity that surround it. The singing of saws as they rip up the logs; the noise of the engines; the rattle of lumber trucks; the log rafts slowly meandering down stream, and the vessels, steamboats, and sail boats that attract the attention, speak volumes for the business that is going on in our lively go-ahead city. There is no disguising the fact that most persons are unfavorably impressed with the first view they have of the city, but Alpena is like a true friend, —it improves with acquaintance.
Alpena Michigan
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