Alpena County Courthouse
Encyclopedia
The Alpena County Courthouse Alpena County's first courthouse was destroyed by a fire on December 12, 1870. Its replacement 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 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.
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
.
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
courthouse building located at 720 Chisholm Avenue in Alpena, Michigan
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
. It was designed by architect William H. Kuni of Detroit and built by the Henry C. Webber Construction Co. of poured Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
made from locally quarried limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. According to Kuni, it was the first monolithic poured building constructed during the winter in a cold climate.
It was financed partly by local bonds and WPA grants.
The building, dubbed "Fort Alpena" by a local writer, is embellished by architectural sculpture
Architectural sculpture
Architectural sculpture is the term for the use of sculpture by an architect and/or sculptor in the design of a building, bridge, mausoleum or other such project...
, 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
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.