Alpena, Michigan

Alpena is a city in northern Michigan situated along the shore of Lake Huron's Thunder Bay, with Alpena Township surrounding it on land. Alpena serves as the seat of Alpena County. Despite its small population, just over 10,000 residents, Alpena is by far the largest city in the sparsely populated Lower Peninsula area, and serves as its commercial and cultural hub. It is considered to be one of the two anchor cities of Northern Michigan, along with Traverse City.

Alpena was incorporated in 1871. It was initially a site of commercial fishing activity and is still home to extensive commercial fishing activities. Eventually, like much of Michigan, the Alpena area was shaped by the logging era of the 1800s, which became the basis of the wood, cement, and heavy machinery industries evident in Alpena today. Alpena is known for having one of the largest limestone quarries in the world. It is owned and operated by the Lafarge Corporation, a major cement manufacturer and exporter. Alpena is also the world headquarters of Besser Company, a manufacturer of concrete block machines; and home to a drywall board manufacturing facility owned by Decorative Panels International. Tourism (fishing, hunting, camping and a variety of water sports) is also an important component of Alpena's economy.

Alpena, Michigan’s varied history of manufacturing and heavy industry place it in a high risk category for asbestos exposure. Workers and loved ones exposed to asbestos may be at risk for mesothelioma cancer, an asbestos-related disease. Mesothelioma lawyers may also be able to assist you if you or a loved one were exposed to asbestos in Alpena.

Jobsites in Alpena where Asbestos Exposure Occurred

A number of jobsites in Alpena, MI have been identified as harboring asbestos containing materials. These sites, at one point in their history, were known to have exposed a variety of tradesmen to asbestos. We will be documenting in more detail how asbestos exposure occurred at these sites in the future on this web site.