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Alpena
Broadside vintage orange flyer, dated September 4, 1900, advertises an "Annual Excursion to Alpena" via the Pere Marquette Railroad and the Detroit & Mackinac Railway.Historical Context The Pere Marquette Railroad: Formed on January 1, 1900, through the consolidation of the Flint & Pere Marquette, the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western, and the Chicago & West Michigan railways. This makes the flyer an artifact from the railroad's very first year of operation.Detroit & Mackinac Railway (D&M): Formerly the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railroad, it reorganized as the D&M in late 1894. It was a primary line serving Alpena, then a bustling center for the lumber industry.Excursion Culture: In the early 1900s, railroads heavily promoted "excursions"—special, low-fare round-trip trains to scenic resorts and growing cities—to boost passenger revenue during the height of rail travel.Flyer Details The flyer lists departure times from various Michigan towns and their corresponding round-trip rates to Alpena: Departure City Time Round-Trip RatePort Huron8:30 a.m.$4.00Yale9:43 a.m.$4.00 Melvin 9:53 a.m.$4.00Brown City10:04 a.m.$3.50 Marlette 10:20 a.m. $3.50 Clifford10:39 a.m.$3.50 Mayville 10:44 a.m.$3.50 Vassar 11:04 a.m.$3.50 Passengers arrived in Alpena at 5:45 p.m. via the D. & M. Railway from Bay City. Tickets were valid for 12 days, allowing for an extended stay in the northern resort region.
Alpena - Before (Poster)
Before