In November of 1856, George N. Fletcher assisted a survey crew in laying the footprint for the city of Alpena. Appreciative of the area's dense forest and the Thunder Bay River's ability to help transport raw materials, finished products, and fuel, Fletcher constructed a sawmill in 1858. When the lumber industry declined in the 1880s, the company began laying the foundation along the river for the Fletcher Paper Mill.
Repeated flooding along the Thunder Bay River forced Fletcher to continually reinforce the shoreline. Initially, fill materials and pilings were used. In 1906, a concrete coal dock was constructed atop a foundation of several thousand wooden pilings, using over 1,000 barrels of cement. The docks held more than 10,000 tons of coal, enough to enable the Fletcher Paper Mill to operate all winter.
Repaired, modified, and put back into service in 2007, the dock again provides a connection between land and water, only now it is used for research vessels, tall ships, and tour boats.
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