A massive canon sits in front of the Alpena city hall. It once stood on the deck of the U.S.S. Maine battleship. The mighty American warship exploded in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, ignited the Spanish-American War. After the ship’s remains were raised in 1912, Alpena resident and Republican Congressman George A. Loud forwarded resolutions from the city’s chamber of commerce and common council to the Navy Department, requesting a loan of “a piece of naval ordinance of historical interest.” The Navy granted the request, loaning Alpena a six-inch gun from the Maine in March 1912.
The cannon’s arrival in Alpena on May 19, 1912, was met with great excitement. The city planned a grand Independence Day celebration for its unveiling, drawing over 7,000 visitors eager to see the relic from the “martyred” U.S.S. Maine. Alpena holds the distinction of being the only city in the United States to possess a cannon from this historic battleship. This silent tribute to the Maine continues to stand in front of City Hall, at the corner of Water Street and First Avenue.
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