Government Weather Station #85: Alpena, MI records
Collection Overview
Abstract
This collection consists of the daily records of the Weather Station at Alpena, Michigan for the years 1872-1882 and 1885-1917. The journals include weather information such as storms, temperature readings, aureole and lunar halo sightings, sunset predictions, barometer readings, and additional information on visitors and vessel movements. The collection is valuable for the study of early efforts to systematically record weather in the U.S.
Dates
- Creation: 1872-1917
Extent
2 Reels (2 reels of 35mm microfilm)
Creator
Scope and Contents
Contains information on daily weather conditions, monthly instrument checks, storm signals, and vessel movements. No records present for 1883-1884 or 1893-1904.
Agency History
A Signal Service station was established at Alpena, MI, in September 1872, with the Weather Bureau taking over in 1891. The office was relocated to Phelps Collins Field in August 1959, operating part-time with an Automated Meteorological Observation Station (AMOS) also present. The AMOS was decommissioned in 1975. A WSR-74C radar was commissioned on June 8, 1977, and the office began full-time operations again. Functions of this office were transferred to the new Gaylord, MI, office in 1995 and the site began contract operations. These continued until early 1999 when the site was closed.
Conditions Governing Access
No known access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
The collection is in the public domain.
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The original records were loaned to the Center for Archival Collections for microfilming by Joseph H. Ritzenhein in fall 1981.
- Title
- Guide to the Government Weather Station #85: Alpena, MI records
- Author
- Mark Sprang
- Date
- June 2018
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English