Alpena County Clerk Bonnie Friedrichs was the speaker at last week’s Alpena Lions Club meeting. She presented to the Lions a remarkable, detailed review of Alpena County history, beginning in 1857 when the county was officially formed. Program chair for the meeting was Florence Stibitz.

Friedrich’s detailed history noted that when the county was founded it included only one township. It took 10 years to get the desired three townships authorized by the state. During this time the Civil War took place. Right after the county was founded in 1858 the county commissioners first met. At that time the first property tax was levied. The levy was for about $425. About $100 of this was to be spent on a highway, and about $325 was to be spent for county operations.

Next Friedrich reviewed the history of some county institutions — county offices, county courthouses, county jails, county sheriff’s offices, county libraries, etc. She also reviewed the road system and Alpena newspapers. At first the county had two newspapers, one Republican and one Democrat.

At this point, Friedrich’s review of county history ended due to time limitations. However, arrangements have been made to continue this county history review at a future Lions meeting.

Tom Woizeschke reported that the Lions recently assisted in the annual children’s Early Head Start screening. Assisting this year were Lewis Kunze, Bernie Lamp Jr., and Woizeschke.