Maritime Munising - Alger’s newest art installation

Maritime Munising

After months of brainstorming with local historians, a graphic designer, and staff from our office, Maritime Munising – the newest placemaking project from the Alger County Chamber of Commerce/Greater Munising Bay Partnership and Munising Downtown Development Authority was installed in September by Signs Now of Negaunee.

Just south of Munising Avenue, 12 tall panels now line the alley between Maple and Birch streets showcasing historical aspects of what it was once like in the Munising area many years ago. The 6-foot-tall installations feature lighthouse living, legendary shipwrecks, fishing, logging operations and so forth.

Although there are brief descriptions located on the panels, there’s a greater story behind each one waiting to be unraveled. Those interested can visit the Chamber/Partnership’s new Arts and Culture page on its website at algercountychamber.com/arts-culture. The page not only features information about the new maritime alley but also includes other placemaking projects that have taken place in Alger County the last few years. A QR code can also be found on some of the panels which takes app users directly to the website’s new page so people can read more about the panels while they’re standing in front of them.

Pelkie-based graphic designer, Mike Stockwell of Cranking Graphics, created the installations by using old photographs as reference. The photos were provided by Duane Hargis of the Alger County Heritage Museum, staff from Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours, and the National Park Service. Funding for the project came from an ArtPlace grant, a CUPPAD Prosperous Places grant, the Munising DDA, and the Chamber/Partnership.  

In conjunction with Maritime Munising, Signs Now also installed a new sign for the Munising Art in the Alley, located between Elm Avenue and Maple Street. During one of our virtual meetings with Mike of Cranking Graphics, we asked if he could design something for the alley since people often ask how the project came to be. So, Mike crafted a beautiful sign explaining just that.