Alpena Motor Car Company

The Alpena Motor Car Company was an American automobile manufacturer incorporated in June 1910 that closed in 1913 and declared bankruptcy in February 1914.[1] The companies flagship project was the Alpena Flyer in 13 different models,[2] of which approximately 480 were produced and one remains today.[3] The company had a factory at 150 Elm St. and 801 Johnson St. (these were in fact the same location) in Alpena, Michigan, although production began at a different site whilst this factory was under construction. $300,000 in stock was raised[4] by approximately 200 investors, and at its formation the company had D D Hanover as president (later replaced by Richard Collins), and William Krebs as vice president. The factory employed 70 people, and there were claims that Alpena would become an "Automobile City"[3] and that the factory would soon be producing 3,000 a year, although these did not transpire. The company was sued for patent infringement over its suspension design in 1912 and a cash shortage followed that lead the company to become bankrupt in 1914.[5] The assets were auctioned to the Besser Company for $5,200 and the remaining car parts are believed to have been sold to a Canadian firm.[4]