Williamston Depot History
The train depot once served as the hub of business and social activity in Williamston. At its peak it was surrounded by about a dozen structures. Over the years it has withstood efforts to demolish it, an overland move, and a massive restoration project, which returned it to its old glory of years past.
The first train depot was built by the owners of the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad when the track first appeared in town in the summer of 1871. The Lansing State Republican newspaper claimed the first rail lines were laid on Tuesday, April 18, 1871 and stated that the Detroit and Howell depots would be built first and then the remaining ones would follow. So, the first depot was likely built in the latter part of 1871 or sometime in 1872 and was erected on the north side of the tracks, near the end of Cedar Street. This initial passenger depot stood for 15 years, until a fire destroyed the building.
According to the Williamston Enterprise on Wednesday afternoon, November 24, 1886 a fire was discovered in the baggage room of the wooden depot building. Unfortunately, the blaze quickly burned through the roof and engulfed the entire structure. Efforts were then targeted on saving two adjacent buildings belonging to the railroad. The work was successful and the freight building, with eight thousand bushels of wheat and a structure called the “long house” were kept from catching fire.
Soon, the community was clamoring for a new depot. By March of 1887 the contract for the second Williamston depot was given to local contractor Hiram E. Higbee. However, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad’s rebuilding budget was apparently not enough to satisfy local residents. An Enterprise article in April noted the new structure was “a flat-footed, cheap concern,” and “our citizens have neglected a duty to the community in allowing this little $400 concern, which is not as good as the old one, to be erected at an important station as this…” Fortunately, or unfortunately, this new version of the depot wouldn’t last as long as the first one, as fire once again visited the site.
On Sunday, June 19, 1892, Edward Lawlor, was returning from a ride in the country and discovered this depot on fire and notified the station agent, James Kehoe. The Williamston Fire Department responded and did their best to stop the blaze from spreading. The Enterprise stated “it was impossible to save the building and it burned to the ground, with the exception of a portion of the east end occupied as a baggage room and the coal house which stands close by.” However, a safe inside made it through the fire in good shape. A cause of the fire was never found.
Soon officials from the D. L. & N. Railroad were in town and decided to use a freight car as a temporary depot. Unlike the first rebuilding effort, the citizens of Williamston didn’t let the rail company dictate the plan for this depot. By July 1892, the rail company “acknowledged the receipt of the petition from the business men of Williamston asking for a modernized depot when they rebuild and state that about $1,200 is all they feel justified in placing a building at this place…” Bids were let for the depot in early September and again local builder Higbee won the contract. He used wood purchased from a local lumber yard to build the depot and began work on Wednesday, November 2, 1892. The paper exclaimed that “it will be the finest depot on the line between Detroit and Lansing.”
Higbee took the next two and a half months to complete the work. During the Christmas season, the local paper called the partially constructed building, measuring 21 by 56 feet, “a very nice depot” and stated that “Contractor Higbee is leaving nothing undone.” Also, the paper said “Southern pine is used in the interior and it will be finished in hard oil.” According to reports, Higbee finished the depot on the evening of January 9, 1893 and the new railroad depot officially opened for business on Monday morning, January 16th. The Enterprise crowed by writing “it’s a beauty in every respect.”
This third and final depot continued to handle passengers in Williamston for the next seventy years, until 1963, when the state’s Public Service Commission ordered the service to end. Freight service continued for a few more years in the depot.
In the mid-1970’s the Chessie Railroad System wanted to raze the boarded up depot and deemed it an eyesore and a hazard. In 1978, a local grass roots group supporting historic preservation began raising several thousand dollars needed to hire a mover and save it from demolition. On Wednesday, June 20, 1979 the depot was moved on a back of a truck from its railroad site to 369 West Grand River Avenue, on land donated by the city. For the next five or six years, various fund raising efforts and hundreds of volunteer hours went into preserving and then renovating the depot building. Their efforts saw the adding of a rear section to the depot and improvements to the outside grounds. The volunteers continued their work and helped to organize the Williamston Depot Museum in the depot, along with creating an office for the Williamston Chamber of Commerce.
Currently, the museum board meets monthly to plan activities for the community and hosts historic speakers in the building. The museum features 13 display cases highlighting the history of the Williamston area. The Chamber of Commerce still operates its office in the depot and through its cooperation allows the museum to be open weekdays to the visiting public.
(Mitch Lutzke is a Depot Board member and a history teacher at Williamston High School)
The first train depot was built by the owners of the Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad when the track first appeared in town in the summer of 1871. The Lansing State Republican newspaper claimed the first rail lines were laid on Tuesday, April 18, 1871 and stated that the Detroit and Howell depots would be built first and then the remaining ones would follow. So, the first depot was likely built in the latter part of 1871 or sometime in 1872 and was erected on the north side of the tracks, near the end of Cedar Street. This initial passenger depot stood for 15 years, until a fire destroyed the building.
According to the Williamston Enterprise on Wednesday afternoon, November 24, 1886 a fire was discovered in the baggage room of the wooden depot building. Unfortunately, the blaze quickly burned through the roof and engulfed the entire structure. Efforts were then targeted on saving two adjacent buildings belonging to the railroad. The work was successful and the freight building, with eight thousand bushels of wheat and a structure called the “long house” were kept from catching fire.
Soon, the community was clamoring for a new depot. By March of 1887 the contract for the second Williamston depot was given to local contractor Hiram E. Higbee. However, the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad’s rebuilding budget was apparently not enough to satisfy local residents. An Enterprise article in April noted the new structure was “a flat-footed, cheap concern,” and “our citizens have neglected a duty to the community in allowing this little $400 concern, which is not as good as the old one, to be erected at an important station as this…” Fortunately, or unfortunately, this new version of the depot wouldn’t last as long as the first one, as fire once again visited the site.
On Sunday, June 19, 1892, Edward Lawlor, was returning from a ride in the country and discovered this depot on fire and notified the station agent, James Kehoe. The Williamston Fire Department responded and did their best to stop the blaze from spreading. The Enterprise stated “it was impossible to save the building and it burned to the ground, with the exception of a portion of the east end occupied as a baggage room and the coal house which stands close by.” However, a safe inside made it through the fire in good shape. A cause of the fire was never found.
Soon officials from the D. L. & N. Railroad were in town and decided to use a freight car as a temporary depot. Unlike the first rebuilding effort, the citizens of Williamston didn’t let the rail company dictate the plan for this depot. By July 1892, the rail company “acknowledged the receipt of the petition from the business men of Williamston asking for a modernized depot when they rebuild and state that about $1,200 is all they feel justified in placing a building at this place…” Bids were let for the depot in early September and again local builder Higbee won the contract. He used wood purchased from a local lumber yard to build the depot and began work on Wednesday, November 2, 1892. The paper exclaimed that “it will be the finest depot on the line between Detroit and Lansing.”
Higbee took the next two and a half months to complete the work. During the Christmas season, the local paper called the partially constructed building, measuring 21 by 56 feet, “a very nice depot” and stated that “Contractor Higbee is leaving nothing undone.” Also, the paper said “Southern pine is used in the interior and it will be finished in hard oil.” According to reports, Higbee finished the depot on the evening of January 9, 1893 and the new railroad depot officially opened for business on Monday morning, January 16th. The Enterprise crowed by writing “it’s a beauty in every respect.”
This third and final depot continued to handle passengers in Williamston for the next seventy years, until 1963, when the state’s Public Service Commission ordered the service to end. Freight service continued for a few more years in the depot.
In the mid-1970’s the Chessie Railroad System wanted to raze the boarded up depot and deemed it an eyesore and a hazard. In 1978, a local grass roots group supporting historic preservation began raising several thousand dollars needed to hire a mover and save it from demolition. On Wednesday, June 20, 1979 the depot was moved on a back of a truck from its railroad site to 369 West Grand River Avenue, on land donated by the city. For the next five or six years, various fund raising efforts and hundreds of volunteer hours went into preserving and then renovating the depot building. Their efforts saw the adding of a rear section to the depot and improvements to the outside grounds. The volunteers continued their work and helped to organize the Williamston Depot Museum in the depot, along with creating an office for the Williamston Chamber of Commerce.
Currently, the museum board meets monthly to plan activities for the community and hosts historic speakers in the building. The museum features 13 display cases highlighting the history of the Williamston area. The Chamber of Commerce still operates its office in the depot and through its cooperation allows the museum to be open weekdays to the visiting public.
(Mitch Lutzke is a Depot Board member and a history teacher at Williamston High School)