Battle Creek station (Michigan Central Railroad) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Battle Creek
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The old Michigan Central Depot in Battle Creek, Michigan
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| Location | 44 McCamly Street N., Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan 49017 | ||||||||||
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Penn Central Railway Station
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Invalid designation
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 44 McCamly Street N. Battle Creek, Michigan |
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| Built | 1888 | ||||||||||
| Architect | Rogers and MacFarlane | ||||||||||
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque | ||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 71000384 | ||||||||||
| Significant dates | |||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | April 16, 1971 | ||||||||||
The Battle Creek station is an old train station in Battle Creek, Michigan. It's also known as the Penn Central Railway Station and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The station first opened its doors on July 27, 1888.
It was designed by Rogers and MacFarlane from Detroit. This building is a great example of the Richardsonian Romanesque style. This style was popular for train stations between Detroit and Chicago back in the late 1800s. The station was built with special red sandstone from Lake Superior. This stone gives the building a very unique and striking look. It also has a cool clock tower.
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A Station for Famous Visitors
Many important people visited this station over the years. Famous inventor Thomas Edison once stopped here. Two US Presidents also came through: William Howard Taft and Gerald Ford.
The station changed owners several times. The New York Central Railroad took it over in 1918. Then, Penn Central owned it starting in 1968. Finally, Amtrak acquired it in 1970. The station was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
Train Routes from Battle Creek
This station was a busy hub for trains. It served New York Central trains traveling between Chicago and Detroit. Some of these famous trains included the Chicago Mercury and the Twilight Limited.
It also handled trains that went from Chicago to Detroit and then on to New York. These trains traveled through southwestern Ontario in Canada. One well-known train on this route was the Wolverine.
A New Chapter for the Station
In 1982, Amtrak moved its operations to a new building. This new station was located about five blocks south of the old one. It was built on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad line. The old train line through downtown Battle Creek was closed and removed.
The current Amtrak station still serves passengers today. It connects Detroit to Chicago and Port Huron, MI to Chicago. After Amtrak moved, the old Michigan Central Depot sat empty for seven years.
In 1989, two restaurant owners, Peter Jubeck and Ross Simpson, bought the old depot. They worked to turn it into a restaurant. On June 8, 1992, their new restaurant, Clara's on the River, opened its doors. This restaurant was like a sibling to another restaurant they owned. That one was called Clara's Lansing Station and was located in the Union Depot (Lansing, Michigan).
Photo gallery
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Clara's on the River, Battle Creek, MI.
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Patio view.
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Clock Tower
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Michigan Central Depot, Battle Creek, MI.
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Post Card, Michigan Central Depot, Battle Creek, MI.
