Jackson station (Michigan) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jackson, MI
The station building in 2010.
Location	501 East Michigan Avenue Jackson, MI, 49201
Owned by	Amtrak
Line(s)	Michigan Line
Platforms	1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Parking	Yes; free
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	JXN
History
Opened	1841
Rebuilt	1872 & 1978
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	23,700  1.4%
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Albion toward Chicago Wolverine Ann Arbor toward Pontiac
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Albion toward Chicago Lake Cities 1980–2004 Ann Arbor toward Pontiac Terminus Michigan Executive Chelsea toward Detroit (Michigan Central) Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Parma toward Chicago Michigan Central Railroad Main Line Grass Lake toward Buffalo Horton toward Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Branch Terminus Haires toward Niles Michigan Air Line Railroad Terminus Jackson Branch Napoleon toward Toledo Cincinnati Northern Railroad Lyonette toward Franklin Bay City Branch Rives Junction toward Bay City
Michigan Central Railroad Jackson Depot
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Jackson, Michigan, USA
Architect	Henry A. Gardner
Architectural style	Italianate
NRHP reference No.	02001504
Added to NRHP	2002

The Jackson train station is a special historic building in Jackson, Michigan, United States. It is an Amtrak station, meaning it's part of America's main passenger train system. The station is served by the 'Wolverine' train. Because of its history, the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This means it's recognized as an important place in American history.

History of the Jackson Train Station

Early Railroads and the First Station

The story of the Jackson train station began in 1837. This is when the Michigan Central Railroad started building its tracks. By 1841, the train tracks had reached the city of Jackson. This brought new ways for people and goods to travel.

By the 1870s, many other train lines also served Jackson. These included the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad and the Fort Wayne, Jackson and Saginaw Railroad.

Building the Jackson Union Station

In 1872, the Michigan Central Railroad decided to build a new, bigger station. This new station would replace the first one built in 1841. The new building was called 'Jackson Union Station'.

A Union Station is a train station used by many different railroad companies. This new station served almost all the train lines in Jackson. Construction started in late 1872 and finished in the summer of 1873.

Changes in Train Travel

For many years, lots of people used trains to travel to and from Jackson. Trains like the New York Special and the Wolverine stopped here. These trains connected Jackson to big cities like Chicago, Detroit, and New York.

However, things began to change when cars became popular. In 1959, train service to Bay City and Saginaw ended. By 1964, when the I-94 highway was finished, fewer people rode the trains.

Amtrak Takes Over and Renovations

In 1971, Amtrak took over passenger train service through Jackson. Amtrak is still the only passenger train service at the station today.

The station has been updated several times. In 1978, it got a big makeover. Workers cleaned the outside bricks and shined the floors. They also fixed the beautiful wood inside. An artist even painted a mural showing the station in 1904 next to a modern Amtrak train. More improvements were made in 2008, 2013, and 2018.

What the Station Looks Like

The Jackson Station is made up of two main buildings. There is the main depot building and a smaller Express Building nearby.

The Main Depot Building

The depot is a single-story building made of red brick. It is built in the Italianate style, which was popular for buildings in the 1800s. The building is about 325 feet long and 44 feet wide.

It has two taller sections, like small towers, at each end. These sections are two stories tall. The building sits on a foundation of light brown stone. The long walls have many windows and doors. These windows are tall and narrow.

The roof of the main section is pointed, and the taller end sections have flat roofs. A wooden cover, called a canopy, runs along the side of the building where the trains are. This canopy is held up by strong metal poles.

The Express Building

The Express Building is a smaller, single-story building. It is shaped like an "L" and is also made of brick. This building was likely used for handling packages and freight that traveled by train. It also sits on a light brown stone foundation. Its walls have openings for freight doors and windows.

• Amtrak – Stations – Jackson, MI