Muskegon station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Union Depot
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 610 Western Ave., Muskegon, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1895 |
| Built by | Rowson Brothers & Company |
| Architect | Sidney J. Osgood, Amos W. Rush |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001489 |
| Added to NRHP | December 7, 2000 |
The Union Depot is an old train station located in Muskegon, Michigan. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 because it's an important historical building. Today, it's not a train station anymore. Instead, it's used by the Muskegon County Convention & Visitor's Bureau, which helps people find out about fun things to do in the area.
Contents
History of the Union Depot
Early Train Travel in Muskegon
In 1871, the Michigan Lake Shore Railroad built train tracks connecting Muskegon to Chicago. This made it easier for people and goods to travel. Later, this railroad became part of the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad.
By the 1880s, two more train lines came to Muskegon. These were the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad and the Toledo, Saginaw and Muskegon Railway. All these trains needed a place for passengers to get on and off.
Building a New Train Station
The old train station on Third Street was getting old and needed many repairs. By 1893, all three train companies and the city of Muskegon agreed. They decided it would be best to build a brand new, modern train station. More and more people were traveling by train to local resorts, so a better station was needed.
Architect Sidney J. Osgood first drew the plans for the new depot in 1893. Later, architect Amos W. Rush took over the project. Building the station was delayed until 1894 because of a tough economic time called the Panic of 1893. The new Union Depot was finally finished and opened in 1895.
Changes in Train Companies
In 1899, the Pere Marquette Railroad took over the Union Depot. Even though it was called "Union Depot," not all trains used it. By the 1930s, trains from the Toledo, Saginaw and Muskegon Railway (which had joined the Grand Trunk Western) used a different station in Muskegon.
By 1938, trains from the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad (which had joined the Pennsylvania Railroad) also moved to the same station as the Grand Trunk trains. So, the Union Depot mainly served the Pere Marquette Railroad.
Decline of Train Travel
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) took over the Pere Marquette Railroad in 1947. However, more and more people started using cars to travel. This meant fewer people rode trains. Because of this, the Union Depot stopped offering passenger train service in 1971.
Freight trains (carrying goods) continued to use the tracks for two more years. But the building itself was empty from 1978 until the early 1990s. Then, it was given to Muskegon County. In 1990, the depot was named a Michigan Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. The building was fixed up in 1994 and 1995. After that, it reopened as the Muskegon County Convention & Visitor's Bureau.
What the Union Depot Looks Like
The Muskegon Union Depot is a two-story building. It has a tall, four-story tower connected to it and a large, sloped roof. The building is made of red brick and rough sandstone. The roof edges stick out from the building.
The building looks almost the same on both sides. Only a small part, which used to be the baggage room, breaks this perfect balance. The main entrance is a deep porch with a huge sandstone arch. The sides of the building also have roofs that hang over, creating deep porches that lead to the train platform at the back. The back of the building has a half-hexagon shape where the ticket office used to be.
Inside, the main waiting room has a big, fancy brick fireplace with a wooden mantel. The walls are covered with beautiful oak wood panels. The ceiling still has its original pressed metal panels. The room where ladies used to wait is now an exhibit space. The gentlemen's smoking room is also an exhibit space now.
The second floor is smaller than the first floor. It used to be offices and storage for the railroad company. Now, it has a large meeting room, small restrooms, offices, storage, and a boiler room. The very top floors of the tower are now only used for the building's mechanical systems.
See also
In Spanish: Union Depot (Muskegon) para niños
