Standish station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Standish
Location	107 North Main Street., Standish, Arenac County, Michigan 48658
Former services
Preceding station New York Central Railroad Following station Sterling toward Mackinaw City Mackinaw City – Detroit Pinconning toward Detroit
Michigan Central Railroad Standish 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	107 N. Main St., Standish, Michigan
Area	less than one acre
Built by	Adams & Rogers
Architect	Spier & Rohns
Architectural style	Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	91000215
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	February 28, 1991

The Standish Depot is an old train station in Standish, Michigan. You can find it at 107 North Main Street. This building is very important! It was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1977. Later, in 1991, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It's officially called the Michigan Central Railroad Standish Depot.

History of the Standish Train Depot

Building the Railroad Line

In 1870, a company called the Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw Railroad built a train line. This line went through Arenac County. It connected Bay City with Mackinaw City. The very next year, the Michigan Central Railroad took over the line. They started offering rides for people. The town of Standish grew up around this new train line.

The First Train Station

The first train station in Standish was built in 1871. It was made of wood. This first station was located a little south of where the current building stands. By 1887, the wooden station was getting old and falling apart. The Michigan Central Railroad decided to build a new, better station. They were upgrading many of their stations across the state.

Designing the New Depot

The railroad hired a famous architecture company from Detroit called Spier & Rohns. They were chosen to design the new Standish train station. Another company, Adams and Rogers, also from Detroit, built the station. They used stones that local farmers provided. Construction started in May 1889 and finished in October 1889.

Life Around the Depot

The area around the new train station became a park. It even had a bandstand where concerts were held every week. But by the 1920s, fewer people were using the trains. The park and the station became less busy. The last train carrying passengers stopped in Standish in 1955. The station was still used for moving goods until about 1965 or 1966. After that, it was closed.

The Depot Today

In 1988, the old train station was fixed up. It was turned into office spaces. Today, it is used as a welcome center for visitors. It sits right along US 23.

What the Standish Depot Looks Like

Building Style and Materials

The Michigan Central Railroad depot is a single-story building. It is built in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This means it looks strong and solid, often with rounded arches. The building is made from fieldstone, which are natural stones found in fields. It sits on a foundation also made of fieldstone. The window sills and the stone pieces above the windows (called lintels) are made from flat stone slabs.

The Roof and Entrance

The roof of the depot is very steep. One end of the roof has a triangular shape called a gable. The other end has a hip roof, which slopes down on all sides. The front of the building has a main entrance. You reach it by walking across a wide porch. On either side of the entrance, the building extends out. These parts used to be the freight room and the waiting room.

Inside the Depot

When you walk through the main entrance, you enter what used to be the waiting room. This room takes up about two-thirds of the building on the north side. The southern part of the building was the freight room, where goods were stored. A small ticket office was located in one part of the waiting area. The building's inside layout is still much like it was originally. A small bathroom was added in the old freight room.

The ceilings inside are about 12 feet high. They are finished with special wooden boards called tongue-and-groove. The lower half of the walls also have this same tongue-and-groove birch wood. Above that, the walls are covered in plaster.

The Depot's Surroundings

On the north side of the depot, you can see old train cars. These cars were given to the town to show what transportation was like in the late 1800s. The sidewalks around the depot have special blocks. These blocks have names carved into them, honoring people who have helped the community.

Today, the train depot is a busy place! It is used for many town events. These include concerts, markets, and car shows. There are also special gatherings and "Depot Days" every October. All these events make Standish a more interesting place. They bring in more visitors and help the town's economy.