| The Ann Arbor's Mount Pleasant depot was built in 1893.
It replaced an earlier depot that burned after a lightning strike on April
6, 1893. The original building was 22' x 75' long. A later addition to the
south end, brought the length to 100'. The depot was damaged by fire two
more times, in 1908 and again in 1922. In both cases, the depot was repairable.
Tracks to Mt. Pleasant were built by the Lansing, Alma,
Mt. Pleasant & Northern, a road built by Ammi W. Wright of Alma and other
local interests. As the Toledo, Ann Arbor & Northern Railroad was building
its line north toward Frankfort, it bought out the Lansing, Alma, Mt. Pleasant
& Northern, thus eliminating a potential competitor, and securing its
through route as far north as Mt. Pleasant. It seems likely that Mr. Wright
built his railroad to steer the Toledo, Ann Arbor & Northern through
his town, Alma. The planned route was through St. Louis, 12 miles to the
east.
The railroad was completed to Frankfort in 1896, and
immediately started a very successful carferry route across Lake Michigan
to Manitowoc, WI. Over the years the Ann Arbor earned its living as a bridge
line for east-west traffic. Less than 10% of its traffic was for on-line
customers.
Passenger service lasted until 1950. The station was used
by the railroad as a freight office until the mid 1970's. The state of Michigan
bought the railroad through Mt. Pleasant in 1976 from the bankrupt Ann Arbor
Railroad. Tracks are in use by the Tuscola & Saginaw Bay RR.
| In 1995 the depot was purchased to serve as the site
of a brewpub-steakhouse. Major additions were put on the street side and
both ends. On the trackside, two more bay windows were added south of the
original one. Inside, everything was redone. The framing of the old depot
is probably the only thing left. |
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