| In 1865 the Michigan Central bought the Jackson, Lansing
and Saginaw Railroad Company which was struggling to complete a line linking
the named cities. By 1871, under MC ownership, the road was completed as
far as Bay City, and by 1881 it was completed through Wolverine to Mackinaw
City. This gave the Michigan Central access not only to Lansing, Saginaw
and Bay city, but also to the lumber region of northern Michigan.
As the lumber boom ran its course, the Michigan Central
needed new traffic for its Mackinaw Division and so promoted travel to the
resort areas of northern Michigan. By 1903 scheduled trains increased to
six as tourism to the Straits developed. The MCRR promoted Northern Michigan
as "curative of hayfever, asthma, bronchial and lung affections.
The present Wolverine depot was built in 1906. There were
separate waiting rooms for men and women, an agent's office, and a small
freight room on the south end. Earlier Michigan Central Timetables show Wolverine
as a stop, so there must have been an earlier depot.
The depot is now in used by Henley's Canoe and Kyak Rental.
They offer trips on the
Sturgeon
River, the fastest canoe and kayaking waters in lower
Michigan.
Tracks through Wolverine were abondoned in 1991 and have
been removed. |
