BYRON CENTER, MI
Restored Byron Center Depot, MI; September 2003
| Byron Center is about 10 miles south of Grand Rapids
on a line built in 1869, to Kalamazoo. It was combined with a railroad from
Sturgis to Kalamazoo to give the Michigan Southern a branch to Michigan's
second largest city, Grand Rapids. In September of 1869, the railroad was
leased for 999 years by the Michigan Southern.
By 1874 the New York Central had taken over the Michigan
Southern. And in 1968 the New York Central and Pennsvlvania Railroads merged
to form Penn-Central. The new railroad had three lines into Grand Rapids
from the south. The line through Byron Center was abandoned in the early
1970's. From Byron Center to the north, the right of way is now Kent Trails,
a paved trail running north into Grand Rapids.
The depot was purchased by a historical society and moved
about a mile north, to land owned by the township. It was to be restored
as part of the park. However, the woman who had funded the project died.
The project came to a stop. So, this wonderful depot with a number of interesting
features, sat unrestored and unsecured for a number of years.
In the freight room, portions of the walls were whitewashed,
and over the years, covered with
graffiti like
"tags". Station agents had a tradition of
signing in and out as they were assigned to new depots. So all this graffitti
is likely a record of the agents who worked there over the years.
Hoods over windows, and frame for telegraph insulators.
November 1999 |
Old scale in freight room. Note grafitti on walls. November
1999 |
|
Track Side, Before Restoration
| In 2000, the township decided to go ahead with the
development of Whistlestop Park. Part of it was to include the old depot.
It was moved a short distance and put on a new concrete foundation. Over
the next two years, volunteers replaced doors, windows and repainted the
building. |
Track Side, After Restoration, September 2003
Postcard view of Byron Center Depot
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