MARLETTE, MI
Marlette, Michigan depot
| Marlette is about 75 miles north of Detroit. In 1878
the Port Huron & North Western started a 3-foot gauge railroad into
Michigan's thumb area, to serve the lumber industry. In 1881 the line had
reached Marlette, and by 1882 had reached Saginaw. Another branch of the
railroad ran from Port Huron to Port Austin, on the tip of the thumb. In
1889 the Port Huron & North Western was sold to the Flint & Pere
Marquette Railroad.
The Pere Marquette was taken over by the C&O, which
in turn became part of CSX. In the 1990's CSX abandoned the tracks between
Port Huron and Brown City, which is about 10 miles southeast of Marlette.
The remainder of the line was sold to the Saginaw Valley Railroad, which
is part of the
RailAmerica shortline
empire. Tracks through Marlette are operated by the Huron and Eastern, another
RailAmerica company.
The depot standing in Marlette today was built in 1890.
At the time, it was quite a unique and atractive building. Over the years,
remodelings, additions, and a lack of maintence have taken their toll. The
Marlette Historical society wants to buy the depot and turn it into a museum.
They have a grant for $200,000 to buy the building and land. |
Bluewater Michigan NRHS excursion train at Marlette, August
2002.
Bluewater Michigan Train / Street side of depot, August
2002.
Old postcard view of Marlette depot, without freightroom
addition.
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