Station: Cedar Springs, MI

Cedar Springs was located in northern Kent County and was settled about 1855. [MPN] This was the crossing of the north/south Grand Rapids & Indiana and the east/west Grand Trunk Western line from Ashley to Muskegon. It became a village in 1868 and a city in 1960.

Photo Info: Top, the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad depot at Cedar Springs with a horse-drawn taxi waiting for disembarking passengers. 2nd photo, another photo of the same station with arriving train. [T. J. Gaffney collection]. 3rd image, a 1901 blueprint of the interlocking at Cedar Springs. [Michael Delaney collection]. 4th photo, the Grand Trunk Western depot at Cedar Springs. [Alan Loftis collection]. 5th photo, a view of the GT Cedar Springs depot with a short passenger train in front. A livery taxi has dropped off passengers for the train from a nearby hotel. 6th image, a postcard view of the water tower, and the depot with train. 7th photo, he water tower and depot at Cedar Springs. [AL]

Notes

Cedar Springs had a large water tower, across from the depot.

Time Line

1879. February 1. James Liddey was arrested at Cedar Springs in the act of setting fire to the depot of the GR&I railroad. He owned a house adjoining the depot, which is heavily insured, and it is believed he intended burning the depot with the expectation that his house would be destroyed and that he would recover his insurance. [DFP-1879-0202]

1893. Burglars broke into both depots at Cedar Spring, as well as into the interlocking tower. At the GR&I depot they go $30. [LDP-1893-1019]

1917. The GTW had an agent here during the day shift. [TRT]

1930. The interlocking tower was removed when the GTW obtained trackage rights over the PRR to Muskegon.