Station: Sparta, MI

Sparta was founded in 1848 and first called Nashville. It became a village in 1883. The town was renamed Sparta Center and then Sparta in 1885. [MPN] Sparta was a crossing of the Pere Marquette line north to Baldwin and the east-west Grand Trunk Western line to Muskegon.

Photo Info: Top, the TS&M depot (later GTW) at Sparta in the early 1900's. The arriving train is  loading passengers. [Charlie Whipp collection]. 2nd photo, the Sparta freight house in 1977 [Charles Geletzke Jr.], 3rd photo, the passenger depot in 2004. [Alan Loftis]

Notes

Time Line

1887. William Webster, an employee of the TS&M  railroad was instantly killed on the line four miles west of Sparta Center by accidentally falling between two flat cars while unloading telephone poles. An inquest relieved the company from any blame in the matter. The deceased was 19 years old. [DFP=1887-1220]

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