Station: Howard City, MI

Howard City was settled about 1868 and the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad built through here about 1870.  Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western built to here from Ionia in 1871. The town was incorporated as a village in 1873.

Notes

There were obviously high expectations for Howard City in the 1860's as the railroad from Detroit was assembled to here (via Grand Ledge and Ionia) instead of Grand Rapids. Later, a different line was built from Grand Ledge west to Grand Rapids (via Lake Odessa) and the original route to Howard City was reduced to a branch line. Likely, lumbering and forest products had an impact on this area in the early years.

In May, 1872 the depot and railroad facilities of the Detroit, Lansing and Northern were destroyed by fire, including the engine house. [AArgus-5/14/1872] This was a union depot. [I&L]

Image Info: Top, the Grand Rapids & Indiana depot at Howard City. The station semaphore is set for this passenger train which is arriving at the depot. 2nd photo, another old photo of this depot. 3rd photo, Michigan Northern 1501, 1554 and 2037 lash up is southbound at Howard City in December, 1977. [Greg Bunce]. 4th photo, the remodeled former GR&I depot in 2005. [Alan Loftis]

Posted by contributor Gene Zank on the RRHX bulletin board on 1/6/2006: The predecessor to the Pere Marquette Railroad had few facilities at Howard City.  A small roundhouse and turntable were probably used until about 1887 or 1888, and a small yard.  The depot was shared by the GR&I (and later the Pennsylvania Railroad) until 1943 when the Pere Marquette abandoned the line east to Lakeview.

Time Line

1868. The GR&I arrives at Howard City. [I&L]

1871. Work is rapidly progressing on the extension of the Detroit, Lansing & Lake Michigan railroad beyond Greenville. Engineer Leaming has staked out the line to Coral, and one gang of graders is already at work beyond Caywood's. It is not yet definitely settled whether the line will cross the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad at Howard City, or Reynolds, about two miles farther north. [DFP-1871-0505]

1871. Howard City, 20 miles northwest of Greenville, will this year at least be the terminus of the DL&LM railway. Here it connects with the GR&I and the two roads have caused rea estate to rapidly increase in value. [LSJ-1871-0601]

1871. August. Tracklaying on the DL&LM westward from Greenville, is progressing and the roadbed is completed to Howard City. It will not be many weeks before a junction will be formed with the GR&I. [LSJ-1871-0810]

1871. October 24. The DL&LM railroad is now completed to Howard City. [DFP-1871-1024]

1871. The Detroit, Lansing and Lake Michigan railroad arrives here.  [I&L]

1871. Howard City was commenced two years ago and bids fair to be a place of considerable importance. There are now a large number of passenger transferred from the two railroads. There are two saw mills of large capacity in operation, and a large flouring mill is about to be erected; two good hotels for the accommodation of passengers on the two railroads, and the usual number of stores and mechanic shops. It is located on Tamarac Creek, a stream with a large volume of water which enters into the Muskegon River.

The lands in this locality are as good for all farming purposes as are any in the state. The forest is a heavy growth of pine, mixed with hard wood, which is very rapidly being made into lumber, and the lands are transformed into improved farms. The DL&LM railroad es expected to be put into operation to Pentwater on Lake Michigan this coming season, making one more of the large connections with the great West. [DFP-1871-1207]

1872. May 7. About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon Mayor Houseman received a dispatch from authorities at Howard City stating that the place was on fire, and asking that a steamer might be sent to their assistance. At 5 o'clock transportation was furnished and the "Campau" in charge of Chief Engineer Hyde, started for the scene arriving at Howard one hour later. Fire broke out at the town at an early hour yesterday, among the depot buildings of the DL&LM, all of which were destroyed, including the large engine house. The greatest danger ws in the fires in the surrounding forests, which are still burning far and wide on every side of Howard City, extending down the lines of the GR&I as far as Rockford.

The "Campau" on arriving went at once to work and rendered essential service in staying the progress of the flames. Engineeer Hyde returned to the city about nine o'clock, leaving the Campau in charge of Assistant Engineer Stevens. Mr. Hyde informs us that from the time he left Rockford until he arrived a Howard City, vast belts of fire were visible on either side of the road as far as the eye could reach. The woods are so dry that everything burns like tinder and the people of Pierson, Rockford,, Howard City and otheer places are seriously alarmed. [DFP-1872-0508]

1872. May. A large forest fire, fueled by stumps and brush in the deep pine forest, threatens Howard City. A fire engine was summoned by train from the GR&I. The town was saved except that the DL&LM engine house was burned down. This engine house had been formally located in Greenville and moved to Howard City when the latter became the terminus of the road. [I&L].

1872. October. Two men were run over and killed by the 2:40 pm freight train bound west near Howard City We learn that they were laying on top of each other, and having a bottle of whiskey with them. They were sadly under the influence at the time of the accident. [BUC-1872-1010]

1873. Beers Roberts, while engaged in working in a saw mill here, fell against a circular saw, while in motion, and completely severed his left arm, throwing it a distance of six rods. [BUC-1873-0605]

1873. A young girl about 16 years of age recently arrived at Howard City, having been sent by express from some point East. She was regularly billed, and a shipping tag attached to her showed her weight to be 106 pounds. [LSJ-1873-0912]

1880. Albert Chadwick, a brakeman on the DL&N road, had both legs crushed at Howard City. [LWR-1880-0324]

1890. The DL&N erected a new water tank and stand-pipe, and made repairs to the engine house and stock yard. [DL&N-1890]

1898. This place was visited with a very hard wind storm this afternoon, which unroofed the Detroit, Grand Rapids & Western railway's roundhouse and blew down fences and shade trees. [DFP-1o898-0608]

1942. The PM line between Greenville and Howard City is removed. [I&L]