Known locally as Haynor, Stanton Junction is located about three and one half miles north of Ionia in Section 12 of Easton Township. This is where the Stanton Branch left the main line from Ionia that went on up to Kiddville and Greenville. There was a telegraph office located here. Pusher engines, or "helpers," uncoupled here to return to Ionia after helping northbound trains up the "Big Hill". From Merritt Scharnweber. [I&L]
The railroad had a telegraph office here. Pusher engines or "helpers" uncoupled here to return to Ionia after helping north bound trains ukp the "big hill". [I&L]
From Kevin Springsteen: "After the PM built the line between Greenville and Stanton in 1901, the switch about half mile south of Stanton where the Greenville line left the line to Sheridan and Ionia was referred to as Stanton Junction. By this time, Haynor in Ionia County had surpassed the use of Stanton Junction name there."
1878. The DL&N lowered by seven feet the summit of the "Ionia" grade near here. This included nearly ten thousand cubic yards of earth, which was used for grading sidings and raising embankments nearby. [DL&N-1878]
1882. The DL&N finished a new station here. [DL&N-1882]
1890. February 20. The Big Rapids freight lost 25 of its cars at Stanton Junction, four miles from Ionia. The cars came tearing down the track striking the Howard City freight making up at the East Ionia depot. Six of the cars were smashed to splinters and the others considerably wrecked. Brakeman Pierce, the only trainman on the wild section, had his leg broken. [OAK-1890-0220]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
