Marion was settled as a station on the Ann Arbor railroad about 1880. The town incorporated as a village in 1889. [MPN]
Marion was located in northeast Osceola County on the Ann Arbor railroad main line about 18 miles southeast of Cadillac. The Manistee & Grand Rapids (later ME&W) also terminated here.
Image Info: Top, an image of the Marion depot with a passenger train motor car in front. [CMUL]. 2nd image, an early photo of the Ann Arbor railroad depot at Marion. The three individuals are posing in front of a small fountain. [Alan Loftis collection]. 3rd image, a Labor Day,1912 view of a track washout in Marion. See time line below for details of a fatal train accident caused by this washout. [T.C. Holmes Collection], 4th image, the Marion depot in 1971. [Charles Geletzke Jr.]
1891. The great ado made by the Ashleys over the building of the TAA&NM from Marion amounts to nothing, the bottom having dropped out of the whole scheme, at least for present. Two reasons are assigned to the sudden turn of affairs: one is that the money they had hoped to obtain for the carrying forward of the work is not forthcoming, and the other is the great difficulties they would have to encounter in attempting to cross David Ward's possessions. [SCH-1891-0618]
1900. This is a telegraph station on the Ann Arbor railroad. [OG-1900]
1910. In 1910, the M&GR ran one passenger train each way between Manistee and Marion via Tustin. This was likely a mixed train. [OGR]
1912. September 3. AA passenger train No. 54, which left Cadillac at 5 o'clock in the morning, was ditched. The train ran into a washout and the engine overturned, pinning Fireman Roy Boyd under it, and killing him instantly. Many hours after the wreck occurred, the body had not yet been pulled out of the debris. The regular train did not get through until nearly 2 o'clock this morning and by that time many of the Labor Day celebrators at both lakes had decided to spend the night where they were. This is the second time this summer that No. 54 has left the track, but the other time no one was injured.
Engineer Burt Beyerly saw the washout just before the train, which was going about 30 miles an hour struck the spot and he tried to jump, but as the engine fell on his side of the cab, he was pinned in. He was badly scalded about the shoulders by escaping steam and several bruised but it is believed that he will recover. Conductor William Conroy, who was taking tickets at the time in the smoker, was also badly injured. Besides internal injuries, his left arm was broken in two places. It is thought he will recover.
The engine and coal tender of the train was completely wrecked and the two baggage cars were turned over. They were demolished so badly that it is believed they will be of no value. All five passenger coaches left the track. Only one passenger was hurt. The heavy rains of last night were responsible for the washout also displaced about 100 yards of track just south of Marion. [AAN-1912-0903]
1916. The Michigan East & West builds new terminal facilities here, including a turntable and station at an expense of $6,000. [MCR-1916]
1918. The AARR had a day station agent here and operators here on the day and 2nd trick. [TRT]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
