Station: LaRoque, MI

LaRoque was established about 1895 when the Detroit & Mackinac railroad built northwest from here, taking over the Alpena & Northern railroad. The townsite was also known as Hawks. The original A&N line turned southwest from here to Valentine Lake in Montmorency County. Within the next 10 years, the pine was depleted and the line from Valentine Lake was pulled up first to May Lake and then the remainder of the way - leaving the D&M main line to extend to Cheboygan as the main route. In a D&M timetable, the town is still listed as LaRoque in 1905.

Photo Info: Top, an early view of the D&M depot at LaRocque. [CMUL]. 2nd photo, a winter view of the D&M depot at LaRocque, aka Hawks. [Frank Anderson collection]

Notes

The name "Hawks" may have been named after J.D. Hawks, the Vice President and General Manager of the Detroit & Mackinac railroad. He was a resident of Detroit.

Time Line

1895. Stephen Bloom, a section foreman on the Alpena & Northern railroad, attempted to catch a through train at Larock [sic]. He caught the last car in such a manner that he was thrown fully 20 feet into a bank of snow and his neck was broken. He was about to visit his wife, who had just been confined. It is feared she will go insane over her husband's death. [LSJ-1895-0220]

1927. The D&M had a daytime operator at the LaRocque (Hawks) depot. [ETT-1927]