White Pigeon was settled about 1827 in southwest St. Joseph County, about two miles north of the Indiana state line. The village was incorporated in 1837. [MPN]
White Pigeon was a junction of the original Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana (later LSMS, NYC, PC, CR) and the Lake Shore's Kalamazoo Branch.
Image Info: Top, the LSMS/NYC Depot at White Pigeon, now operated by the Michigan Southern railroad in 2002. [William Dunham]. 2nd image, an old photo of the same depot. 3rd image, the depot with the Kingsbury Hotel in the background. White Pigeon was an important junction between the Lake Shore "Old Road" and their line north to Constantine and Grand Rapids. A hotel close to the depot was important for travelers making connections. [St. Joseph County Historical Society]. 4th image, a postcard view of the depot gardens. [Last 3, Alan Loftis collection]
The White Pigeon Paper Company had a plant in town near the intersection of Elkhart and River streets. The plant was served by two spur lines off the Old Road line. [ZTS] The plant continues to exist in 2023 but does not use rail service. [GMAP-2023]
1835. A "Rail Road Convention" convened at the house of Dr. Rowley in White Pigeon for the purpose of devising means for uniting Lakes Erie and Michigan by a Rail Road. Representatives attended from White Pigeon, Constantine, Mottville, Michigan City, IN, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Perrysburgh, OH, Lagrange, Toledo, and Bristol, IN. [MST-1835-0110]
1851. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern arrives from Coldwater and the east. It is extended the same year to Elkhart and reaches Chicago in 1855.
1852. The Lake Shore builds a branch north to reach Constantine and the St. Joseph River. In 1855 it was extended north to Three River, Kalamazoo in 1867 and Grand Rapids in 1869. [MRL]
1908. August 24. A bad wreck occurred in the Lake Shore yards at White Pigeon, a snow plow colliding with a locomotive. The snow plow train conductor was killed and his brakeman was probably fatally injured. The snow is causing the Lake Shore a great trouble between Kalamazoo and White Pigeon in the deep cuts in the prairies and nearly all the trains are being run with double headers and the snow plow is required to make frequent clearing of the cuts. The accident occurred on the Y.A. freight train from the north end and the snow plow train from Elkhart came together with a terrible crash. The freight train was completely telescoped. The impact drove their engine and tender of the freight clear up on top of the snow plow. The body of the conductor was pinned in between the freight tender and the plow. [KGAZ-1908-0824]
1915. White Pigeon had a water tower on the LS&MS in 1915. [NYCtt1915]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
