Station: Flat Rock, MI

Flat Rock was settled about 1821. In 1834 it was called Vreelandt and then Smoothrock. It was renamed Flat Rock in 1872 and became a village in 1923. [MPN]

Flat Rock was served by the Chicago and Canada Southern railroad (on their line from Grosse Isle to Fayette, Indiana) and later the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton which established a large classification yard here after being purchased by Ford Motor Company interests in the 1920's.

Photo info: Top, an early view of the Canada Southern depot at Flat Rock in the late 1890's. 2nd image, an 1876 map of Flat Rock showing the location of the depot. [Both, Brownstown Historical Society]. 3rd, the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton depot at Flat Rock, in southern Wayne County. Given the age and style of this depot, it may have been built by the Canada Southern and leased to the DT&I when the latter road used the CS to bridge from the Trenton area to Tecumseh. [Alan Loftis Collection]. 4th image, the DT&I engine facility at Flat Rock in 2010. [Charles Geletzke Jr.]

Notes

Time Line

1895. The CASO/LSMS had a depot here in 1895. [LOC-map]

1918: The DT&I had operators on duty on the day shift at this location. [TRT]

Industry

• Oil Refinery - Inter Lakes Refining (1935-1938), Independent Refining Co. of Michigan (1939-1940), Petroleum Specialties (1940-1966. Served by the DT&I. [MW]