Station: Freeport, MI

Freeport DepotFreeport was platted in northern Barry County in 1874 [MPN]. It was located on the Lowell & Hastings railroad (later Pere Marquette). It became a village in 1907. It was in Irvine Township.

Photo info: The Pere Marquette Freeport depot. [Alan Loftis collection]


Notes

The railroad had stockyards here, just north of the Coldwater River north of town. [L&H]

The L&H had a turntable here for turning locomotives, but the location has not been determined. It was likely on railroad property across from the depot opposite Oak Street. [L&H] See next entry.

The turntable was located at the entrance of the cemetery. There is a depression filled with debris at the south side of the cemetery which when measured, matches the width & depth of the depression located at Malta (Lowell) where the L&H has their engine house and turntable. In Freeport, the depression would be situated precisely in line with a 15 degree curve off the mainline, placing the turnout location just south of the trestle across the Coldwater River. [From David Boerema]


Time Line 

1905. The PM builds a new depot at Freeport. [PMAR-1905]


Industry

  • Cool & Curtis Saw Mill
  • J. Cheesebrough Co. factory
  • Freeport Farmers Elevator Co.
  • Fox's Saw Mill

 

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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