Station: Raco, MI

Raco, in Chippewa County, was 20 miles west of Sault Ste. Marie union station on the DSS&A Soo Branch. The town was settled in 1913 with a sawmill. It was named for the initials of the Richardson & Avery Company, which owned the sawmill. [MPN]

Notes

"Duff" switch was located 1/10th of a mile east of Raco depot.

Raco Army Airfield was located here sometime before World War II. Its use was likely to provide protection for the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie. It was also used as a refueling base for aircraft headed for Alaska. The air base was acquired by the United States government after World War II began and expanded. The base became inactive beginning in 1945. It became an anti-aircraft artillery site. In 1960, the site became a BOMARC missile base, It was known as the Kincheloe AFB BOMARC site. The missiles were inactivated in July, 1972 and the facility was closed. Today, it is a winter automobile test center for vehicles and components in harsh winter conditions. No original buildings remain other than concrete foundations for launcher shelters. [Wiki]

The DSS&A had a two mile long spur here to the north, to serve logging interests. [DSSM]

When the DSS&A and Soo Line merged, most of the DSS&A Soo Branch was abandoned but the line was maintained from Soo Junction east to Raco to service the government installations here.

Time Line

1887. The DSS&A completes their Soo Branch, from Soo Junction to Sault Ste. Marie, passing through what will become Raco.

1913. Raco is settled with a saw mill.

1915. The saw mill here, purchased from the Forest Lumber Co., arrives from Tower MI, in Cheboygan County. [DSSS-2023-2]

1918. The DSS&A had an agent/operator during the day at this location. [TRT]

1919. The R&A logging company was having issues with the DSS&A starting fires on their property. The DSS&A blamed the fires on low quality coal being imposed on them by the USRA. In response, the DSS&IA plows nine miles of right-of-way on either side of Raco. [DSSS-2023-2]

1923. R&A is taken over by the Cadillac-Soo Lumber Company which has their own mill in Sault Ste. Marie. By 1926, the Raco mill is sold to E.H. Shelcon Co. and moved to Eckerman. 

1930's. Raco Army Airfield is established here to protect the Soo Locks.

1933, The government establishes a CCC camp here. In 1942 the camp became a prisoner-of-war camp for German prisoners. [DSSS-2023-2]

1942. Air base is acquired by the US Government

1945. The Raco base became an anti-aircraft artillery site.

1960. Site becomes a BOMARC missile base

1961. Soo branch abandoned their branch between Raco to Sault Ste. Marie. Service to Raco was maintained from west.

1972. Missiles are deactivated, facility closed.

1977. Soo Line abandons branch from Soo Junction to Raco. 

Industry

• Cadillac-Soo Lumber Company - logging - (1923-   ) - purchased R&A Co.
• Richardson & Avery Company - logging (1914-1923) - had own logging railroad in area
• W.H. White Company - logging (1927-   ) - had own logging railroad.