atReadingMIEarly1980s[DougLeffler].jpg "Little River Railroad at Reading")
Reading was settled as Basswood Corners in the late 1830's and renamed Reading in 1840. [MPN] The Fort Wayne and Jackson railroad came through in the 1860's and a station stop was established. Reading became a village in Hillsdale County in 1873 and a city in 1934.
Image Info: Top, the Lake Shore depot at Reading in 1906. 2nd image, a view of the Reading depot in 1907. [UML]. 3rd image, a 1957 photo of a NYC switch engine and caboose on the Fort Wayne branch at Reading. [Roger Card]. 4th image, Little River Railroad 110 proceeding through Reading in the early 1980's. [Doug Leffler]. 5th image, LS&MS 5026 pulls up to the Reading depot. [UML]
1904. November. About 3 o'clock this morning villagers were aroused by a fire alarm, and on an investigation found that instead of a fire, the alarm was to arouse the village to the fact that the vaults at the State bank had been robbed and blown up. Five masked men were seen making their escape from the city. The interior of the bank was badly demolished. Neighbors in the vicinity of the bank were aroused by the explosion but as they made an appearance they were covered with revolvers and ordered back into their homes. Several shots were fired by the gang to make their orders more emphatic but no one was hurt. Damage to the vault and safes will amount to over $1,000. About $1,000 is silver was taken but losses are yet unknown. [DFP-1904-1106]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
