Lake Odessa was settled as the village of Bonanza in when the Pere Marquette railroad came through. In 1880 the townsite was moved a mile southwest and renamed Lake Odessa. It was incorporated as a village in 1889. It is located on the very south edge of Ionia County.
Photo Info: Top, a late 1800's photo of the depot with a lone passenger waiting on the platform. [Alan Loftis collection]. 2nd photo, an older shot of the depot in better times with a passenger train loading. [Charlie Whipp collection], 3rd photo, a similar shot taken from the opposite direction. [Alan Loftis collection]. 4th photo, the depot in 1979. [Charles Geletzke Jr.] 5th photo, the aging process and lack of upkeep have taken a toll on the majestic depot. 1984. [Charlie Whipp]. 6th photo, a photo from the early 2000's which has been restored and moved to a new location in town. [Alan Loftis]
1884. The Pere Marquette railroad Lake Odessa depot was built and opened on May 24, 1884. It no longer exists today.
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
