Station: Oscoda, MI

Oscoda was settled about 1867 as a logging village along Lake Huron in Iosco County. The town became a village in 1885. The town was nearly wiped out by a major forest fire in 1911. 

The town was located on the Detroit & Mackinac railroad (later Lake States) adjacent to the town of AuSable.

Photo Info: Top, a winter view of the Oscoda depot with a loading ramp near by. [CMUL] 2nd photo, the D&M depot at Oscoda. [Dale Berry collection]. 3rd photo, the arrival of train No. 3 shortly after a major forest fire.5th photos, 1968 views of the depot serving the adjacent towns of AuSable and Oscoda. [Both, Charles Geletzke Jr.]. 6th photo, an early view of a passenger train in front of the Oscoda depot.

Notes

Time Line

1883. July. A fire burns lumber mills and a salt block at Oscoda causing $75,000 in damage. [AAN-1884-0109]

1884. There were 22 passengers on the stage last Friday on the trip from Oscoda to Alpena. During the journey the stage upset four times and the passengers dumped alongside the road. At one upset, a big fat woman landed on a well known citizen and he had to call for assistance. [AAN-1884-0305]

1911. July 12. The towns of Oscoda and AuSable, opposite each other on the AuSable river at its mouth, and having a combined population of 1,800 were completely destroyed by fire Tuesday, but without loss of life. Every house and building in the two towns is reported destroyed.

H.M. Loud's Sons & Co., who with their two saw mills, shingle mills, planing mills, huge cedar yards and lumber yards, were the mainstay of the towns and the heaviest losers - there loss being probably near one million dollars. Congressman Loud, of the Tenth district, whose home is in AuSable, is the leading member of the firm.

The fire originated in a slab yard in Oscoda. The wind was high and inside of 10 minutes the entire yard was ablaze, while the fire was spreading with such rapidity that by night AuSable had been practically destroyed, the flames jumping the river. By night, about 1,800 people were homeless without food and their onlyu possessions the  clothing they wore. 

Early in the evening, the steamer Congo ran into AuSable and her captain readily consented to take on board all the people his boat could accommodate. They were taken to East Tawas. [SAG-1911-0712]

1911. A special D&M train carrying fire apparatus from Bay City to Alpena in response to a call for help from that city jumped the track in trying to pass around Oscoda and Au Sable and was held until nearly midnight before the track was repaired. It then proceeded as the fire at Alpena was said to be still dangerous. [FLJ-1911-0712]

1927. This station was staffed with an operator during the day shift. There was one daily first class train and another daily except Sunday. There was also a 2nd class train from here to Au Sable Junction (for the A&NW branch) and to Lincoln Junction (for the Lincoln branch). There were also two freight trains scheduled. [ETT-1927]

1927. The former Au Sable & Northwestern main line is abandoned. [MRL]