Sturgis, MI: Depots

While looking at a satellite image trying to figure out how the old NYC/Michigan Central route went through Sturgis, I discovered "Sturgis Railroad Depot." But it became obvious that was not the original location. This depot used to be at West Main and North Clay Streets. [Wikipedia] According to a sign in a photo, it now houses the Sturgis Historical Museum.

Photo by Wolfe House & Building Movers, cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0

According to a 1958 aerial photo, there was another depot along the NYC/LS&MS at the end of Market Street about a block to the east. It was in the grassy area between the concrete driveway and the tracks.

Satellite

Update:

Carl Holsinger posted
STURGIS: The “new” Grand Rapids & Indiana (G. R. & I) railroad passenger depot was constructed in 1916 directly across Chicago Road from the old depot which had been used for both freight and passengers. A new depot was needed because when passengers were boarding or alighting from trains, they found their paths blocked by freight cars which was very dangerous. As a result, Sturgis now had one depot exclusively for passengers and the other for freight. This “new” depot was razed in 1957.
Courtesy Sturgis Historical Society
Daniel Gless Very nice! Other then the summer weekend Northern Arrow, passenger service ended down there in the late 40's early 50's me thinks.
Carl Holsinger They ran a doodlebug from GR to Sturgis and back to fulfill a mail contract for a while.
Michael Shank Wonder why they razed that Pennsy station so quickly...
Ted David Zabel The NYC folks were in town and didn't want anymore competition...lol!
Ray Peacock Grew up a few miles north near Nottawa where, according to legend, locals would prepare Sunday chicken dinners for Northern Arrow passengers since there was no dining car on the train. That Sturgis station, which I've never seen photos of, is substantial (brick, not wood frame), considering the branchline nature of this line and seems as large as the LSMS depots at both Sturgis (the one moved) and White Pigeon.

St. Joseph County Historical Society of Michigan posted

STURGIS: The GR&I (later Pennsylvania)

PART FIVE

The “new” GR&I depot was constructed in 1916 – four years before the Pennsylvania Railroad became the new owners of the line. The depot was razed in 1957 to make way for a filling station.

In 1916 a new GR&I depot was constructed in Sturgis on the north side of Chicago Road on the east side of the tracks. The old depot on the south side of Chicago Road was then used exclusively for handling freight. The “new” 1916 depot was razed in 1957.

The GR&I became part of Pennsylvania Line on March 1, 1920. The Penn Central took over in 1968, followed by Conrail in 1976. 

Tim Shanahan shared

Three c1990 photos by Karl Miller posted by Marty Bernard.

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