Derby, MI: Extant/Michigan Central Depot

(Satellite)

Street View, Sep 2023

Durand Union Station-Michigan Railroad History Museum posted two photos with the comment:

Today’s featured depot is the Michigan Central Depot in Derby 🚂

Derby, located in Berrien County, was located on Michigan Central’s branch line from St. Joseph south through Gallen to South Bend, Indiana. The town was located approximately eight miles south of St. Joseph. 

This depot served as a passenger and freight station. It was also an express agency, joint with the American Railway Express Company for a period of time.

The depot closed for good in 1954. It was used as a retail space for different businesses periodically over the following decades, but it does not look to be in use now. An image of the depot was last captured on Google Maps in 2023, but it appeared in poor shape.

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Sources:

Knapp, Carol. “New businesses breathe life into rural Derby”. The Herald-Palladium. 25 July 1994. www.newspapers.com/image/366328251/?match=1&terms=derby%20depot. 

“Station: Derby, MI”. Michigan Railroad History. http://www.michiganrailroads.com/.../75.../528-derby-mi. Accessed 23 September 2025. 

Photo credit in the photo and in the caption of the image.

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Google Maps doesn't know about Derby, MI. I found the depot using these two topo maps. The first one showed me the railroad. The second one showed me the Lakeshore High School and the power line that now uses the MC RoW.

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