January 11:  The Free Press announces the arrival of the first scheduled train from Adrian at Detroit (via Monroe).  [EMR4]

January 22:  Flint & Pere Marquette RR chartered to construct a rail line from Flint to lake Michigan via Saginaw.  [MDOT]

January 21:  The DM&T is in full operation, running a daily passenger train of two cars from Brush Street Station to Adrian, via Monroe.  [MRC-6/1973]

Early:  The Detroit & Milwaukee reaches Ionia from Owosso.  [AAD]  See also October 1, 1856.

May:  The "Air Line" of the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana, between Toledo and Elkhart is opened.  Passenger trains begin using this route.  The line was slightly shorter than the "Old Road" through Michigan, but the route was straight and eliminated many curves and grades.  With this new route, the Toledo Blade reported that the Spaulding and Rogers Circus would be able to perform in Toledo one day and in Chicago the next.  [MCR-75/TB/LS]

July:  The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana reaches Jackson from Manchester.  [MCR-75EMR4]

August:  Iron Mountain Railroad completes Ishpeming to Marquette line, begins hauling ore.  [MCR-75/MDOT/MHM/MSL/MRRC]

October:  The MS&NI officially opens its line from Toledo to Detroit, calling it the Northern Division.  Toledo is now the main eastern hub for the the MS&NI.  [EMR4]

August:  Panic of 1857 begins.  [MRRC]

Blendon Lumber Co. builds logging road, 7 miles near Blendon Landing in Ottawa County :(T7N R14W to T6N R14W).  [MRRC]  It is the first use of steam locomotive on a logging railroad in the United States.  [MH-11/1993]

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana reaches Jackson from Tecumseh. [AAD]

First telegraph cable laid across the Detroit River.

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana abandons its Michigan City Branch, from Baily Town to Michigan City (approximately paralleling the South Shore line. (Year of abandonment uncertain).  [LS]

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana is operated in two divisions, one headquartered in Adrian and the other in LaPorte, Indiana.  [LS]

The Michigan Central and the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana reach a "division" of passenger traffic between the east and Chicago.  The MC was the winner with 58% and the Michigan Southern received 42%.  [LS]

The Merchants Despatch Transportation Company is formed by the American Express Company.  [SAM]

The first shipment of refrigerated meat arrives in Chicago.  [SAM]