Location: Woodward Avenue Station, Detroit, MI

Woodward Avenue Station was a Michigan Central station on their Bay City branch, between Woodward and John R streets. It was across Woodward from what is now the Amtrak station. This is the MC's former Detroit & Bay City railroad and when it was built, this was a rural area at the far outskirts of Detroit.

There was also a Grand Trunk station here as well as the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern line.

Note that the original station of the Central Railroad (later MCRR) was also located at Woodward Avenue near Campus Martius.


Notes


Time Line

1876. The gate-keeper at the Woodward avenue railway crossing is a man about fifty years old named William Miracle. Shortly after 10 o'clock last evening, just as the last train north on the GT railroad had passed, Miracle closed his gates and started up the track for his home at Milwaukee Junction. He did not see the approaching 10:45 train on the Lake Shore road. The engineer saw Miracle about 100 feet ahead and whistled "down brakes" but his locomotive struck Miracle and threw him into the ditch. The train stopped and took the injured man aboard and brought him to the city. A doctor was summoned and found that the locomotive struck Miracle in the small of the back, paralyzing his lower extremities. Accompanied by the doctor, the injured man was taken home on the eleven o'clock train. [DFP-1876-0905]

1882. The GT railway passenger trains have finally been withdrawn from the MC depot at the foot of Third street, the last train running out at 8:05 yesterday morning. Trains are now made up at the Grand Trunk Junction and receive their city passengers at the Woodward Avenue Station. The last omnibus and baggage wagon leaves the office and baggage-room on Fort street, opposite City Hall, 45 minutes before the starting time of each train from the Woodward Avenue Station. [DFP-1882-0203]

1882. October. The Woodward avenue station at Detroit is not to be done away with entirely. The GT intends running a plug train between the GT and the Detroit & Milwaukee Junction. [PHTH-1882-1006]

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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