Station: Baldwin, MI

Baldwin was settled in 1870 as Hannibal. It was changed to Baldwin in 1872. The town became the county seat in 1874 and a village in 1887. [MPN]

Photo info: Top, an early photo of a passenger train arriving at the Baldwin depot. [CMUL]. 2nd photo, an early colorized postcard view of two passenger trains at the PM Baldwin depot in 1910. 3rd photo, an old photograph of the freight house and tower at Baldwin. The octagon shape of this tower was unique. At the time of this photo the tower was probably not an interlocking tower but rather a tall lookout tower for the operator. The tall mast in front of the tower appears to be a ball or blade signal which controlled the crossing of the Pere Marquette branches to Traverse City and Ludington. An actual interlocking was not installed here until 1929 according to records in the State of Michigan archives. Note also the signal box at the top of the tower which indicated to trains how long it had been since the previous train ahead. [Mark Worrall collection]. 4th photo, Looking North on the main line to Kaleva with the depot, tower and coaling station. 1950. [Mark Worrall collection]. 5th photo, a view looking south with the depot, water tower and tower (before it was rebuilt). [Sean Atteberry collection]. 6th photo, an early shot of the Baldwin depo with two passenger trains stopping there. [Alan Loftis collection]. 7th photo, a 1969 view of the C&O Baldwin depot. [Charles Geletzke Jr.], 8th photo, a drawing of the crossing [Dale Berry], 9th photo, a blue print of the crossing from the State of Michigan archives [Mile Delaney collection], 10th photo, the coaling tower at Baldwin about 1969. [Charles Geletzke Jr.]

Notes

This was reported as a "Gravitt" pattern interlocking in 1890. [MCR-1890]

Time Line

1892. August 16. Baldwin was the scene of a tragedy this morning which resulted in the death of Sarah Hawk, wife of Major P. Hawk, and the wounding of Frank Gray, a single man, who has been living with Mrs. Hawk apart from her husband for the past year.

Gray and Mrs. Hawk had been to Reed City Monday afternoon, and on returning home in the evening by train were met at the depot by Hawk, who drew a revolver and fired at this wife, the bullet taking effect in the abdomen. She died of the would at 10 o'clock this morning. Gray was shot in the mouth, the ball knocking out two teeth and lodging in his jaw. Hawk is a wiper on an engine on the F&PM road. Gray is a workman in a shingle mill. [DFP-1892-0817]

1902. The PM builds a station here to replace one destroyed by fire. In addition, a new coaling station has been erected. [MCR-1903]

1929: The PM installs a new US&S interlocking here with two electric levers. [RSC-1930] The interlocking was approved by the MPUC in 1931. [MPUC-1931]