Station: Adrian, MI

Adrian, in Lenawee County, was settled about 1825. It became a railroad center in 1836 when the Erie & Kalamazoo line arrived from Toledo. In 1840, the Southern line of the State of Michigan arrived. Adrian became a village in 1836 and a city in 1853. [MPN]

Adrian was the ending terminus of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railway, the state's first railroad and perhaps the first railroad built west of the Alleghany mountains.

Adrian was home to three railroads:

The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern (later New York Central, then Penn Central, Conrail and Adrian & Blissfield) is still in existence.

The Wabash Railroad (later Norfolk & Western and then Norfolk Southern) is also still in existence. 

The Detroit, Lima & Northern Railroad (later Detroit Toledo & Ironton) has been abandoned.

All three railroads crossed somewhat near the south side of the city forming a triangle. Interlocking towers were located at all of these crossings until the early 1930's. The city also had three passenger stations.

Photo Info: Top, the Lake Shore depot at Adrian. [Alan Loftis collection]. 2nd and 3rd photos, the Lake Shore Adrian Depot. The "Pie House" hotel is in the 2nd photo. 4th photo, the Wabash depot and freight house at Adrian, taken in 1983. [Charlie Whipp]. 5th photo, the interurban subway underneath the Wabash main line in Adrian. 1915. [Lenawee Historical Society]. 6th image, a view of a Page Fence Company add in an early Official Guide to the Railways, promoting their woven fence for railroad right of ways. [OG-1905]

Notes

The DT&I freight house in Adrian was located on the east side of the main line, just south of Race Street. The NYC freight house was at the foot of Locust Street at Michigan St., on the north side of their tracks. [DTI map]

Time Line

1836. The Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad begins horse drawn rail service from Toledo to Adrian. It is the first railroad in Michigan and the first to arrive in the Village of Adrian.

1830's.  The E&K establishes a bank in Adrian.

1840. The "Southern" railroad arrived in Adrian, owned by the State of Michigan. The first depot is built here.

1843. The "Southern" railroad moves west from Adrian, arriving at Hudson.

1846. Private interests purchase the "Southern" line and form the Michigan Southern railroad.

1840's. The Michigan Southern moves its headquarters to Adrian, the junction of the road with the E&K.

1860's. John Campbell was Mayor of Adrian (1863-1864) as well as Superintendent of the Michigan Southern Railroad. According to Charles Lindquist, curator of the Lenawee County Historical Museum, Campbell was an extraordinary mayor and leader. Where most railroad superintendents would have their own car attached to a train when travelling, Campbell traveled with the crews and passengers, "personally observing every bit of track which the train was riding on". [DT-2/28/2003]

1853. Henry Angell sets up a foundry in Adrian to manufacture wheels for railroad cars. He later expands to build the entire car. Adrian becomes a major industrial center for railroads. [DT-2/28/2003]

1870-80's. The railroad industry declines in Adrian resulting in the loss of about 1,000 jobs in this town of 8,000 people.

1880. Adrian businessmen step forward with $36,000 as a "bonus" to help with construction costs of the Wabash Railroad. Railroad tycoon Jay Gould comes to town to visit for a few hours.

1884. J. Wallace Page invents a loom for weaving "bounceback" fencing that did not require farmers to re-tighten the fence after a farm animal runs into it. The Page Woven Wire Fence Company was incorporated in 1889 and employed 600 men in Adrian.

1897. The Detroit & Lima Northern builds through Adrian north from Page, crossing the LS&MS in Adrian. The line is sold to the Detroit Southern in 1901 and the DT&I in 1905. [MRL] In 1929, the line is reduced to branch line status after the Malinta cut-off is built.

1918. The DT&I had an agent/operator during the day at this location. [TRT]

1973. The entire 27-man Adrian Fire Department responded to a fire which did extensive damage to a Railway Express Agency building and threatened to ignite two railroad cars containing volatile butane fuel. The cars were moved before they could be ignited. The building, on the east side of Adrian, was also occupied by the Penn Central railroad and served as a warehouse. [IDG-11973-0131]

Industry

• A. Stevenson and Sons Coal Houses (1903 - LS&MS)
• Adrian Brick and Tile Machine Company (DT&I)
• Adrian Buggy Company (1899 - Wabash) On E. Maumee Street. Not operated in 1903.
• Adrian City Roller Mills (1903 - LSMS/DT&I - Flour)
• Adrian Knitting Company (DT&I)
• Adrian Manufacturing Co. (Furniture, later Clough & Warren Co. manufacturers of organs and pianos - (DT&I)
• Adrian Steel Casting Co. (DT&I) Destroyed by fire before 1916
• Adrian Water Works (DT&I) coal delivery 1908
• Adrian Wire Fence Company (LSMS/DT&I)
• A. E. Palmer & Son. (Wabash - manufacturers of rockers)
• Bond Steel Fence Company (fence posts and fence - Wabash)
• Church Manufacturing Co. (1903 - Wabash - Iron pumps and gas engines)
• Clark Basket Company (LSMS)
• Cloug & Warren Co. Piano Manufacturers (1903 - D&LN)
• Detroit Milling Co, (1908)
• D. M. Lumber and Coal Yard (1903- LS&MS)
• F. W. Prentice & Company- Screen doors and screens - (Wabash)
• Gilliland Electric Company (1903 - Wabash) On N. Dean Street near railroad.
• Ideal Wire Fence Co. (DT&I) 1908
• Kells Foundary and Machine Company (Wabash) 1908
• Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Car Shops (LSMS)
• Lamb Fence Co. (1903 - Wabash)
• Lion Fence Co. (DT&I) 1908
• M.H. Higbey Saw and Planning Mill (1893)
• Michigan Wire Fence Co. (LSMS/DT&I)
• Monarch Fence Company (LSMS) 1908
• Page Woven Wire Fence Company (1903 - LSMS) on Michigan Street east of McVicker.
• Page Gas (automobile) Engine Co. (Wabash) 1908
• Palmer Furniture Manufacturing Co.(1903 - Wabash) makers of parlor furniture. On E. Church Street.
• Peerless Wire Fence Company (LSMS)
• Peninsula car works - explosion of molten iron fatally burns two employees in 1883.
• Schwarz Electric Company (Wabash - electric horns and signal bells)
• Van Camp Packing Company (LSMS - condensed milk)
• Willbee Morse Concrete Company (LSMS)
• Wing & Parson Manufacturing - toys - (Wabash) 1908

 Also:

• State Industrial Home fo Girls Boiler House (1908-DT&I) 1 1/4 mile north of downtown