Station: Ewen, MI

Ewen was founded about 1888 as a logging camp. [MPN] A depot was established here by the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic railroad (later Soo Line) and the town was a division point for many years where train crews changed shifts. It was located at milepost 255.3 in Section 27, T48N-R40E. [DSSM]

Photo Info: Top, a locomotive and train crew posing for a photo at the water tank at Ewen. [David McNeill collection]. 2nd photo, an eastbound Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic passenger train heads over the south branch of the Ontonagon River on a steel trestle, after leaving the Ewen depot. Several windows on the 3-car train are open, suggesting that this was a hot day in the Upper Peninsula. The water tower in town is in view in the distance. This is a 1913 photo. 3rd photo, an early photo of the Ewen Depot and train. [CMUL]. 4th photo, the Soo Line depot at Ewen in the 1970's. [Rob Kitchen]. 5th photo, the same depot in 1982. [Greg Bunce]

Notes

Time Line

1890. The Ewen depot was located on Main Street and was built about 1890. [UPM]

1893. The town of Ewen was entirely devastated by forest fire. [PHTH-1893-0621]

1893. Ewen, the largest town on the Ontonagon and  Brule homestead district, was badly scorched this afternoon. All the business district was destroyed, only two stores remaining. 20 dwellings were destroyed and the big mills, on which people depend principally for a livelihood, were saved with difficulty. The fire department was entirely unable to cope with the flames. The telegraph office was the first building burned and reports tonight over patched wires are very meager. It is rumored that several people are missing but probably untrue. The losses are estimated at $150,000 with very light insurance. [DFP-1893-0721]

1895. October 2. This town was visited by a disastrous fire last night, destroying four buildings. The Losses are as follows: Louis Danto store; Hubbel's Opera House (old Rialto building), J. M. Gardner jewelry and drugs and the John Schilling boarding house. Total loss at $25,000. [BHN-1895-1006]

1907. The DSS&A had a water tower at Ewen in 1907. [SSP1907]

1918. The DSS&A had an operator/agent and assistant here during the day shift. [TRT]

Industry

• Three lumber mills, late 1880's. [DSS]