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Station: Sparr, MI
Sparr was created around 1913 with the building of the eastern extension of the Boyne City, Gaylord & Alpena railroad. It was located about five miles east of Gaylord and was named after Phillip Sparr who settled in the area in 1873. [MPN]
Photo Info: Top, the general store in Sparr in 2003. [Dale Berry]
Notes
According to Ghost Towns of Michigan Vol. II, the railroad had a switch yard at the town for loading 32" drums of "chemical wood" which was used to make alcohol, turpentine and other wood by-products at a plant in Gaylord. Logging in the area was performed by Salling Hansen Lumber Company at "Camp 54".
Sparr had a saw mill, blacksmith shop and saloon. The Sparr area also had potato farms, loading 156 car loads per year in the early 1930's. Sparr was occasionally used as a meeting point for trains of the BCG&A. The small town began its decline in the early 1930's with the closure of the BCG&A.
Time Line
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