Station: Three Rivers, MI

Three Rivers was settled about 1830, near the joining of the St. Joseph, Rocky and Portage rivers. The town was incorporated as a village in 1855 and became a city in 1895. [MPN]

Three Rivers was located at the crossing of the east-west MC Air Line branch which ran between Jackson and Niles, and the north-south LSMS Kalamazoo Branch, which ran north from White Pigeon to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Image info: Top, the Lake Shore depot in Three Rivers, about 1910. 2nd image, the LSMS depot at Three Rivers with a passenger train stopped in front. Note the various horse powered delivery vehicles and carriages. 3rd photo, a view of the Michigan Central air line station at Three Rivers with a a five car passenger train unloading. Note the water standpipe and dual mast signal tower. 4th photo, the park at the Michigan Central Three Rivers station. [Both, Alan Loftis collection]. 5th photo, another view of the Lake Shore depot. [Alan Loftis collection]. 6th photo, an interurban car, manufactured by the Sheffield Car Company, is in front o the depot.

Time Line

1867. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern enters Three Rivers from White Pigeon. It extends north to Kalamazoo in 1868 and Grand Rapids in 1869.

1889. There was a $20,000 fire at the Sheffield velocipede works Saturday morning. About 6 a.m. the engineer discovered the wood working shops - formerly the Swartout's factory building - to be on fire. Insurance covered about half the loss. The cause may have been a hot box. [DFP-1889-0114]

1870 - The Michigan Central Air Line branch arrives from Jackson. It is extended to Niles in 1871.

1904. Another heavy storm struck this city and vicinity early yesterday morning. At the MC Air Line station nearly all of the telegraph lines were out of commission, so that the operators had much trouble in getting orders for trains. Many telephones in the city were knocked out. [NDS-1904-0811]

1917. The MC had an operator-clerk here around-the-clock. [TRT]

1943. The MC Air Line is abandoned between the west side of Three Rivers to Niles.

1958. The MC Air Line builds a connection to send the branch south of Three Rivers to Elkhart. [MRL]

1920. On the Michigan Central Air Line, this is a passenger and freight agency. Interline tickets are issued. E. A. Montgomery is the agent. The telegraph call sign is "VE". [MCOAS]

Industry

• J.W. French paper mills. August, 1884, one of the mills burns. [AAN-1884-0109]
• Roberts Car Wheel Cop. (destroyed by fore in 1900, plant was replaced. [SJH-1900-0505]
• Sheffield Velocipede Works.