Station: Detroit, MI - MCRR Third Street Station and Yards

The Michigan Central Third Street station was located at the foot of Third Street near the Detroit River. This station was co-located with the Fort Street Union Depot as well as the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation company passenger dock.

This station was built in 1849, replacing a small station at Campus Martius built by the state's central railroad. This Third Street station was replaced by the tall Michigan Central depot (near the tunnel entrance) a day earlier than planned, when a fire caused the building to be unusable. The depot was used for a number of years as a freight station.

Photo info: Top, a photo of the front of the Michigan Central station on Third Street, in the 1890's. [Greg Bunce collection]. 2nd photo, a 1854 engraving of the Michigan Central depot and roundhouse. 3rd photo, a 1868 photo looking north along the river. The roundhouse is the domed building in the center. Behind it to the right in the back is the passenger station. To the right, between the yard and the river is the MC freight house which has transload facilities between rail and boats. In these times, railroad freight cars were actually brought into the building to be unloaded. 4th photo, a postcard view of the Third Street Station in Detroit, serving the Michigan Central railroad. This was the 2nd of three MC passenger stations in Detroit and served from about 1850 until 1913 when the larger depot with better access to trains from the tunnel was opened. 

Notes

Location: 42^o19.514'N / 83^o03.176'W

Time Line

1860's. The MC had ice harvesting facilities during the winter on the Detroit River near 24th street. [DFP]

1875. John Hurley moved a stationary engine from the Fulton Engine and Iron Works to the MC depot, which was so heavy that it required eight horses to draw it. [DFP-1875-0110]

1875. The MC will return free all ladies attending the Women's Christian Temperance Union meeting in Detroit January 27 and 28 at the First Congregational Church on Fort St. at Wayne street. Attendees who pay full fare to Detroit must present a proper certificate signed by the President of the Detroit Alliance. [NREP-1875-0121]

1876. Immense numbers of swallows infest the MCRR freight depot, and the building resounds with their chirruping. [DFP-1876-0530]

1882. The GT railway passenger trains have finally been withdrawn from the MC depot at the foot of Third street, the last train running out at 8:05 yesterday morning. Trains are now made up at the Grand Trunk Junction and receive their city passengers at the Woodward Avenue Station. [DFP-1882-0203]

1882. The yards along the (Detroit) river front are to be enlarged by the extension of the dock line on an average of 150 feet into the river. At present there is a curve inward, commencing at the flour sheds and continuing to the Great Western slip. This will be done away with by a straight line connecting the two points named. Cribs are to be sunk along the line of the proposed improvement and the space inside is to be filled with earth making the whole solid ground. For this filling in, 50,000 cubic yards are to be brought from across the river, where the excavating is being done for the Essex Center cut-off, and on Monday morning dirt scows will commence running between the two places. In the building of the cribs, 1,500,000 feet of timber are to be used together with over 2,000 spikes. On this new ground will be placed the elevator "A", the removal of which was announced in the Free Press some weeks ago.

There is to be constructed a new slip to accommodate the three track ferries that are to be used here in connection with the Canada Southern. Work on the slip is to commencer this morning to be pushed with the utmost dispatch.

Four new sheds and additional freight depots are to be constructed on the newly built ground and unequaled facilities provided for the handling of all freight. Lumber yards to be arranged for property lately purchased along the track between Howard and 14th Streets, and plans and contracts for the work have already been prepared. [DFP-1882-0930]

1893. The Detroit, Grand Rapids and Western (predecessor to the Pere Marquette) used this station until 1893, when the Fort Street Union Station opened. The DGR&W connected with the MC main line at West Detroit. [COFTD]

1910. From the time of completion of the international tunnel until 1913 when the new MC station was opened, the CP passenger trains arriving in Detroit were backed down the old main line to the MC 3rd Street depot. [PD]

1966. The station was destroyed in a spectacular 5-alarm fire on June 19, 1966 which was believed to have been set by vagrants.