Location: Bay City - Pere Marquette Facilities

Bay City was settled in 1835 as a trading post, but it became a major logging center, ship building town, and then home to the Industrial Works, a leading manufacturer of cranes including railroad wreck derricks. It was originally called Hampton, and later Lower Saginaw. In 1857 it was renamed Bay City. The village was incorporated in 1859 and it became a city in 1865.  [MPN]

Photo info: Top, a photo of a Pere Marquette 2-8-0 locomotive at Bay City, which was taken in 1938. [Dan Meinhard collection]. 2nd and 3rd photos, a postcard view of two Bay City depots. The top is the MCRR east side station. The depot at the bottom is the Pere Marquette union depot which was shared by the PM and Detroit & Mackinac railway. The city had at least three other depots, including the Detroit, Bay City & Western (which was near the MC east side station), the MC West Bay City station, and the a Grand Trunk Western depot. 4th image, a 1912 Sanborn Insurance Map view of Woodside Avenue crossing in Bay City showing a turntable nearby for turning locomotives. [SBM-1912]

Notes

The F&PM built a freight yard on the PM Belt Line, east of the city. It was located east of Scheurmann Road, between Center Street and Nebobish Avenue. The yard had approximately six tracks. 

Time Line

1868.  A new freight house 100' x 30' was built with improvements to the grounds and dwelling. A new dwelling house for trackmen was also built at Eagle Island. A new dock for accommodation of freight by water, including lumber and staves, 859; long and 163' on the Saginaw River at Bay City. This was complete except for dredging of the slip alongside, which is under contract, to be done on the opening of navigation. [F&PM-1868]

1902. A new brick passenger station is completed. [MCR-1903]

1906: The PM erects two new freight houses in Bay City, one for inbound freight (60' x 212') and the other for outbound freight (26 x 212'). They are made of brick and steel construction. [PMAR-1906]