Station: Three Oaks, MI

Three Oaks, in Berrien County, was settled about 1850. It was incorporated as a village in 1867. [MPN] The town was located on the Michigan Central main line west of Niles.

Photo info: Top, a railroad valuation photo of the MC Three Oaks station around 1918. [CMUL]. 2nd photo, the Michigan Central depot at Three Oaks. 3rd photo, another photo of the depot with the park in front. 4th photo, the depot restored in 2003. Bottom, an old photo of the MC right-of-way in Three Oaks. The pole over the track appears to hold a "tell-tale" which alerts brakemen riding on top of box cards about an upcoming bridge. This was probably for the Hickory Street overpass. [Alan Loftis collection][CAL]

Notes

Time Line

1874. June. A most exciting event occurred in this vicinity in a long time in the car of the American Express on a train of the MC railroad about 8:10 o'clock in the evening between New Buffalo and Three Oaks. A few minutes after the train passed New Buffalo two men forced open the door of the express car, unobserved by Spence Health, the faithful messenger, who was sitting in his chair busy assorting his money package and arranging his lists, and by reason of the great noise of the rattling and rumbling cars. With his eyes toward the files, he saw the feet of a man approaching him and raising his head to see his unbidded visitors, his eye reached only their waist when one of them struck him a severe blow. The light in the car, a single candle, being put out at the instant. They grappled, but Heath, the weaker man physically, and who was stunned and growing weaker from the severe blows by brass knuckles or some other instrument, went to the floor with his assailant on top of him. Health held the villain's hair and drew his revolver, and shot the would-be-robber through the temple, killing him. All of this in the dark and not a word spoken by either party. The accomplice of the dead robbers jumped from the train as it passed Three Oaks or Galien when the train slowed to half speed passing through the villages. No one on the train realized what was going on until it arrived at Niles. Brave Health, you did well, and deserve much from the rich company whose treasures for long years you have guarded with fidelity that could cost your life.  Health resides in Detroit. [NREP-1874-0604]

1917. The MC had an operator-agent here on the day shift. [TRT]

1920. On the Michigan Central, this is a passenger ticket and freight agency. Interline tickets also provided. A. S. Agnew is the agent. Telegraph call sign is "HR".

Industry

• Warren Feather Bone Company- 1884 - maker of corset bones (fasteners)