Station: Clare, MI

Clare was established in 1840. The Pere Marquette railroad came through in 1870-71 and the town became a village in 1879 and a city in 1891. [MPN]

With a direct connection from the abundant forests to logging centers in Ludington and Saginaw, the Pere Marquette had significant freight loadings of forest products when it arrived in the area and for the next 40 years. The Ann Arbor railroad came through in 1888.

Photo info: Top, Clare Union depot in 1916.  2nd and 3rd, two views of the union depot at Clare. The depot served both the Pere Marquette and Ann Arbor railroads. 2nd photo, A Flint & Pere Marquette inspection engine, #43 known as "Peggy" is photographed at Clare with prominent citizens in the foreground. [Saginaw News collection]. 3rd photo, was taken in July, 1980. [Charlie Whipp] The 4th photo was taken in May, 1984 and shows a TSBY freight train headed by former AA 393, ready to leave eastbound after switching cars for industry. [Neil Plagens] 5th photo, the depot in 1979 [Charles Geletzke Jr.]. 6th photo, C&O 3570 leads a westbound freight train through Clare interlocking headed towards Ludington. September, 1969. [Charles Geletzke Jr.]. 7th image, a blue print of the interlocking at Clare in 1898. [SMA]

Notes

Time Line

1871. The F&PM constructs a depot in Clare on the southwest corner of the line at McEwan street. [CLH]

1887. Clare has raised $2,000 as a bonus to secure the terminus of the Harrison branch of the F&PM and the crossing of the TAA&NM. All is settled now and a union depot will be built. [PHTH-1887-0815]

1892. November 1. A. B. Clapper, clerk in the F&PM freight office at Clare, was robbed and assaulted. He was alone in the office after 9 o'clock when three robbers attacked him, throwing him violently to the ground and demanding that he open the safe. Upon his informing them that the safe was unlocked and that there was no money or express packages of any value in it, the miscreants became so exasperated, having expected to find a package of money sent from Saginaw that they tied him hand and foot, placed a handkerchief soaked with chloroform over this mouth, after which they pounded him unmercifully, l and judging by his clothing, which was cut to pieces, evidently using a knife. After taking $8 of his money and going through the safe and drawers, the villains poured a can of oil upon a quantity of dry wood and doubtless intended to fire the building, but were frightened away. Clapper extricated himself and gave an alarm, but the robbers had fled. [DFP-1892-1102]

1894. Hugh Hunter, charged with embezzling $700 from the TAA&NM railroad while station master at Clare, also with deserting his wife, stealing a horse and rig, and driving to Saginaw with another man's wife, was arrested by Officer Murphy at Saginaw, while the couple were enjoying a midnight meal in a restaurant. He managed to break away from the officer, who ran him down, exchanged shots with him and finally effected his capture. When searched $208 in cash found in one of his stockings and $9,836 in checks in his pockets. [WEX-1894-0803]

1895. December. A new Union Station is opened for the F&PM and the TAA&NM in the same location as the old depot. [CLH]

1898. The interlocking tower is built at the Clare crossing. [CLH]

1900. This is a telegraph station on the Ann Arbor railroad. [OG-1900]

1902. The PM installs a new water station at Clare. The two lines shared the building. Cost was $7,000. [MCR-1903]

1918. The AARR had a day station agent here. [TRT]

1955. The interlocking tower at Clare is torn down. [CLH]

2005. The City of Clare purchases the former union station from the Tuscola I& Saginaw Bay railroad and moves it to its current location at West 4th Street and Beech Street in 2014. The building has been improved and reopened for public use in 2018. It is home for the Clare County Arts Council, the Railroad Artifact Museum and the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce. [CLH]