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Description:
This is the old Pere Marquette Railroad Depot, rescued from its site near the tracks on S Putnam Street, and moved to this location in the late 1970s when the Railroad wanted to tear it down. In general I hate to see old buildings moved, but if it is a choice between a demolition crew and a re-location, I guess re-location is not so bad!


The photo at the left is circa 1900, and shows the Depot at its original location (see the link by the railraod tracks East of Putnam Street on this map). the photo to the right shows the building as it stands today (2006).




This building served as a passenger, mail and freight railway depot from the mid-1880s until railway service stopped in Williamston in 1963, and was the second depot sited in Williamston (the first burned down).



Today, the building houses both the Williamston Chamber of Commerce and the Williamston Depot Museum, and holds permanent as well as rotating displays featuring local history. Hours of operation are currently Sunday afternoons, but someone is often there during the work-week from the Chamber, and if you ask nicely, they will probably be convinced to let you poke through the exhibit area.

Photos:

Maps:

Williamston History

Tags:

museum , history , chamber of commerce , williamston mi michigan , historic architecture