Post Card Michigan Central Station Detroi

   From 1884 to 1913, the Michigan Central Railroad in Detroit used a depot at 3rd and Jefferson in the downtown area.  The railroad was successful and quickly outgrew the old  terminal. The decision was made to build a larger station in a location in southwest Detroit near the entrance to an underwater tunnel.  The railroad began acquiring land in the Corktown area on the southern west side

Michigan Central Station Detroit

     By 1910, the Michigan Central acquired enough land for their terminal complex and the adjacent Roosevelt Park.  Included in the project was the three story station and an 18 story office building.  The architects for the project were Warren and Wetmore of New York and Reed and Stem of Saint Paul.  The building style was Beaux Arts.

     The project required 8 million bricks, one hundred cubic feet of stone, and 7 thousand tons of structural steel.  The foundation required 20 thousand cubic yards of concrete. The railroad spent 16 million dollars on the new station, office building, and the under water railroad tunnel.

Michigan Central Station Detroit

     The project was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

     Unfortunately due to decreased passengers, the depot closed in 1988.  It was abandoned and deteriorated over the years.

Station and Office Building

Same as above

Interior of the Railroad Depot

Same as above

Interior of the Depot