In the Detroit & Milwaukee's early days, St. Johns was
the center for railroad operations as well as serving
customers. Having engine facilities and a repair shop
for the Central Division was no small thing. Early St.
Johns was a terminus for passenger and mixed freight
trains, east and west bound until motive power grew
in size and ran better needing fewer facilities for
repair and maintenance. In this early period there
were only three railroads that ran east and west
across the State and the D. & M. R.R. was one of
these.
Early History
The Detroit and Pontiac railroad project was stirred up
in Oakland county as early as 1830, and an act in -
corporating the "Detroit and Pontiac Railway
Company" was put through by territorial legislative
council and was approved by Governor Cass on July
31st. This was the first railway in Michigan to have a
charter. Immediately after the road was completed
from Detroit to Pontiac, a project was developed to
build a railroad from Pontiac westward through
Shiawassee, Clinton and other counties to Lake
Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River. At this point
there would be a connection with steamers for
Milwaukee, Wis. and other Lake Michigan ports. On
Feb.13,1855, an Act by the State Legislature
authorized the partnership of the Detroit and Pontiac
with the Oakland and Ottawa Railroad Company under
the name, "Detroit and Milwaukee Railway Co." The
road was completed to St.Johns in Clinton county on
January 16,1857. The line was of great benefit to
Clinton county, but it proved to be a bad investment
for its original stockholders. It went into bankruptcy in
1860, and it remained thus until October 19,1878,
when it reorganized and became the "Detroit, Grand
Haven and Milwaukee Railway. This line came under
control of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada on
Nov.1,1878. On the date of Nov.20,1900 the D.,G.H.
&M. with several other railroads was incorporated as
Grand Trunk Western Railway Co. was
reincorporated as Grand Trunk Western Railroad Co.
St. Johns First Depot
In December, 1856, John Ranson the editor of the St.
Johns Democrat said, "He was indeed in a City of the
Woods," which in 1856 was without a railroad and was
much younger and smaller than Dewitt which was
then the county seat. There was an old road that ran
north to Rochester Colony and it crossed the to be
railroad track where Mead street is today. From there
it went southwest and crossed where the courthouse
is today and then angled sharply south to Dewitt.
Where this road crossed the yet to be built railroad
bed was the site of the first depot and freight house in
St. Johns. John Ranson also wrote in December of
1856, "The enginehouse here is up and partly
enclosed. It is calculated to accommodate four
engines. Preparations are also being made for the
erection of the Freight House, Passenger House,
turntable, etc." He also wrote "The deep cut at this
place is nearly down to grade. It will be finished by
the time the track layers get here." The deep cut is
where the Whittemore street overpass is now located.
At this date there was a big swamp west of Oakland
street and the dirt from the deep cut was used for fill
in this swamp for the new road bed. For some years
there was a pond most of the year on the south side
of the track and all year on the north side. There was
no clearing of land north of the railroad for a number
of years.St. Johns was the western terminus of the
road for awhile as the road wasn't completed to Ionia
until September,1857. Hibbard's daily line of stages
for Lansing and Ionia met the passenger trains at the
St. Johns depot. There was an eating house adjoining
the west side of the depot for awhile but this was later
moved to Owosso.
panoramic view of St. Johns. On the right
is the depot built in 1856 and on the left
is the turntable and enginehouse. In June
of 1867 there was a big addition put on
the roundhouse in St. Johns. It was 40 by
45 feet in size and can also be seen in
this view. This was called a repair shop.
This repair shop was located in St. Johns
due to being in the center of the Middle
Division, which was between Gaines and
Ionia. This also made the addition of four
more emplyees.
Over the years the swamp west of
Oakland street was filled and ditched. In
April of 1867 a new depot was rumored
to be built at the foot of Clinton street.
Johns. It is interesting to note that station Boston is now Saranac and that Dallas station is still located at its original
site before being moved one mile west to become Fowler. Muir has not yet come to be as the railroad is using the
name Lyons, which was an older settlement. Lyons Mill and Shepardsville are yet to be written into history. Some of
the rules printed in this time table are:
2 -The clock in Superintendent's Office, Detroit, is the standard time, and Conductors will daily compare their
watches with it, and furnish the correct time to others on the road.
9 -Freight, Wood and Gravel trains must not exceed 15 miles an hour, unless from unavoidable delay it shall be
necessary to give a Passenger train the road, when the speed may be increased to 20 miles an hour.
18 -Pass all roads slowly, taking care not to frighten horses. In town, the speed of the engine must not exceed four
miles per hour.
21 -The whistle blown once, means apply brakes; the whistle blown twice, means let go the brakes; three times, for
switch. Enginemen must not back trains until signalled by Conductor, who shall see that track is quite clear.
24 -Great care should be taken to prevent the killing of cattle, sheep or hogs. Notice will be taken of the Engineman
who kills the least number of cattle; and if any are killed, it shall be the duty of the Engineer to report the same
to the Conductor, upon arriving at either end of the road, and by the Conductor reported to the Superintendent.
Johns in 1875 were:
East
Shepardsville....................$ .30
Ovid..................................$ .40
Owosso.............................$ .70
Detroit...............................$ 3.05
West
Fowler..............................$ .40
Pewamo...........................$ .55
Muir..................................$ .70
Grand Rapids...................$ 2.85
