No.1 was the first train to arrive from the south. November 27, 1899 The Belding Banner.
their engine facilities were some where in Lowell
proper but couldn't confirm this. In the meantime
I found out that the L.&H. did not build over into
Lowell until 1890. The company had built from
the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railway
at Segwum on the south side of the Grand River
to Freeport in November of 1887. When support
to build on south to Hastings deteriorated, the
company decided to get support from the Lowell
people to build north into Lowell proper, which
they did. In September, 1890, the Lowell Journal
reported a meeting held at Music Hall on the
extension of the Lowell & Hastings Railroad. A
written proposition was presented on agree-
ment to build their road from the roundhouse
across Grand River to the foot of Washington
and side tracks from there to the rear of Wisner
Mill. This was my first clue that the engine house
was on the south side of Grand River. My
suspicions were confirmed when I saw an 1894
map of Lowell township showing the L.&H
owned 18 acres of land just to the east of
Segwum. On January 7, 1891 the Lowell Journal
writes: "On Thursday the Lowell & Hastings
Railroad is expected to commence business at
their own depot on Front. But while man
proposes some other man opposes and the
strongest is usually victorious at first, anyway, so
when the Lowell & Hastings started from their
roundhouse to run over to town they were met at
the junction by employees of the Detroit, Grand
Haven & Milwaukee Railroad who informed
Milwaukee Co. would permit them to cross for
construction purposes they would not be allowed
to cross the tracks with passenger or freight
traffic. Hence the game was blocked for awhile.
But on Monday arrangements had been
completed so that they were permitted to use
their own depot and at 11:15 a.m. the first train
left Lowell for the south. Quite a number of our
people who had business in Grand Rapids took
this train out. By leaving on this train you land in
Grand Rapids at 12:10 p.m. and leaving there at
6:26 p.m. returning. You can be home at 7:20
p.m. giving you six hours in the city or by going
by one road and returning by the other if you
have only a little business that requires only a
short time to transact, you can get around more
quickly."
By the middle of July the L.&H. completes their
track to Wisner Brothers Mill and the first week
of August the side track to the Lowell Cutter
Co. and Charles McCardy and Williams Bros. is
completed. In the middle of August, 1891 the
railroad company is surveying a line to cross the
Flat River to serve the King Milling Co. The
route will start south of their depot, go west be-
tween G. Kopf's factory and E.W. Avery's
residence, than south of the cutters company
buildings and across the north end of island park
to west Water Street.
goes right and the interchange track is on the
left. The Lowell & Hastings engine house was
located on the property between the two
tracks.
taken above. L.&H. engine house and turn
table were on the left.
engine house was at my back.
Date of these three photos October, 1995.
Washington and Front Streets in Lowell.
Photograph from a 1893 portfolio of
photographs of Lowell at State of Michigan
Library.
windshield March,1994 on the interchange
track. Grand River Dr. east view.
junction was known as "Malta."
The diamond has been removed
and a new connecting track in
the background swings west to
connect with the Grand Rapids
& Northeastern Railroad to
Grand Rapids. The site of the
Lowell & Hastings tiff with the
D.,G.H.&M. in 1891 has passed
into history. North view 1997.
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