KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI
GENEALOGY & LOCAL HISTORY
RAILROADS, INTERURBANS and TRANSIT HISTORY page 2
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Trolleys East Main 1912
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The Portage Street Station, Kalamazoo's
first Interurban Station location south of Michigan Ave. "Built
in 1906 by the Michigan United Railways. The curve off the street into
the station was so sharp that inbound or westbound cars had to run past
the station up to Michigan Avenue, way in the street, return down Portage
Street and back up into the covered passenger area. The freight loading
facilities were at the rear of the building. This location remained
a station until 1914 when operations were transferred to a new station
on Water Street." -
The Kalamazoo Seven
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The Water
Street Station. On the northwest corner of Water Street is a large five-story
building that once served as Kalamazoo's second interurban station. It was
built in 1872 by the company of Lawrence & Chapin as a heavy iron foundry.
In 1914, the Michigan United Railways moved its operations from the Portage
Street depot to this location shortly before the opening of its Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo
line. The station tracks were on the north side of the building where the
parking lot now is. This building continued as a station until 1928 when
both the Grand Rapids and Battle Creek Michigan Urban Railway lines were
abandoned. " -
The Kalamazoo Seven
Note: the differing colors of the building in the two views may be due to the choice of the artist. Postcards were hand colored at the time these photographs were taken. Red Brick is probably the true color. The second interurban station has been restored and converted to offices, a 2004 view.
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For more Kalamazoo Interurban Photographs see the following Kalamazoo Public Library Links:
Photograph Michigan Traction Co. Iinteruban in Galesburg
Photograph Michigan Interuban Car
Photograph Interurban Derailment
also see links below
A historical marker to Michigan Interurbans in Ypsilanti
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Michigan's first
interurban, the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor began operating in 1890. Pulled
by a steam engine, the cars went west on Packard Road to the Ann Arbor
city limits. Because of the low fares (10 cents one way) and frequent
service (cars leaving every 90 minutes) the line was soon carrying over
600 passengers daily. Electric power was adopted in 1896. In a few years
a network of interurbans was built in southern Michigan. The Ypsi-Ann
became part of a Detroit to Jackson road that carried 5300 passengers
a day in 1902. It became possible to go from Detroit to Kalamazoo, or
from Bay City to Cincinnati on connecting lines. But the automobile,
bus and truck put the interurbans out of business in Michigan in the
1920's. The last interurban from Ypsilanti ran in 1929. |
 Greyhound Station, Michigan Ave. about 1948 |
 Central Rail Bus Station 2004 |
 Peoples Rapid Transit Bus Schedule, 1951 A personal note: I remember seeing the Peoples Rapid Transit bus on its way to Vicksburg as I sat I on my grandmother's porch at the corner of R. Avenue and 24th St., just south of Long Lake, in the very early 1950's. R. Branch |
In 1977 bus service was moved from the old bus
station to what had been the original Michigan Central Deport. Rail
and bus service were combined in one building. As of 2005, Greyhound
and Indian Trails plan was to move almost all bus service to the Kalamazoo
airport, was later revised. The Kalamazoo Transportation Center 2004 |
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KALAMAZOO TRANSIT HISTORY from Chicago Transit and Railfan
1885 - Kalamazoo City & County Street Railway Co. introduces horse car service in Kalamazoo. 1889 - Kalamazoo City & County Street Railway Co. sold to Kalamazoo Street Railway Co. 1893 - Kalamazoo Street Railway Co. sold to Citizens' Street Railway Co., which adopts electric operation. 1898 - Citizens' Street Railway Co. sold to Michigan Traction Co. 1900 - Michigan Traction Co. opens interurban line between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. 1906 - Michigan United Railway incorporated, and acquires Michigan Traction Co., along with most of the other electric railways in southern and western Michigan. 1913 - Commonwealth Power Railway & Light Co. acquires Michigan United Railway as a subsidiary. 1915 - Michigan United Railway subsidiary Michigan Railway Co. opens interurban line between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. 1922 - Commonwealth Power Co. incorporated as subsidiary of Commonwealth Power Railway & Light Co., controlling Michigan United Railway. 1923 - Michigan United Railway reorganized as Michigan Electric Railway Co. 1924 - Electric Railway Securities Co. incorporated as a separate new holding company, affiliated with Commonwealth Power Co. Michigan Electric Railway Co. becomes subsidiary of Union Railway Gas & Electric Co., formerly a subsidiary of Commonwealth Power Co. 1929 - Michigan Electric Railway Co. reorganized as Michigan Electric Shares Co., and abandons service on all interurban railway lines serving Kalamazoo. Local streetcar system becomes subsidiary Kalamazoo Transportation Co. 1930 - Michigan Electric Shares Co. becomes separate company from Union Railway Gas & Electric Co. 1932 - Kalamazoo Transportation Co. abandons streetcar system. Kalamazoo Motor Coach Co. begins operating replacement bus service. 1936 - National City Lines acquires Kalamazoo Motor Coach Co., becomes Kalamazoo City Lines. 1957 - Kalamazoo City Lines leased by city. 1967 - Kalamazoo City Lines becomes publicly owned Metro Transit. |
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