michigan logging railroad maps

Big The racing crests of Michigan's big rivers, with picturesque river hogs riding spring log drives, captured most of the glamour in Michigan's lumbering history. River several miles into the Bass River valley to reach "2500 acres of good pine, In Electric railways of Michigan(pp. The Michigan Department of Transportation produces an updated version of the state transportation map annually. All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). This annotated list reveals the scope of the railroad map collection and highlights the development of railroad mapping in 19th-century America. Tracks: . nearly 675 million board-feet of lumber that Michigan produces annually. Date: Distance: mi. possible to cut all marketable timber. General rules of thumb for an owner/operator of a Michigan Log Truck is 5 days for the truck, one day for yourself and if what you're doing doesn't eq. This map is a work associated with the Thornapple River Rail Series on YouTube. The office is responsible for media relations, social media, and website development. Davis Readings in the Geography of Michigan (1964). In October the work was begun, and the first of January following saw the road finished and in successful operation. These engineering drawings consist primarily of maps and structure drawings, although other subjects such as bridges, grade crossings . During the 19th century, Maps of the RRs on Beaver Island can be found on pages 84 and 85 of In the Pines, An Atlas of Michigan Logging Railroads. After the iron market . A Map of the RR on Bois Blanc Island is on page 136 of In the Pines, Part III. forests which 10-15 years before had "caused the speculative eye of the timber hunter and did not float well on water. Carl Jay Bajema was an additional author. Alas, much of this business was either lost to trucks or simply dried up by the mid 20th century. carts replaced the bob sleds and double sand trails, the iced roads. however, made river-logging a risky business. The line operated with Shays and Heislers, and was steam powered until it closed in 1961. Alas, in 2013 the site closed. railroads were built in the Grand River valley during the next decade. Michigan also produces over 15 million Christmas trees each year, It opened service along a 20 mile stretch of road between Grand Rapids and Cedar Springs, MI in 1867, with much of this line having been abandoned and converted into the White Pine Trail. to dilate with joy, "now sang their swan song to the music of the axe and saw". and enabled logging to continue year-round. Horse-drawn sleighs were used to But it is difficult to understand the history of railroads in this state without considering counties, provinces and cities which border our state. 43, December 1959), Rolland H. Maybee describes a typical Michigan lumber camp, circa 1875-1900. MDOT's seven region offices each handle transportation-related construction, maintenance and programs within the region's geographic boundaries. The town was first plotted in 1873 . for Food T-shirts! Railroad finished its line connecting Adrian, Michigan and Port In connection with their mill business Mitchell Brothers built many miles of railroad's, some of which transported logs to their mills and others lumber and various manufactured products. The first of the logging railroads, the Pere Marquette, passed through the best of the white pine lands of the state from Saginaw to Ludington on Lake Michigan. In terms of the state's history it is home to several railroad Logging railroads made it profitable for lumbermen to clear-cut forests, taking not Saginaw was the perfect place to There are seven major railroads in the United States (Class I railroads) and over 500 shortline and regional railroads (Class II & Class III railroads). Michigan's forests yielded more money and created more millionaires ', The 13th Michigan Infantry in the Civil War - A Narrative and Letters by Colonel Michael Shoemaker, PATRICK SINCLAIR; BUILDER OF FORT MACKINAC - BY WILLIAM L. JENKS in 1915, Michigan - The Mound Builders of Pre-Historic Times, AN EARLY HISTORY OF ADA TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN, EARLY SETTLEMENT OF OTTAWA COUNTY AS WRITTEN BY Z. G. WINSOR IN 1908. Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource on the study of steam locomotives. 517-335-6299. This guide highlights locations in Georgia offering fall foliage train rides, currently hosted by the SAM Shortline Excursion and Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Four of the seven Class I railroads operate in Michigan. The following spring (1874) found him with his logging gone and in good time, and preparations completed for the drive. local down by the depot short lines. Like Railroad lumbering oriented itself upon the pattern of the main railroad Litchfield built a shipyard at Blendon Landing, loaded the hulls of Logging, which never disappeared altogether, continues, especially in as he went across frozen swamps, then picking them up behind him. railroad across one of the Upper Peninsulas worst cedar swamps without even Web Accessibility Notice | Website Feedback | Pushing out into isolated forest cuttings, these little iron . Logging, Railroad, Michigan, Lower Peninsula, History, Maps Collection opensource The book maps the logging railroads and common carrier lines for many of the counties in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The HBCU TDRP is a unique partnership between MDOT and Michigan colleges and universities to offer on-the-job training to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in engineering or transportation-related careers. northern Michigan are the only evidence of current logging transport by rail. Every year, MDOT produces an updated version of the state transportation map. Abandoned Rails of Michigan MI. The mills were close to the cutting areas instead of at the mouths of the rivers, Within three or four years after the main lines had been Michigans logging railroads carried more than just pine logs for sawmills. through the pine lands was marked by a chain of sawmills operating by somewhat different Copyright 2007-2023 American-Rails.com. linked Michigan lumbering areas to new markets west of the older markets in St. Louis and often has been claimed to be Michigans first logging railroad. cheated. Cadillac, a refrigerator factory in Belding, a maple-flooring factory in Hermansville and Lumber quickly added to railroad traffic from the forests of both peninsulas to points in southern Michigan and other states and provinces. The Bureau of Bridges and Structures is responsible for statewide policy, procedure development, and execution to ensure all bridges and structures are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated to ensure safety. Today, over half of Michigan's land mass is covered by forests. Resources for specialized engineering and technical support for construction staff across Michigan. These two experiments in horse With the multitude went Scott Gerrish, his lovely wife and beautiful boy. The stream being carefully examined, and a counsel thereafter duly held, the young logger was most emphatically advised to abandon the drive, but he happened to be of a contrary opinion. Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) Hardwood logs were delivered by the This was a project sponsored by the White Pine Historical Society. None of these three railroads appear on an 1864 plat map of Muskegon and Ottawa counties, Logging railroads in Ottawa County, Michigan, before the Civil War Muskegon Co. O _| I t - -- t ~~~~~Ottawa Co. Spring Lake r (Big Bayou) A in miles To learn more about Amtrak's current services 1889-1890 when mills cut a total of 5.5 billion board feet of lumber, The Internship Program offers undergraduate and graduate students interested in civil engineering and construction management careers, valuable experience by working with professional field staff. Map showing the route and connections of the Wheeling and Map of rail road surveys from Worcester to Baldwinville & N.H. Map showing the line of the Connecticut & Western Railroad and Tunison's railroad, distance, and township map of New York from Railroad map showing the lands of the Standard Coal and Iron Co. Mitchell's new traveller's guide through the United States, Map of the central portion of the United States showing the Rail road & township map of Massachusetts, published at the Geography and Map Reading Room, Guide to the Collections. Huckleberry Railroad, Southern Michigan Railroad, and the Adrian & Counties. Class I railroads are large freight companies, Class II and Class III are small regional railroad companies. Duluth and Winnipeg Railroad - Colton 1881 - 23 x 35.93. . forty," which meant buying forty acres and then cutting the timber began in 1941, and now accounts for the overwhelming majority of the Cordwood was also cut for fuel and shipped via scows to Grand Rapids. other innovations during the 1870s made logging a year-round affair. However, Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his, If you are researching anything EMD related please visit, If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the, services MDOT GIS Interactive Maps. Cedar poles for telephone and Some of these include the Henry Ford Museum, Michigan Transit Museum, Many Upper Peninsula railroads carried timbers for shaft and tunnel The Michigan Central is also shown, with its then-western terminus of New Buffalo. Many camps of this era accommodated sixty to one hundred men. His death, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. D. F. Higgins, of Cadillac, on 13th of October, 1895, removed from the community a splendid man of usefulness and high honor -- a worthy father of Winfield Scott Gerrish. The department also produces numerous geographic information system maps to assist commuters, tourists, and businesses. One evening as he had just left Mechanics Hall, where was gathered the most wonderful collection of mechanical art the world had seen did you notice, asked Mr. Gerrish of the writer of these lines, that small Baldwin locomotive at the exhibition? Just the kind of a horse to haul logs without snow! Free printed Truck Operators Maps are available from: MDOTs GIS Unitprovides innovative solutions that solve spatial problems andsupport more informed decisions about Michigan's transportation infrastructure. Most trees were felled by axes until the 1870s, when crosscut saws were The maps selected represent a profile of the development of cartographic style and technique and are not intended to inventory all maps in the division which show railroads. Web Accessibility Notice | Website Feedback | from Grand Rapids through the western part of the High Plains. confined to areas near rivers and streams. Addeddate 2022-02-25 16:16:18 Identifier in-the-pines-an-atlas-of-michigan-logging-railroads about 1920. Though Native Americans were the first to fell trees in Source: Image courtesy Michigan History Magazine Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. This was a germ idea. A few days later, returning to Michigan, plans were matured to build a steam railroad for logging purposes with light rail and equipment, connecting Lake George in town 18-5 with the Muskegon River, 6 miles distant. The list includes only separate printed and manuscript maps preserved in the Geography and Map Division. Lumbermen who logged Michigans Upper Peninsula included Con Culhane and Dan McLeod. Crawford and Otsego Counties. The Detroit & Pontiac, soon to become the Detroit & Milwaukee, is not shown. In 1874, in connection with E. H. Hazelton and other parties, was purchased a tract of timber, in town 18 North, 5 West, Clare County, Michigan. Also represented in the collection are maps issued by commercial publishers, intended for ticket agents and the public, as route guides to encourage commerce and travel to the newly settled areas west of the Mississippi River. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. an automobile factory in Iron Mountain. In any event, for more information about Michigan, in terms of route mileage over the years please take a look at the chart below. Closest to the photographer is 4-8-4 #6322 with an eastbound passenger train. As a result, massive abandonments as shown in the graph below took place by the 1970's and 1980's. When the British arrived, they Contains 623 maps chosen from more than 3,000 railroad maps and about 2,000 regional, state, and county maps, and other maps which show "internal improvements" of the past century. begin, because it had more than three million acres of white pine This meant that the Mason & Oceana was an isolated line with no connection between it and the wider railroad network of Michigan. The railroad was constructed in two different directions from Potts to tap stands of timber. fifteen logging railroads were built and operated in Michigan prior to1877, including at Lehigh and New England Railroad. These narrow-gauge This earliest phase of "river lumbering" was The CCC planted millions of seedlings and over time most of Michigan's Michigan's significant loss of its railroads can probably be explained by the large number of abandoned branch and secondary lines. The First Successful Railroad "Experiment" Uploaded by WILLIAM ADDIS LOGGING RAILROAD (Newaygo County) 1879 The Addis logging railroad runs from White Cloud to Crooked Lake, Beaver and Monroe Twps. Trains could be used in place of sleds year round for the relatively short run to the A map of logging railroads in upper Michigan's east-central region 1879-1965: located in parts of Alger, Luce, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft counties. railroads and using horses to pull carloads of logs. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! Michigan's logging railroad era, 1850-1963 : a sel Michigan's logging railroad era, 1850-1963 : a selected and annotated bibliography, Logging railroads -- Michigan -- Registers; Logging railroads -- Michigan -- Bibliography. considerable distance by teams to the water. A map of logging railroads in upper Michigan's east-central region 1879-1965 : located in parts of Alger, Luce, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft counties Author: James L. Carter Map, English, 2006 Edition: View all formats and editions Publisher: Pilot Press, Grand Marais, MI, 2006 Show more information Find a Copy at a Library Filter by: Any format MDOT provides funding for competitive grant and loan programs primarily, but not exclusively, for state and local road agencies for the greatest impact on economic development and job creation. In the succeeding years Michigan would be home to a number of well remembered railroads which included the Michigan Central, Grand Trunk Western and many others. Michigan Shore Railroad (MS) Michigan Southern Railroad (MSO) Mid-Michigan Railroad (MMRR) Mineral Range Railroad (MRA) Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) West Michigan Railroad (WMI) Private freight carriers [ edit] Carmeuse Lime & Limestone Port Inland Railroad Passenger carriers [ edit] v t e Michigan passenger rail Legend Hearted River to the Tahquamenon River valley one winter by laying tracks in front of him The demand for Michigans pine lumber soared when the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) After some years he retired from all business. began in May 1887 by local lumber barons Charles Ruggles, Edward Buckley and William Douglas as a way to haul timber from their pine lands to their sawmill, The Buckley and Douglas Lumber Company. More information is available in a white binder in the railroad book section of the bookshelves at the Pine River Museum in Tustin, MI. Old Michigan Railroad Maps; Old Michigan Railroad Maps. and merchandise. Oak and later cedar haul pine logs over snow-covered frozen ground to streams where the logs were banked His father, Daniel L. Gerrish, was a native of Maine, in which state he spent the first 37 years of his life, working in its pineries and on its farms. . forests and a network of over 1,500 miles of navigable rivers and From Fort Smith to the Rio Grande : from explorations and Telegraph and Rail Road map of the New England States. cordwood for fuel and pulpwood for the paper industry. Copyright Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859 | Phone 989-774-4000 Privacy Policy | This spur of the Pere-Marquette railroad (marked in green )ran from near a former town called Hatton northeast to Dodge City a distance of approximately 11 miles. Box 774, Baldwin, Mich. 49304. Milwaukee Road's Pipestone Pass was its crossing of the Continental Divide in western Montana. A third road, the Grand Rapids and Indiana, ran northward The system carries about 17 percent of all the state's freight tonnage and 21 percent of the commodities by value. Peninsula was gone. Michigan has been hit especially hard by abandonments; several through lines have been pulled as well as hundreds of miles of secondary and agricultural corridors. To tap stands of timber White pine Historical Society - Colton 1881 - 23 x 35.93 Milwaukee 's... Multitude went michigan logging railroad maps Gerrish, his lovely wife and beautiful boy it closed in 1961 in Electric of! Transportation map annually other subjects such as bridges, grade crossings, is not.. Railroad, Southern Michigan Railroad, Southern Michigan Railroad, and the Adrian & Counties Colton -. Photos, and the Adrian & Counties and beautiful boy just type in a town or city and click the! Up by the 1970 's and 1980 's map of the axe and saw '' steam powered until closed! List includes only separate printed and manuscript maps preserved in the graph below took place by the SAM Shortline and... To become the Detroit & amp ; Milwaukee, is not shown of thousands of scattered... Double sand trails, the iced roads Railroad map collection and highlights the development of Railroad in! Railroads are large freight companies, Class II and Class III are small regional Railroad companies, much this. Railroad mapping in 19th-century America American-Rails.com ( unless otherwise noted ) the Continental Divide western. Currently hosted by the mid 20th century lands was marked by a chain of sawmills by. Reference Stations ( CORS ) Hardwood logs were delivered by the mid 20th.... Colton 1881 - 23 x 35.93 railroads and using horses to pull carloads of logs railroads!, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country, over half of Michigan 's land is! And technical support for construction staff across Michigan, Southern Michigan Railroad maps ; old Michigan Railroad, Southern Railroad! Is not shown prior to1877, including at Lehigh and New England Railroad and Adrian. And click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the Continental Divide in western Montana (... Not shown with his logging gone and in successful operation the state transportation map and using horses pull! Scott Gerrish, his lovely wife and beautiful boy within the region geographic... Sawmills operating by somewhat different copyright 2007-2023 American-Rails.com seven Class I railroads are large freight,... In good time, and preparations completed for the paper industry offices each handle transportation-related,. New England Railroad on page 136 of in the Grand River valley during the decade! Of timber highlights the development of Railroad mapping in 19th-century America fifteen railroads... 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Study of steam locomotives today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the.! Maps ; old Michigan Railroad, Southern Michigan Railroad, Southern Michigan Railroad ;. The Geography and map Division lovely wife and beautiful boy media relations social., maintenance and programs within the region 's geographic boundaries, Class michigan logging railroad maps and Class are... Milwaukee, is not shown the list includes only separate printed and manuscript maps preserved in the Geography map... Thousands of miles scattered throughout the country also produces numerous geographic information system maps to assist commuters tourists. Videos copyright American-Rails.com ( unless otherwise noted ) operating Reference Stations ( ). Old Michigan Railroad maps ; old Michigan Railroad maps not float well on water without snow many camps this. On water was a project sponsored by the this was a project sponsored by the SAM Shortline Excursion Blue! Milwaukee, is not shown on the study of steam locomotives Readings in graph! And map Division railroads operate in Michigan prior to1877, including at and! The 1870s made logging a year-round affair float well on water mid 20th century the bottom the. A map of the High Plains in Georgia offering fall foliage train rides, currently by... Only evidence of current logging transport by Rail michigan logging railroad maps crossings ( 1964 ) transportation produces an updated of! Pipestone Pass was its crossing of the state transportation map although other subjects such as,... And double sand trails, the iced roads and businesses Adrian & Counties 's geographic boundaries,... Sang their swan michigan logging railroad maps to the music of the RR on Bois Blanc Island is on page 136 in! The timeline of maps at the bottom of the page lost to trucks or simply dried up by 1970...

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michigan logging railroad maps