Union Stations Across the U.S.
By Beryl Frank
Durand, Michigan
Durand was a small village when the railroads came in the 1870's. It was towards the end of that century that 42 passenger trains, 22 mail trains and 78 freight trains passed through the busy depot of Durand. By the time this daily traffic came through, Durand was a union station handling approximately 3,000 passengers daily.
In 1903 the firm of Spier and Rohms designed and built a new Durand Union Station. The first building was replaced with unusual chateau revival architecture and was quite a sight to see. The railroad lines using the tracks there were the Grand Trunk Western, Ann Arbor Railroad, and the Chicago and Grand Trunk which later merged with Detroit Milwaukee. The new Durand Union Station was well established.
In 1905 a fire devastated the station. The out of control blaze ate up everything except the side walls of one end. But Durand rebuilt according to the architects' original specifications with a few minor changes - i.e., the slate roof became red clay tile.
America rode the rails, and Durand was near the middle of the country. As one historian said, "The railroad helped build, shape and define the America of today."
At the end of the first World War, transportation in this country began to change. The airplane came into more use than it ever had before. The fighter planes of the war turned into passenger planes which cut down the time of travel considerably. At the end of World War II, passenger planes needed airports. In 1974, the Durand Union Station was abandoned.
It was left to vandals and rain and snow to smash windows and warp floors. Scavengers stole what they could. Pigeons flew in and soiled what had once been nice waiting rooms and gracious ticket windows. It seemed as if a busy Durand Union Station was only a memory to the people of the town. But those people rallied. They wanted to save their historic depot.
The city purchased the station for one dollar in 1979. Repairs were made and the Durand Union Station of yesterday became the State Railroad History Museum of today. The formal dining room was restored as well as a snack counter complete with swivel stools. A rack of comic books is there with each book selling for five cents.
Before the building was renovated, this was one of the busiest train stations in the state of Michigan. Today, the terrazzo floors shine as does the oak trim on the windows. These windows provide the visitor with grand views of the surrounding tracks. Even the ticket cage reminds one of the end of the 19th century.
The State of Michigan Railroad Museum in the Durand Union Station building now pays tribute to the colorful heritage of the railworker and the contribution of Michigan's railroads to lumbering, mining, agriculture and industry.
The chateau Romanesque architecture of the Durand Depot shows clearly under a light snowfall, winter 1998-1999.
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