Chelsea station (Michigan)

The land where the Chelsea Depot now sits was first settled in the 1830s by brothers Elisha and James Congdon.[2] In 1848, the Congdons offered the Michigan Central Railroad a plot of land along the rail line on which to build a station. The railroad accepted, and the first structure built at the site was a freight station, completed in 1850. A series of freight stations followed, and the resulting freight business through the town spurred the growth of Chelsea in the mid-1800s.[2] However, in 1875, the last of these depots – a rather shabby shed – was destroyed under suspicious circumstances, and the railroad was slow to rebuild it.[3]

In 1880, the railroad decided to establish passenger service in Chelsea, and chose the site for an experiment in improving the appearance and design of their rural stations.[2] The railroad hired Detroit architects Mason and Rice to design the new station. It was built and commissioned in 1880, and served as a Michigan Central Railroad passenger station until 1975, when the company went out of business. Amtrak took over the line, and continued service until 1981, when the station was closed.[2] For the next few years, the station was used for storage.[4]

In 1985, a group of Chelsea citizens formed the Chelsea Depot Association and, with the financial assistance of local businesses,[4] purchased the depot to prevent the deterioration of the structure. They began restoration efforts in 1986, and the depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.[2] The building has since been used as a rental space for community and private functions, and the Chelsea Depot Association continues to maintain it. In 2011, the exterior was repainted and new windows were installed.[4]

Mason and Rice's design for the Michigan Central Railroad Chelsea Depot is a Stick style[3] Late Victorian design, with multiple gables and gingerbread decoration.[2] It is a one-story rectangular frame structure[2] measuring 100 feet (30 m) by 35 feet (11 m),[4] with widely overhanging eaves.[3] A hip roof triple bay at each end delineates the two interior waiting rooms - one for women and one for men.[2] Most of the structure is covered with horizontal clapboard, but the gable ends are covered with vertical board and batten. A brick patio surrounds the building.[2] With the exception of some changes to the chimney structure and missing roof crests and finial, the depot's exterior looks exactly like it did when constructed.[3]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michigan Central Railroad Chelsea Depot.

• Chelsea Depot Association