Railroad – Pure Saginaw

Sunrise at the Depot

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Railroad, Saginaw

By the time I was born traveling by rail was pretty much over. It is hard for me to imagine a day when the old train depot was busy with passengers coming in and out of the old station. I find it funny ( interesting not ha ha) that engineers and businesses are trying to build self-driving cars so passengers can relax or do work on their trip. We had that in the railroad but I guess those days are gone. Maybe it’s just me but sometimes I wish I could just hop on a train and have it take me to downtown Detroit or someplace like Traverse City, Petoskey or Mackinaw City.

P.S. On a side note. I had some people tell me they did not know I wrote the Lost In Michigan books. if you want to know more you can see them on Amazon HERE or purchase them from Charlin’s Book Nook in Frankenmuth or from the Antique Warehouse.

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The Train Station

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Railroad

It’s been a while since I posted anything on Pure Saginaw. After the devastating Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris, it reminded me to keep photographing places around Saginaw. I remember the fire that destroyed the roof of the Potter Street Station years ago. Even though I have taken a lot of photos of the station, and other Saginaw landmarks, I should continue taking more. It’s been a while since I visited the old station. Now that the buildings across the street are gone I can get a different view from the field that remains after the buildings were razed. I find it challenging to get a good pic of the station that conveys the enormous size of the historic brick depot.

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The Richard Froeber Door at the Train Station

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in haunted, Railroad

On the ginormous and historic Potter Street Station, is an ominous white door, with with the words Richard Froeber hand lettered above it, in faded red lettering. Mr Froeber was a casket maker that built caskets in the old train station. He built many caskets for soldiers bodies that returned home from war, I could not find an exact date, but I did find a Richard Froeber that lived in Saginaw from 1902-1983, and I would assume they would be solders who gave there lives fighting in WWII. there are many who believe the old station is haunted, and I can see how Mr Froeber making caskets in the grand old station would add to the belief.

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Train Horns on a Sleepless Night under a Strawberry Moon

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Railroad, Stories

as the full moon rises over Downtown Saginaw on a warm summer solstice night I am home lying in bed with the window open. Maybe I am the only one who does this but as I hear a train horn off in the distance I try to figure out where the train is at. I know it it is blowing its horn a lot it might be crossing Shattuck and Bay Roads since the crossings are next to each other. and as the horn progressively get quieter I try to figure out which way the train is heading, maybe going out to Freeland crossing Center Road then Lawndale and so on. That is what happens on a warm sleepless night for me under a strawberry moon.

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The Ghost Town of Paines from Apples to Bricks

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Ghost Towns, Railroad, Saginaw History

The town of Paines was in James Township, and the CDP was located on Dutch Road, between River Roads and Stroebel Roads.The History of Paines goes way back to Bay City businessman James Fraser, In 1833 he traveled from Detroit to the Saginaw Valley by horseback following the indian trails. When he got to the Tittabawassee River, the only place to cross was in the area near present day Shields next to an indian camp. He liked the area so much, that he planted an orchard which flourished into one of the largest orchards in the state. I wonder if the current orchards derived from the orchard that Fraser had started so long ago.

After his death in 1866, his daughter and her husband A. B. Paine inherited the farm and orchard. I could not find any information about A.B. Paine other than, he had a brick manufacturing plant. I know the area along the Tittabawassee River was an excellent spot for clay, and there were a few brick manufacturers in the area. In the town of Paines there was a station at the junction of the Michigan Central and the Pere Marquette rail lines. A post office named “Painesville” was established on October 10, 1873, closed on May 29, 1876, and reopened on July 14, 1876. The office was renamed “Paines” on October 19, 1880 and continued until June 30, 1904

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The Adorable Little Train Depot in Burt

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Railroad

I found this photo of the old train depot in Burt. it’s not a huge building like the Potter Street Depot, but it sure is a nice adorable little depot. I imagine Wellington stopped in here a few times. I also like the name “BURT” in the shingles on the roof. Other than the sound of the train thundering by, I bet it would have made for a nice little house after it was no longer used.

I found this photo while I was looking for old photos of Birch Run, that is how it usually happens, I am looking for one thing, and find three more photos or tidbits of information that I need to research and write about. I just wish I had more time.

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