Clare Depot Restoration
Clare Railroad Depot History
Clare Depot:: A History
The Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad reached the City of Clare in 1870 and the first railroad depot was built on the southwest corner of McEwan Street and the railroad.
In 1887, the Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Michigan Railway reached Clare and a joint depot, The Clare Union Depot, was constructed at the junction point of the two lines. In 1894, that depot was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in 1895 at its present location.
The City of Clare purchased the depot from the Tuscola & Saginaw Bay Railway Company in 2005 with the sole intent to preserve and restore this historic building. However, one condition of the sale was that the depot must be moved from its original site due to access, liability, and safety issues.
Proposed site plans were submitted to the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) in 2009. SHPO approved the Tri-R (Thompson Hotel) site as a historically significant relocation site but attempts to acquire the site by the City of Clare failed, sending the committee back to the “drawing board”.
Moving Forward
In 2010, a new partnership formed between the City of Clare, Mid Michigan Community Action, Clare County Arts Council, Clare Area Chamber of Commerce, Clare Downtown Development Authority, Clare Main Street Board, Michigan Department of Transportation, Great Lakes Central Railroad, and Clare Depot Preservation, Inc. The Clare Depot Committee formed and quickly grew to more than 30 active members.
A new site has been selected and offers the advantages of a new downtown focal point and as a trail head for Pere Marquette Rail Trail that is easily accessible to city public services and can provide continued use as a railroad depot.
The proposed occupants and uses for the restored depot include a centerpiece for display of railroad history in Clare and surrounding areas, home of the Clare Area Visitors Bureau, Clare Area Chamber of Commerce, Clare County Arts Council and Art Gallery, Clare Main Street Offices, trail head for the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail, and as an active railroad passenger depot.
The Clare city commission formally approved partnerships and the purchase of property for a portion of the new site and Mid Michigan Community Action has offered to donate two property parcels for the new site.
Clare looks forward to the restored depot, which promises to bring with it the rich history of Clare’s past while adding a new and interesting flavor to the downtown scene and serving the area in a multi-use capacity reflective of Clare’s community spirit.
