Chronology:
January 18, 1854 - The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company was formed.
December 25, 1867 - After grappling with financial difficulties for many years, the company opened service between Bridge Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Cedar Springs, Michigan. A distance of about 20 miles.
1867 - Gross earnings of the railroad was about $22,700.
July 1868 - The railroad had 2 engines in service: the Pioneer and the Muskegon. At that time the company also utilized a single passenger coach and single baggage car, six box cars, 24 flat cars and five hand cars.
1869 - the railroad was again in trouble with its creditors, and the courts appointed a receiver, Jesse L. Williams of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to control the company.
May 1, 1869 - Under Williams' direction the Continental Improvement Company was hired to complete the line between Fort Wayne and Little Traverse Bay in Michigan.
June 21, 1869 - the Continental Improvement Company had laid the last rail connecting Cedar Springs to Morley, Michigan.
June 20, 1871 - Williams was discharged as receiver.
September 13, 1870 - The track from the south into Grand Rapids was completed.
October 1, 1870 - The line extended north to Paris, Michigan and a train first traveled between Fort Wayne and Paris.
June 1871 - The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Company took control of the road and property of the Cincinnati, Richmond and Fort Wayne Railroad Company, extending the line south to Cincinnati.
December 1872 - The Traverse City Rail Road Company, a branch providing service between Walton Junction on the main line to Traverse City, was completed, bringing a wave of immigration to that area.
November 25, 1873 - The line between Paris and Petoskey, Michigan was completed.
1876 - The railroad netted a profit of over $300,000. The 244,000 tons of lumber hauled represented 70 percent of the railroad's freight business for that year, and shipping forest products remained the main source of business for the railroad for the next decade. Most of the profit came from hauling lumber from northern Michigan south.
1881 - The Michigan Central Railroad built its own line into Mackinaw City.
July 3, 1882 - The road was opened to Mackinaw City, Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac. The total length of the line at this time was 529 miles.
1886 - The company added an "airline" branch from Grand Rapids to Muskegon, Michigan, allowing travel between the two cities in about 1 hour. The Grand Rapids & Indiana joined with the Michigan Central Railroad.
1887 - The gross earnings were close to $2.3 million. The Detroit and Cleveland Steamship Navigation Company built the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
July 1888 - The railroad had expanded its fleet to 66 locomotives and 3,100 cars.
1891 - The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad featured the longest North-South line in the country. The railroad served to accelerate the settlement of Northern Michigan, which was largely a wilderness in the mid-19th century.
July 2, 1896 - The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad reorganized as the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railway.
Late 1880's - The forests were depleted and the railroad began to depend more on tourist business. Even before completing the line to Mackinac City, the railroad marketed itself as "The Fishing Line" and published tourist guides advertising the fishing opportunities and resorts along its line.
1907 - four passenger trains were running north to and from Mackinaw City daily. Passenger train fares were not enough to support the railroad and ridership declined.
1909 - The Traverse City Rail Road Company, a branch providing service between Walton Junction on the main line, offered service to Traverse City, Northport and many towns between by this year. The railroad reported a profit of 24.4 cents for every passenger for each mile carried.
1918 - The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was bought by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
1921 - The railroad was losing 19.5 cents per passenger mile.
1975 - The Michigan Department of Transportation bought the railroad.
1984 - The railroad ceased operation, although the portion of track from Cadillac north to Petoskey is operated by Great Lakes Central Railroad.
1990's - Much of the old railroad right of way between the north side of Grand Rapids and Cadillac, Michigan was taken over by the Michigan Department of Transportation, then the Michigan Department of Natural Resources purchased the right of way with a grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and then the right of way was turned into the White Pine Trail State Park.
1997 - Some trail users realized there was no organization whose major focus was to advocate the White Pine Trail development. Several individuals who felt a volunteer group could accelerate and coordinate trail development formed a steering committee. There was immediate support from Kent County Parks Department, the City of Rockford, Plainfield and Algoma Townships. The municipalities offered their facilities for meetings.
September 10, 1997 - The Friends of the White Pine Trail held its first initial public meeting at Plainfield Township Hall. Thirty five people attended.
Spring of 2003 - The Michigan Department of Natural Resources withdrew most of their trail maintenance activities as a cost-saving measure.
Summer of 2006 - The DNR began to provide the Friends with some money to pay for equipment rental, fuel, supplies, repair parts and other expendable items used for trail maintenance.
Web site:
Friends of the White Pine Trail
Photos:
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