The Harrisville Depot: A forgotten piece of history

HARRISVILLE, Mich. — On Dec. 15, 1901, the Detroit and Mackinac Railroad made its first scheduled trip to Harrisville. A month later, the Harrisville Depot was built. The limestone building soon became a busy place.

Back then, a trip from Harrisville to Detroit by train would be about two hours. By automobile, it could be as long as two days.  Today, the depot serves as a historical site for Alcona County. However, it’s fallen into a sorry state.

Graffiti, broken windows, and infested with wasps—this is what’s left of the Harrisville Depot. It’s currently owned by Lake State Railway. A source with the Alcona Historical Society said Lake State Railway put the property up for sale about 10 years ago.

With no buyers, it’s unknown what will happen to this historical building.