Community Corner
Rich History to be Found at the Saline Railroad Depot
Train and history enthusiasts have much to enjoy at Saline's Depot Museum.
Each Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the doors to theand Caboose are open to the public.
The Depot, located at 402 N. Ann Arbor St. in Saline, is owned by the City of Saline, and is maintained by The Saline Area Historical Society. According to the society's website, the Saline Railroad Depot, with its freighthouse, telegraph and passenger facilities served as a crucial link between rural Saline and the outside world.
Volunteers for the depot work each Saturday to answer questions and show people around. There is no charge for a tour.
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Ruth Garrison is one of the volunteers who greet guests.
“We’ve had more visitors since we’ve moved the caboose up closer to the road,” she said.
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The red caboose is not original to the museum but seems to be the real draw for families and visitors.
“It was moved forward on the tracks earlier this year,” Garrison said, in hopes of catching the eyes of more passers by. Visitors are encouraged to climb the steps into the caboose to see what real rail workers had to work with back in the days of operation.
The interior of the Depot, or freight room, is a treasure trove of railroad nostalgia and local history. One wall is lined with historical photographs of Saline’s downtown back in the 1800s.
The Gallagher family, residents of Saline, were at the Depot on Saturday.
“The nice part about this depot is its location,” Fred Gallagher said. “Often depots are in industrial parts of the town, here it is right in the neighborhood.”
“We are going to take the trail today,” Sarah Gallagher said. “We’ve not taken it before.”
The trail is a paved walkway that runs east of the depot for about a city block. It features public art along the tracks.
During its heyday, the railroad station featured a storage barn, wool barn, livestock pens, loading facilities, a water storage tank and outdoor bathroom. Althought the surrounding buildings are gone, the depot still remains in the same location.
For more information regarding the Saline Railroad Depot Museum, or to volunteer as a tour guide, visit the Saline Area Historical Society webpage.
