Michigan Central Depot

In 1881 John M. Sanborn surveyed land owned by Daniel McKillop and platted the village of Torrey. That year a post office opened here under the name “Wolverine.” In 1882 the village was replatted as Wolverine. By the turn of the century, lumbering made Wolverine a boom town. The original land survey had included a right-of-way for the Michigan Central Railroad (MCRR). Early in the 1880s Wolverine became part of the MCRR’s Mackinaw Division. Four passenger trains ran daily. By 1903 scheduled runs increased to six as tourism to the Straits developed. The MCRR promoted Northern Michigan as “curative of hayfever, asthma, bronchial and lung affections.” Around 1906 this depot opened, providing modern conveniences for travelers.