Thompsonville Junction / Village Of Thompsonville

Constructed in 1889, Thompsonville Junction’s diamond crossing formed the intersection of the Chicago and West Michigan Railroad (eventually the Chesapeake and Ohio) and the Frankfort and Southeastern Railroad (later the Ann Arbor). Both had depots at the junction, which was located just south of Thompson Avenue on what became part of the Betsie Valley Trail. Their lines linked Frankfort to Toledo and the Traverse City area to Chicago. The railroads offered both passenger and freight service. In the summer of 1903 the Ann Arbor operated a “ping-pong” train that took travelers from Thompsonville to Frankfort’s resorts every few hours. All railroad service to Thompsonville ceased by the 1980s. The diamond crossing was moved after the tracks were dismantled. Village Of Thompsonville A village began growing around the diamond railroad junction in 1890. It was originally known as Lyndonville but was renamed Thompsonville for S. S. Thompson, the president of the Frankfort and Southeastern Railroad. Multiple sawmills served as the first community businesses. Thompsonville incorporated as a village in 1892. By 1896, Thompsonville had established an electrical plant that provided light and power for its residents. The village labeled itself “The Biggest Little Town in Michigan” in 1901. Its population was less than one thousand, but it boasted forty-eight businesses and two churches. Thousands visited the annual village street fair in the early twentieth century. Thompsonville’s population began declining by 1910 and continued to do so as rail service decreased.