Pere Marquette Depot in Gilford, Michigan: A Glimpse into Early Rail Life

Early 1900s view of the Pere Marquette Railroad Depot in Gilford, Michigan. The station served as a hub for passengers, freight, and telegraph communication in rural Tuscola County. Photo by Sherman.

This real photo postcard captures the Pere Marquette Railway Depot in Gilford, Michigan, around 1910. The modest wood-frame building, with its wide eaves and central bay window, was a common design for small-town stations along the Pere Marquette Railway. Visible in the image are a station worker and a local man posing in front, alongside signs for the Gilford station and a Western Union Telegraph office. A milk can, a bicycle, and a luggage cart on the platform hint at the day-to-day traffic of goods and passengers that passed through the depot, reflecting the vital role railroads played in rural life.

Located in the heart of Tuscola County’s farm belt, Gilford was a key stop on a regional rail line that connected agricultural communities with markets across Michigan. The depot not only moved crops and dairy but also served as a critical communications point thanks to its telegraph services. This image, likely produced by local photographer Sherman, is a snapshot of a quieter era, when trains were the town’s lifeline and a bicycle ride to the depot marked the start of a journey or a workday.

Source for Pere Marquette Depot in Gilford, Michigan

“P.M. Depot, Gilford, Mich.”. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/t/tinder/x-58730/tinder-rppc-117459. In the digital collection David V. Tinder Collection of Michigan Photography. William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. April 24, 2025.