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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, May 16, 2021, pg. 12 The recent derailment of that railroad engine on N. Superior St. on Thursday, April 22 reminded us that this track was once the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, which ran from Jonesville to Lansing. Albion’s Lake Shore passenger depot was located on N. Superior St. on the site of today’s cell phone office (formerly the Bank of Albion building) next to our U.S. Post Office, right by where the recent derailment occurred. It was on Friday, May 31, 1907 that U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt stopped in Albion by train at the Lake Shore depot on his way back from Lansing. The Albion Recorder reported, "The business portion of the city and many residences were decorated with flags and bunting in honor of the event…The regular evening Lake Shore train, to which the President’s car was attached, was late and did not arrive until a few minutes after six o’clock. As it pulled slowly past Superior St. and stopped, the President appeared on the platform, and a mighty cheer went up from the crowd." "A contingent of Albion’s Civil War soldiers (Grand Army of the Republic) was there to greet him, along with a crowd estimated between six and seven thousand persons." The Recorder continued, "The first thing that caught his eye was the flag and its guard of G.A.R. men, and he paid them a sterling tribute, winding up by saying "If it weren’t for you men, there would be no country today." The President gave a speech which was only heard by about half the crowd because of the large number of people in attendance. His speech focused on both the rich and poor should work together. Roosevelt stated, "It is just as evil, and no more so, to hate the man on account of his wealth, as to hate the man on account of his poverty." Following the speech, the train pulled away, headed south towards Hillsdale. Accompanying him there was Albion’s own Congressman, the Hon. Washington Gardner. Historical note: Theodore Roosevelt subsequently visited Albion again, on Saturday, March 30, 1912 at the Michigan Central Railroad depot. That year he was running for President on the Bull Moose party. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photo of President Roosevelt standing on the back of the railroad car on May 31, 1907, giving his evening speech. The Lake Shore depot is on the left, and a G.A.R. flag appears on the left. How many of our remember when John F. Kennedy visited Albion by train in 1960?  President Roosevelt standing on the back of the railroad car on May 31, 1907
All text copyright, 2024 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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