The Journey from Holland to Nunica on the Old Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore (C&MLS) Muskegon Line The howl of the whistle breaks the quiet morning air as the Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore train leaves the Holland Passenger Station. Being pulled by the iron horse are mixture of freight and passenger cars. The heavy engine crosses the sturdy iron trestle spanning the Macatawa River and arrives at the junction called Waverly. The engines whistle toots again as the train takes the track running to the north from the Junction. The engine trudges along through the countryside billowing grey smoke into the air as it makes it's next stop at the small station located near the village of New Holland. Passengers from Holland wait as more board the cars. Continuing north, the train chugs along till it stops at the small farming hamlet of Crisp, also known as, South Olive. There is not a depot here but, passengers wait, standing track side on the green. Making its way north, it stops at the small wooden depot in the sawmill town of Olive Center,  fresh cut lumber straight from the sawmill is loaded on, ready to be sent up to Muskegon. Passengers board the train with the 'clinking' sound in the background from the village blacksmith. Only about mile out of Olive Center it stops at the station known as Blendon. Like Olive Center to the south, there is likely lumber here too. The train also stops here for water from the railroad water well at this stop. Another whistle signals the train departing as it begins to make its way to the booming lumber village of Ottawa Station. Children just out of school wait near the depot to see the train. They can see the smoke in the distance as the excitement builds. The train comes screeching into the passenger station and more passengers board and get off. Lumber is loaded as the postmaster brings mail to the express station for delivery by the rails. Once again the whistle howls and the train departs. A short trip out of Ottawa Station, the train stops at the bustling village of Robinson where passengers wishing to head to a northbound town board the train as lumber from the sawmills is loaded onto a freight car. The whistle blows as the train continues on out of Robinson, running through farmland and forest. Four miles later at the river landing town of Spoonville the train crosses a wooden swing bridge over the Grand River. Even more lumber is loaded at Spoonville from the sawmill located nearby on Crockery Creek. The train continues on, passing workers on the farms at Spoonville. the train continues to run along into the west side of the village of Nunica where it connects with the Nunica and Muskegon line. The train then continues on to other towns to the north west but, those are other stories.

 

Transcriber: Brandon Tabor
Created: 1 April 2014