Learn about the railroads that used to run through Manchester

Photo courtesy of Sue LaRocque.

by Sara Swanson

For generations, two railroads ran through Manchester bringing people and goods to our small community and became an important part of Manchester’s history. Everyone is invited to the Manchester Area Historical Society’s (MAHS) general community meeting on Thursday, October 8 at 7 at the Kingsley Jenter House, 302 E. Main St, for a presentation by Southern Michigan Railroad Society volunteer Bryan Monaco.

Sue LaRocque, MAHS board member states, “In 1855, the railroad helped tie Manchester to neighboring communities and to the larger world beyond. For a small town, having two railroad connections was significant.  But times changed. As automobiles and trucks became more prevalent, the railroad gradually became less important. In 1965, the section of track extending to Manchester was removed. Today,  the Southern Michigan Railroad Society operates a small line as far as Clinton, preserving a piece of the railroad history that once connected Manchester and other southern Michigan communities.”

The story of the railroad remains an important part of Manchester’s history.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.