MARK YOUR CALENDAR and MAKE YOUR PLANS!

The Michigan Central Railroad, Round Oak Stoves, fine fishing lures, an old-fashioned soda fountain, and three action-filled cougars – what do these have in common? They’re all part of what makes the community of Dowagiac an interesting place to visit.

MARP has planned another family fun day, this time in Dowagiac, on Saturday, July 30. We will begin our day at 11:00 am in the Dowagiac Depot, built in 1903 by the Michigan Central. The curator of the The Museum at Southwestern Michigan College will be on hand to tell about the railroad and the town that grew up along its tracks.

While MARP conducts a brief membership meeting, friends and relatives will be free to take a self-guided walking tour of the downtown area and the many public sculptures for which Dowagiac is famous – including the 3 leaping cougars alongside the railroad track. Dowagiac will be celebrating its Summer Fun Fest, so there will be plenty of activity on the streets. Click here for a virtual tour of Dowagiac. And, be careful, you may find yourself “hooked” by the rare fishing lures and other memorabilia at the The National Hedden Museum.

Following the meeting and our usual no-host lunch, you will have a guided tour of the museum, where a model railroad layout  gives a nice picture of the historic village. You will also learn the fascinating story of Round Oak Stoves. To top off the day, you’ll want to visit Caruso’s Candy Kitchen where the family has been making chocolates and serving soda fountain drinks (anyone for a Green River?) and ice cream since 1922.

Plan to arrive at the Dowagiac station by 11 am. If you are on the Blue Water route, make your train reservations now. Due to serious delays on the Wolverine caused by slow orders east of Battle Creek, the train will not arrive in Dowagiac in a timely manner and, therefore, not recommended for this trip.

Virtual tour here
Dowagiac Depot
The Museum at Southwestern Michigan College
The National Hedden Museum

Revision dated: 6/6/2011 8:07 PM
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
June 11, 2011 Agenda
300 Dorothy Street South Lyon, MI 48917

Executive Committee Meeting
Non-executive Committee members may stay and observe.
Timekeeper- Steve Sobel

10:00 Call to Order & circulate sign-in

10:00 Secretary’s Report – Hugh Gurney

10:10 Treasurer’s Report – Dave Randall

Coordinator Reports
10:20 Government affairs – John Langdon
10:30 Communications – Kay Chase
Website – Larry Sobczak
Newsletter – JR Valderez
Outreach – upcoming events handout
10:35 Membership -Kathleen Newell
10:40 Meetings – Jim Wallington

Regional Chapter Reports
10:45 Northern Region – Don Montieth
10:50 Metro Detroit Region – Jim Hinkins
10:55 Western Region – John Langdon (acting chair)

General Membership Meeting
Speaker (orders of the day)

11:00– 11:15 Eli Cooper of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority

11:15- 11:20 Presentation Questions and Answers

Old Business
11:20 purchase of a digital projector for MARP Meetings

New Business
11:25         Indian Trails Committee Update – Jim Wallington

11:30         Motion by Gurney to request Amtrak to list thruway connections

11:35         Motion by Gurney to resurrect REC Committee

11:30         Report – Durand Station damage – Jim Wallington or Norma Ward

11:35         (open)

12:00-1:00 Jennifer Redfern, South Lyon Area Historical Society – remarks on the railroad history of South Lyon and the Witch’s Hat Depot & Museum, followed by a tour of the museum, caboose and other buildings

1:00           Lunch at South Lyon Hotel

The Witch’s Hat Depot and Historic Village is just off Lafayette Street (Pontiac Trail) in South Lyon. MARP will meet in the Freight House. Jennifer Redfern, a member of the Board of Directors of the South Lyon Area Historical Society will be on hand to tell us about the railroad history of South Lyon and the Witch’s Hat Depot & Museum, followed by a tour of the museum, caboose and other buildings as time permits. Our usual “no-host” lunch will follow at the historic South Lyon Hotel, where railroad passengers dined in days gone by.

Remember that all are welcome and encouraged to attend the Executive Committee meeting that begins promptly at 10:00 am. The general membership meeting will convene at 11:00 am with a short report on the new Ann Arbor Transportation Center by Eli Cooper, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Other agenda items include: recent FRA funding to continue development of the Chicago-Detroit high-speed corridor; a report on talks with Indian Trails concerning through-way connections; and the recent damage suffered by the Durand station when the sprinkler system sprung a serious break.