Orchard Lake in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Waiting for the Trolleys
and Riding Between the Lakes
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
1. Waiting for the Trolleys Marker
The trolleys made it easy to travel
through the lakes of Oakland County. In the early 1900s people got off or waited at platforms that were built for access to the track. The Detroit United Railway (DUR) bought land from local farmers for the track and waiting platforms. Taxes on this property forced the railway to charge high fares that later contributed to the demise of the trolley system. Here, where Long Lake Road crossed over the parallel Grand Trunk and DUR tracks, are stairs like those that people used to get on and off the trolleys.
You Auto Know
The rolling hills of the lakes region of Oakland County were famous for their apple orchards.
Erected by MotorCities National Heritage Area, National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the MotorCities National Heritage Area series list.
Location. 42° 34.965′ N, 83° 21.462′ W. Marker is in Orchard
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Orchard Lake Museum (here, next to this marker); Drawn by Water (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Green School Bell (about 500 feet away); Conglomerate Boulder (about 500 feet away); Apple Island (about 500 feet away); Chief Pontiac (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Apple Island (approx. ¼ mile away); Gateway to Nature (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orchard Lake.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
2. Upper Left Image
An electric DUR trolley running on the track between Pontiac and Orchard Lake, about 1910.
Photo courtesy of Brian Golden.
Photo courtesy of Brian Golden.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
3. Middle Left Image Detail
This 1917 "Orchard Lake Station Map" shows the side-by-side Grand Trunk Railroad track and the electric trolley track that ran through the area. The circle indicates the Long Lake Road crossing over the former tracks where you stand along the West Bloomfield Trail. Map courtesy of Brian Golden.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
4. Lower Left Image
"About Apples: From Orchard to Market" was written in 1960 by local author Mary Moore Green, who grew up with orchards on the Green Farm at 14 Mile and Halsted Roads.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
5. Lower Middle Image
The Walter Oliver farm on Greer Road in West Bloomfield, about 1900.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
6. Upper Right Image
The present-day Long Lake Road overpass along the West Bloomfield Trail behind the Orchard Lake Museum. The trail is a linear park about seven miles long that follows former train tracks from West Bloomfield to Sylvan Lake.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
7. Middle Right Image
Waiting platform along the Orchard Lake trolley line at the Long Lake Road overpass.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
8. Lower Right Image
Waiting room at Orchard Lake Road and Walnut Lake Road. Unless noted otherwise, all photos are courtesy of the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society.
Photographed By Joel Seewald, July 2, 2017
9. Waiting for the Trolleys Marker
This marker is the one farthest away.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 220 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on July 5, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
