Near Garden in Delta County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Railroad Grade

Fayette Historic State Park

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

1. Railroad Grade Marker

Inscription.
A couple of cars loaded with lumber broke loose at the top of the Mud Lake grade and ran into some coal cars at its foot with sad results to all.
Escanaba Iron Port
1882

By 1872, the Jackson Iron Company had built a six-mile railroad between Fayette and its outlying sites. Hissing steam, the small locomotives A.M. White and J.C. Hicks rumbled past this point delivering carloads of charcoal, wood, and sand for furnace operations.

Evidence of the railroad-grade and roundhouse pit is visible from this site.

Erected by Fayette Historic State Park & Michigan Historical Center.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.

Location. 45° 43.092′ N, 86° 40.11′ W. Marker is near Garden, Michigan, in Delta County. Marker can be reached from State Park Road, one mile west of II Road (State Highway 183). Marker is located along the interpretive trail in Fayette Historic State Park, on the south side of the upper furnace complex, overlooking the old railroad grade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4785 II Road, Garden MI 49835, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Waterline (within shouting distance of this

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marker); Fayette's Neighborhoods (within shouting distance of this marker); The Smelting Process (within shouting distance of this marker); Machine Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Furnace Complex, Upper Level (within shouting distance of this marker); Carpenter Shop Site (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Furnace Complex (within shouting distance of this marker); Manufacturing Charcoal (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Garden.

More about this marker. Marker is a large, rectangular composite plaque, mounted horizontally on waist-high wooden posts.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Fayette Historic State Park

Also see . . .
1. Fayette Historic State Park. Fayette was once one of the Upper Peninsula's most productive iron-smelting operations. Fayette grew up around two blast furnaces, a large dock, and several charcoal kilns, following the post-Civil

Marker detail: Railroad Roundhouse circa 1870s image. Click for full size.

Source: Michigan Historical Museum

2. Marker detail: Railroad Roundhouse circa 1870s

Mechanics serviced locomotive engines in the railroad roundhouse seen in this c. 1870s photo.

War need for iron. Nearly 500 residents — many immigrating from Canada, the British Isles, and northern Europe — lived in and near the town that existed to make pig iron. During 24 years of operation, Fayette's blast furnaces produced a total of 229,288 tons of iron, using local hardwood forests for fuel and quarrying limestone from the bluffs to purify the iron ore. (Submitted on January 19, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Fayette Historic State Park website. (Submitted on January 19, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Railroad Grade Marker (<i>marker visible on right, against fence; railroad grade in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

3. Railroad Grade Marker (marker visible on right, against fence; railroad grade in background)

Railroad Grade (<i>view looking south from marker; old railroad grade on right</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2013

4. Railroad Grade (view looking south from marker; old railroad grade on right)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 21, 2019. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 114 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 19, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.