National Register of Historic Places

Fenton Railroad Depot

Fenton, Genesee County, Michigan
Listed
June 19, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000843

About this property

The Fenton Railroad Depot is a former railroad depot located at 207 Silver Lake Road in Fenton, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. William Fenton and Robert Leroy founded Fentonville because they believed that a proposed railroad line though Michigan would run through the settlement, making Fentonville a shipping center for the surrounding area. In 1856 the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway did indeed construct a line through the village, establishing the first railroad in the county. The original depot built in Fentonville was a wood-framed building on the north side of the tracks. Over time, Fenton experienced a spurt of growth due to the arrival of the railroad, and the area around the depot was developed with related businesses. In about 1880, the wooden depot burned. In 1882, a new brick depot was constructed on the south side of the tracks. The brick to build the depot was reportedly shipped in from Saranac and Owosso. The new depot served as built until 1923, when it suffered a fire, destroying the roof. The roof was rebuilt to make the structure seen today. The Fenton Depot served the railroad until 1974. After that time, it was purchased by the city of Fenton, and used by the city for various offices, including the Economic Development Office. As of 2015, it served as offices for Southern Lakes Parks & Recreation. The Fenton Railroad Depot is a light yellow and red pressed brick structure. Originally built with a gable roof, the current hipped roof with flared eaves was added after the 1923 fire. The interior of the depot remains intact.

Location

207 Silver Lake Rd.
Fenton, Genesee County, Michigan
42.79730, -83.70243

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Vermont House and Fenton Grain Elevator
Listed
0.1 mi
Dibbleville-Fentonville Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Bangs, Benjamin, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Church, Volney-Carlos B. Shotwell House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Jennings, H.N., House
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fenton Railroad Depot listed on the National Register?

Fenton Railroad Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Fenton Railroad Depot?

Fenton Railroad Depot is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fenton Railroad Depot?

The period of significance for Fenton Railroad Depot is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Fenton Railroad Depot?

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