National Register of Historic Places

Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot

Mason, Ingham County, Michigan
Listed
June 5, 1985
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
85001239

About this property

The Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot is a former railroad depot located at 111 North Mason Street in Mason, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. It was remodeled into a restaurant, and is now the home of the Mason Depot Diner. In 1865, the Jackson, Lansing, and Saginaw Railroad laid tracks through Mason, allowing access to the Michigan Central Railroad in Jackson. The line was finished into Lansing in 1866. Michigan Central began leasing the line in 1873, and provided both freight and passenger service to Mason. In 1902, Michigan Central constructed this railroad depot on the site of the previous freight depot. It served passengers until the 1930s, and by 1945 passenger service was also terminated. After passenger service was halted, the building remained vacant for 35 years. In 1979, it was remodeled into an ice cream parlor. It was turned into a pizza restaurant, and in 1992 was turned into the Mason Depot Diner. The Diner was still operating in the building as of 2025. The Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot is a one-and-one-half-story rectangular building with a hipped roof. The building is constructed of light-colored brick accented by darker brick forming a water table, frieze, corner quoins, and window and door surrounds. The building has wide overhanging eaves and a recessed central entrance flanked with pairs of windows and topped with a hipped dormer with a tripartite window. The windows are of various sizes and grouped in twos and threes, with transoms above. Some have leaded glass.

Location

111 N. Mason St.
Mason, Ingham County, Michigan
42.58276, -84.44850

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

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Questions about this property

When was Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot listed on the National Register?

Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 5, 1985.

What type of historic resource is Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot?

Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot?

The period of significance for Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Michigan Central Railroad Mason Depot?

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