Chelsea / Chelsea Depot

In the 1830s the Congdon brothers, Elisha and James, settled the land where Chelsea is located. In 1848 they offered the Michigan Central Railroad a free site on which to build a station. The first and succeeding structures were freight stations, and the first shipment sent on May 2, 1850, was a barrel of eggs weighing 130 pounds. For a time more wool was shipped from Chelsea than from any other place in the state, and grain, apple, stock, and meat shipments were also large. In 1880 the Michigan Central established Chelsea as a passenger service point and built a depot with two waiting rooms, the east for women and children and the west for men. That same year Chelsea was chosen for an experiment in upgrading the appearance of rural stations, and Mason and Rice of Detroit were commissioned as the new station's architects. Their Victorian design was characterized by numerous gables and gingerbread embellishments. The depot served patrons of the Michigan Central until 1975, when the company was taken over by Amtrak. In 1981 Amtrak discontinued service to Chelsea and closed the station. Fearing damage from prolonged neglect in 1985, area citizens formed the Chelsea Depot Association to restore the building, purchased the depot that year, and began restoration in 1986.

Chelsea, Michigan · United States