2021.87.101

[Part 1 is at 2021.87.46] THE ELECTRIC ROAD TO HOLLAND Getting to Holland in the 1890’s wasn’t easy. Your options were walking, riding a bike, or hitching up your horse and buggy for the journey. So the news of electric train trolleys to Holland and beyond was very exciting—soon there would be a magic carpet ride for shoppers, tourists, workers, and freight. The Holland & Lake Michigan RR Company, began passenger service within Holland in July 1898; and had plans to extend the rail service to Macatawa and Saugatuck. Local residents were so excited about having an interurban train service that they designated the day as “Train Day.” Although the scheduled completion and train arrival was the Fourth of July 1899, weather and labor problems delayed the celebration to August 19, 1899. But the delay didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as the Commercial Record reported: “Our Train Day Celebration was a very pleasant incident in the history of Saugatuck. The crowd began arriving about 8 o’clock and by 10 there were three or four thousand gathered about the speaker’s stand on the public square. Various races included: a foot race, blind race, sack race, tub race, and a bicycle race. After the races came the balloon ascension and parachute drop by Prof. Williams of Sturgis, Michigan. Six to ten thousand people witnessed a very pretty ascension and drop. The aeronaut came down in a field just east of town. In the evening the crowd gathered on the river front to witness the naval display which was very pretty.” Most summer visitors arrived by steamships that docked at Saugatuck and Holland. Passengers debarking at Lake Macatawa in Holland could now be comfortably whisked to Saugatuck for a 5 cents fare. This was a tremendous boost for Saugatuck’s growing tourist industry. If one could time-travel back to the Interurban Days it must have been exciting—leaving Chicago on a cruise across Lake Michigan to dock in Lake Macatawa. Then boarding the Interurban for a scenic ride to Saugatuck for a weekend or a summer vacation. The Interurban filled the bill on efficiency, reliability, and economy. But the advent of automobiles and new highways heralded the doom of the plucky Interurbans. November 15, 1926 the trolleys made their last run with 27 years of service. by Rob Carey

Remembering When1899 Interurban electric train -1926

Winthers, Sally

01/07/2022

11/18/2023