It officially opened in 1913 and at its peak served more than 4,000 passengers per day at its peak, sending people all over the country. According to city documents, there was never actually a formal dedication because it had to be put into use in December 1913 because of a fire in the old station.
The station consists of two different parts – a three-story train depot and the famous 18-story office tower – according to Dan Austin on Historic Detroit. Austin now handles communications for MI Central. It cost about $2.5 million to build the station, according to Historic Detroit. That’s equivalent to more than $79 million in today’s money.
Passengers had to walk through Roosevelt Park, which was located in front of the station and named after former President Theodore Roosevelt. According to Historic Detroit, when they walked inside the building, they’d go through massive bronze doors, and 14 marble pillars, with 65-foot high ceilings.
The website said that past the waiting room, the 28-foot-tall arcade held drug stores, barbershops, newsstands, cigar shops, restaurants, and more.
The waiting room was famous and was designed after the public baths of ancient Rome, according to Historic Detroit.
According to Historic Detroit, the Detroit Free Press wrote in 1913, “The grandeur of the interior is something that will be lasting, for it is of marble, brick, and bronze, all of this set off by one of the best lighting schemes ever installed in a building.”
On top of the station, the tower held more than 500 offices, according to the Detroit Historical Society.
According to Historic Detroit, among the thousands of people who arrived and departed the train station every day included baseball teams, soldiers leaving for war, plus Presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Celebrities also included Charlie Chaplin, Thomas Edison, and of course, Henry Ford.
However, as highways expanded and car and air travel grew, traveling by train started declining sharply. Portions of the station closed starting in 1968, and the final train left the station on Jan. 5, 1988, for Chicago, according to the Detroit Historical Society.
According to Historic Detroit, the station had several overs, including what became known as Penn Central, Amtrak – which took over the station in 1971.
The structure was saved from demolition several times when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
After its closure in 1988, the station fell into decline. Many saw it as a symbol, along with the Packard Plant, of the decline of Detroit.
The Future of Michigan Central
In June 2018, Ford Motor Company shocked the city when officials announced the company bought the station with massive plans for the station itself and the area around it.
Bill Ford, the executive chairman of the automaker, said in a press release at the time: “Michigan Central Station is a place that in many ways tells the story of Detroit over the past century.”
Ford undertook a massive revitalization effort over the past six years, and according to the automaker, more than 3,100 workers have worked over 1.7 million combined hours to restore it to its original Beaux-Arts style. The public will get its first look at the renovated station in June 2024.
When it’s complete, Ford said there will be 640,000 square feet of retail, hospitality, community, and office spaces around the Michigan Central space.
Ford also bought several other buildings surrounding Michigan Central Station as part of its “Michigan Central” campus.
The Newlab at Michigan Central Building was the former Detroit Public Schools’ Book Depository. It’s an Albert Kahn-designed building that opened in 1936 and closed in 1987. Ford said the building is home to an open platform concept where businesses can work together. Other buildings on the Michigan Central campus include the Bagley Mobility Hub and The Factory
“At Michigan Central, we’re harnessing Detroit’s long-standing leadership in mobility and economic innovation to create a thriving, global destination for accelerating bold ideas and new solutions that shape our shared future,” Michigan Central CEO Joshua Sirefman said in a release announcing the grand opening of the station. “At the heart of this is The Station, an iconic building that now serves not just as a reminder of our city’s history, but a powerful catalyst for growth and opportunity.
Most recently, Michigan Central and Henry Ford Health announced a partnership that includes innovative research and development, community engagement initiatives, and more.
Where to Go When Visiting the Station
If you’re planning to visit Michigan Central Station, there are plenty of great restaurants to try when you’re in the area.
You can try Amicci’s Pizza in Southwest Detroit, which is not far from the train station. Sugar House is one of the most famous cocktail bars in Detroit with hundreds of options for you to try something, or you can try locally-made spirits at Two James Spirits.
Other restaurants nearby include Xochimilco, Folk Detroit, and more.
Be sure to check out our guide to Corktown which includes options from a few hours to a few days, plus learn more about the historic neighborhood here.
Also, if you want to learn more about the city, be sure to check out the museums offered throughout Detroit and the surrounding area. Those include the Detroit Historical Museum, The Henry Ford, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
, and more. Be sure to check out our Explore Detroit pass.
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