TrainWeb.org Facebook Page
TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU & MANISTIQUE RAILROAD

Below from Spraque's history of Grand Traverse & Leelanau Counties Published 1903

Until the Manistee & Northeast Railroad was extended from Manistee to Traverse City Leelanau county was entirely without railroad facilities. That road only reached two towns in the county, Solon and Elmwood, giving them two stations, Pouch and Solon. In the spring of 1903 a branch of this road was completed from Solon through Centerville and into Leland township to Provemont, upon which passenger trams are now run regularly. Another extension of the Manistee & Northeastern road in Benzie county to Platte gives railroad connection with Empire by way of the Empire Lumber Company's road.
The Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique Railroad was completed from Traverse City to Northport the present season, and regular passenger service was inaugurated on it the latter part of June, 1903. This road runs through a fine farming and fruit country. After leaving Traverse City stops are made at the following stations: Hatch's Crossing, Bingham, Fountain Point, Sutton's Bay, The Clovers, Omena and Northport. The railroad company has had built a fine car ferry, having a capacity for carrying thirty-two cars, and elaborate cabin accommodations for a large number of passengers. A slip is being constructed at Northport for this boat, which it is expected will be completed by the first of September, when the ferry will commence making regular trips across the lake between Northport and Manistique, where it will connect with railroads for all parts of the Upper Peninsula.
The establishment of this line to the Upper Peninsula will be of great interest and benefit, not only to Leelanau county, but to the entire Grand Traverse region, providing a short line and quick transportation for the fruit products of the region to the Upper peninsula towns, where a good market for them is always to be found.

TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU & MANISTIQUE RAILROAD
Incorporated under laws of Michigan

DIRECTORS

Henry Russel
Geo. Hendrie
Chas. L. Palms
Henry Ledyard
John H. P. Hughart

Detroit, Mich.
Detroit, Mich.
Detroit, Mich.
Detroit, Mich.
Grand Rapids, Mich.

September 8, 1909 or when successors are elected

OFFICERS

President
First Vice President
Receiver
Secretary and Treasurer
Agent for Receiver

Henry Russel
John H. P. Hughart
Union Trust Co.
Henry Ledyard
J. H. P. Hughart

Detroit, Mich.
Grand Rapids, Mich
Detroit, Mich.
Detroit, Mich.
Grand Rapids, Mich.


1. The M&NE arrived first, completing its main from Lake Ann to Traverse City by July 1st, 1892.
2. The TCL&M (Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique) built the line from the M&NE to Northport by June 28th, 1903. It was operated by the GR&I.
3. The LTC (Leelanau Transit Company) bought the TCL&M on May 23rd, 1915.
4. The M&NE leased the LTC on June 6th, 1919
5. PM gained control of the M&NE including the LTC lease in 1931.
6. C&O merged PM including the lease in 1955.
7. The LTC lease was canceled in 1982.
8. The junction of the TCL&M with the M&NE was known as Hatch's or Hatch's Crossing by both the M&NE and TCL&M (this conversation is the first I have heard of it being called Rennies Junction.)
9. Greilickville was formerly known as Rennies (GM lists this as Rennies was formerly known as Greilickville. I suspect this is in error).


Poor's Railroad Investments Manual 12-31-1902 - Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique RR Co
From the Grand Rapid & Indiana Railway statement

The Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique RR Co. has been formed to construct a line from Traverse City to Northport, Mich., a distance of about 30 miles. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co. has taken $75,000 of bonds of the new company, and received 25 per cent. ($125,000) of its capital stock. The road was expected to be completed about July 1, 1903. It Will be operated by by the Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co.

From Michigan Railroad Commission Report 1903 - Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique Railroad
This road was projected from Traverse City through Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties to Northport. Afterwards a long-time contract was made with the Manistee & North Eastern Railroad Company for use of that company's track's tracks from Traverse City to Hatche's crossing, a distance of 5 6-10 miles.

The Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique Railroad was completed and put into operation June 28, 1903. The road connects at Northport with the car ferry line of the Manistique, Marquette & Northern Railroad, which operates between North Northport and Manistique, in the Northern Peninsula.

The car ferry line at Manistique connects with the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway and with the Manistique, Marquette & Northern Railroad, which extends to Shingleton, where it connects with the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway. This line of road has been constructed with first-class bridge structures, ties and rail. Drainage is good. Station buildings are being erected wherever necessary. Road is generally fenced. Highway crossing in good condition. Surface and alignment of track good. The general condition of this road is satisfactory and equal to the requirements in point of safety.

The Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique RR Co. has constructed a line from Traverse City to Northport, Mich.., a distance of about 30 miles. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co. has taken $75,000 of bonds of the new company, and has received 25 per cent. ($125,000) of its capital stock. The road was partially opened for business July 1, 1903. Since that date it has been operated by the Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co. on account, and not under contract of April 4, 1902, because it has not been completed as per terms of said agreement and because other uncompleted obligations of the contract owing largely to financial difficulties, which it is hoped will be eventually adjusted. [from GR&I Poors statement 1904]

The Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique RR Co. has constructed a line from Traverse City to Northport, Mich.., a distance of about 30 miles. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co. has taken $75,000 of bonds of the new company, and has received 25 per cent. ($125,000) of its capital stock. The road was partially opened for business July 1, 1903. Since that date it has been operated by the Grand Rapids and Indiana Ry. Co. on account, and not under contract of April 4, 1902, because it has not been completed as per terms of said agreement and because other uncompleted obligations of the contract owing largely to financial difficulties of the Traverse City, Leelanau and Manistique RR. Co. [from GR&I Poors statement 1905]


Traverse City, Leelanau & Manistique Railroad
Serviced By Grand Rapid & Indiana Railroad

Stations

Mile Post

Year

Siding

Notes

Traverse City

0 .0 S

1906

-

GR&I Depot

Hatch's Crossing

5.6 S

D

-

M&NE trackage to Traverse City

Heinforth

7.7 F




Bingham

9.6 S




Keswick

11.5 F



Cut located north of town - SNOW

Leelanau

13.3 F




Sutton Bay

16.5 S

D

Behind depot


Peshawbestown




Village on line

Manseau's Mill



Siding to

At Belanger Creek

Omena

23.7 S




“OA” Siding

24.2




Northport

29.2 S

D


Car ferry connection to Manistique

D = Day Telegraph station. F = Flag Stop S = Normal stop

One first class passenger train each way, daily except Sunday in 1906. No. 90 leaves southbound from Northport at 8:00 a.m., arriving at Traverse City at 10:05 a.m. No. 91 leaves Traverse City northbound at 3:40 p.m., arriving at Northport at 5:30 p.m.

Standard clock and bulletin books were located at the Traverse City Telegraph office Registering stations were at the Traverse City telegraph office, at the M&NE telegraph office in Traverse City, at the Hatch's Crossing telegraph office, and at the Northport Telegraph office.
Yard limit boards in place at Northport. Trains must have train orders or clearance to leave terminals. M&NE tracks used under the authority of the M&NE timetable. Employees are governed by the rules of the GR&I Ry. for the government of the Transportation Department.
As of December 30, 1906, this railroad was in receivership of the Union Trust Company. J. H. P. Hughart (of the GR&I) was the Agent for the Receiver.
Source: TCL&M Railroad timetable No. 1, December 30, 1906. MichiganRailroads.com

Michigan Railroad Commission Inspection Report 1914
TRAVERSE CITY, LEELANAU & MANISTIQUE RAILWAY
This property was inspected October 18 and consists of a line of road from Hatch's Crossing to Northport all in Leelanau county. Train service is extended into Traverse City over the Manistee & North-Eastern and Grand Rapids & Indiana Railways, the station of the G. R. & I. Ry. Being used as their passenger station. The rail in the track is 65 pound per yard and is in good condition. Tie renewals have been fair. Two thousand ties have been renewed this season. This property is not fence for the entire distance. Where right of why fence is built it is satisfactory maintained. Track is ballasted with a good grade of ballast. Surface and alignment of track if fairly well maintained. Weeds on right of way not cut. The traffic on this line of road is light. No stations of importance. Switch-stands provided with targets and lock; no lights. Trains operated under standard code of rules.


Record-Eagle Monday, June 19, 2006 LARRY WAKEFIELD
Manseau’s old grist mill was a modern marvel

Manseau never got big enough to become a real ghost town. It, however, had a siding on the old Traverse City Leelanau and Manistique Railroad and was a gathering place for Leelanau County farmers, who brought their grain to the grist mill for sale or to be ground for their own use. The water-powered mill was built in 1859 by Antoine Manseau Jr. In 1856, he had bought an acre of land for $100. It was on what he named Kenosha Creek after an Indian named Keywatosa. Three years later he dammed the creek, built a 26-by-30 foot mill and started grinding grain with a pair of imported millstones. They came from France and were made of buhrstone, a composite of limestone and silica widely used for grindstones in those days. The old mill still stands on what is now Belanger Creek, 3 1⁄2 miles north of Suttons Bay. It probably was the oldest grist mill in the Grand Traverse area, antedating the Norris mill in Greilickville by at least two to three years. Like his father, Antoine Sr., Antoine Manseau was a millwright and carpenter. He was born in Canada, as was his father, and came to this country in 1838. After spending some time in Green Bay, Milwaukee and North Manitou Island, the Manseaus settled at the mouth of the Carp River in Leelanau County. There, Manseau helped his father build a dam and sawmill on the river, thus founding the town of Leland in 1853. In 1882, Antoine Jr. built a 16-by-16-foot addition to his Kenosha mill and installed a roller system necessary for milling flour. The mill was a wonder of elaborate machinery of rollers, bolters and screens. The grain moved six times from basement to top floor, through three stands of silk bolters and screens that separated the coarse bran and other byproducts from the final fie-ground flour. The mill was automatic. Only one man as needed to operate it — just to see that the grain kept moving in the right direction and to replace broken belts. In 1906, the mill was bought by Eugene Belanger and was operated by him and sons Ignatius, Alexis, Luke and Edwin until 1934. At that time very little grain was being raised in the Grand Traverse region, and the mill was closed because business was slow. Ed Belanger remembers the mill’s last day. He remembers it especially well because it came close to being his last day, too. For much of that time, he and the farmer had stood on some planking over the 17-foot deep water box that provided power for the mill wheel. Ed went to a dance in Suttons Bay. When he returned that night, he found that part of the concrete wall of the water box had given away, and the planking on which they had stood was 100 yards out on the bay ice. “If it had happened during that day,” he said, “We’d both have been goners for sure.” The mill stands empty now, but the dam on Belanger Pond is still intact. The mill is registered on the list of Michigan Historic Places.


Leelanau Enterprise 12-27-2013 County's former U. P. link far from forgotten (items from)
The distance between the two ports was 75 miles.
Fares to Northport were $2.50 one way and $4.50 round trip, plus a berth at $.75 and meals at $.50. per George Hilton
The year 1908 saw the end of the Manistique - Northport service, only five years after is was instituted. The slip at Northport was sold to the Ann Arbor RR, dismantled and re-erected as the west slip at Frank (harbor).