Michigan East and West Railway Depot

In 1889 a number of lumbermen pooled their money together to incorporate the Manistee and Grand Rapids Railroad in 1889 with a capital of $1 million. For the next 20 years, the railroad operated successfully until an outside operator purchased the assets of the corporation in 1913 and formed a new line which they named the Michigan East and West Railroad. As a way to reinvigorate passenger service, and the line itself, owners of the Michigan East and West decided to establish a first-rate passenger service. While making this a priority, officials of the railroad began drawing up plans for the construction of a new depot on the corner of Water and Spruce streets. Plans for the building called for a structure which would show off the confidence that the owners had in Manistee. A month later ground was broken with local builder, Charles Anderson awarded the contract with masons Gerlach and Nelson jointly being awarded the mason contract. As weeks passed, construction of the new depot continued as crews of men toiled until the late fall to ensure the building would be completed by the end of the year. In December 1915, the building was opened to the public. After World War I, the railroad line was unable to raise continuous capital and it ceased operations with the assets taken over by the Pere Marquette Railroad. The new depot sat vacant for several years until it became occupied by the LaValle Funeral Home in the mid-1930s. In 1954 Ralph LaValle joined with Robert Johnson to form a partnership changing the name of the business to the LaValle-Johnson Funeral Home. In 1970, the building became the Johnson Funeral Home and continued as such for several decades.