This cache is located on the former grade of the Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, in the former village of Ottawa Station. The cache is located on rural road right-of-way. The neighbouring home owners have been informed of this cache placement.
Ottawa Station Sign on Stanton Street
The former village of Ottawa Station began in 1871 when the Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad erected a depot in Sec. 3 of Olive Twp. The village served primarily as a hub for the areas logging activity. There was a small lumber yard along the tracks near the depot. The depot was medium sized, likely similar to the one at Olive Center. There was a post office operating under the name of Ottawa from 1871 to 1904. There were many farms on the outskirts of the village. Produce included wheat, corn, potatoes, and apples. Today, the the once booming village is gone but, there are still some interesting remnants of the past. The village school was moved about half a mile down the road for use as a home. The Olive Township Historic Society has now purchased the building and uses it for meetings and events. Be sure to check out the Geocache there, GC4EX6X.
Ottawa Station Plat, 1876
The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore
The Chicago & Michigan Lake Shore Railroad was chartered in 1869 and built north from New Buffalo to St. Joseph, opening on February 1st, 1870. The line was extended to Grand Junction in northern Van Buren County on February 28th, 1871, and through Waverly (outside Holland) to Nunica by June 30th, 1871. At Nunica, the line connected with the track that had been built in 1870 from Muskegon to Nunica. The C&MLS was in competition with the Michigan Lake Shore Railroad, already operating a line between Allegan, through Holland to Muskegon by 1870. In 1876 the C&MLS went into receivership and reorganized as the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad. In 1881 the C&WM , along with three other lines, including the Grand Haven Railroad(formerly the Michigan Lake Shore) reorganized as the Chicago & West Michigan Railway. This left the C&WM Ry with two lines between Holland and Muskegon, The C&MLS line was superfluous and Waverly to Fruitport was abandoned by the end of 1881. The abandonment was very secretive, and spawned a few law suits from lumber companies that the line had served. On a Sunday in 1881, a C&MLS locomotive ran from Fruitport to Waverly, picking up tracks and ties. This left many small towns along the line in economical shock, and left them to be abandoned.
Sources:
[ay]
