The CRRR formed in march of 1899 and by december had 41 miles of tracks between its yard in Houghton and its end in Mass City. Later expanding north to Mohawk and adding lines to service the mines in Painesdale, Trimountain, and Baltic.
The depot was also known as the Copper range Union Depot for shared use with Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul and Pacific RR (otherwise known as Milwaukee Road), offering daily passenger service to Chicago.
Looking at the building, the left side was a waiting room, the center the ticket office, the right was baggage room and womens waiting room. The 2nd floor was the CRRR main office and the attic was used for storage.
Across the road was the CR freight depot and dock, and a storage building for CRRR's opulent passenger car the "Ranger". The Houghton County Electric Light Power Co Power House is just to the east. The rockwall east of the house was storage bins for the plant's coal (now partially burried by the bridge approach). (see pictures for more detail)