The Railroad's Story
In 1881, Henry Starke began construction on a narrow gauge railway to carry logs to early Arcadia, Michigan. In 1893, he began construction of a standard gauge railroad that would eventually reach Copemish 21 miles away.
The Railway's
Route
through Manistee County
The narrow gauge railway ran east from Arcadia to a stop called Malcolm, a trip of about 5 miles. The standard gauge railway ran east from Arcadia 6.7 miles to Malcolm, another 10.6 miles to Henry, and then on to Copemish. At Henry and Copemish the A&BRR connected with other railroads.
Key Stops Along the Way
At one point, the A&BRR made eleven stops between Arcadia and Copemish. This exhibit includes what we know about a few of those stops.
Photos and Maps
This section contains larger photos of the railway. Many are blow-ups of the photos shown in other sections. Others are new.