West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake Michigan shoreline, but there is no official definition.
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally chartered in 1832 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States and the province of Ontario in Canada. After about 1867 the railroad was controlled by the New York Central Railroad, which later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. After the 1998 Conrail breakup, Norfolk Southern Railway now owns much of the former Michigan Central trackage.
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad at its height provided passenger and freight railroad services between Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan, USA. The company was formed on January 18, 1854.
US Highway 131 (US 131) is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.64 of its 269.96 miles are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road. As the road crosses into Michigan it becomes a state trunkline highway that connects to the metropolitan areas of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids before continuing north to its terminus at Petoskey. US 131 runs as a freeway from south of Portage through to Manton in the north. Part of this freeway runs concurrently with Interstate 296 (I-296) as an unsigned designation through Grand Rapids. US 131 forms an important corridor along the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, running through rural farm and forest lands as well as urban cityscapes. Various names have been applied to the roadway over the years. The oldest, the Mackinaw Trail, originated from an Indian trail in the area while other names honored politicians. An attempt to dedicate the highway to poet James Whitcomb Riley failed to gain official support in Michigan.
Fountain Square is one of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. Located just outside the city's downtown district, Fountain Square is home to three designated national historic districts, the Laurel and Prospect, the State and Prospect, and the Virginia Avenue districts, all of which were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The neighborhood derives its name from the successive fountains that have been prominently featured at the intersection of Virginia Avenue, East Prospect Street, and Shelby Street.
The Marshall Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District that encompasses a significant portion of the central residential and commercial area of Marshall, Michigan. The district is nationally significant for the remarkably unified and well-preserved street plan, architecture, and public infrastructure, one of the largest such concentrations in the nation. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991.
The Whitney Tavern Stand served as an inn and local gathering place in Cascade Township, Michigan for fifty years after its construction in the 1852-53 period. In its first few years it served as a stop for stagecoaches on the lines that, connecting Battle Creek, Hastings, and Kalamazoo with Grand Rapids, passed through Whitneyville. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Broadway Avenue Historic District is a historic district located on a single city block along Broadway Avenue between Gratiot and East Grand River in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The Broadway Avenue Historic District joins the Randolph Street Commercial Buildings Historic District, a rare surviving commercial area which dates from the 1840s.
The Grand Elk Railroad is a Class III railroad which operates in the states of Indiana and Michigan. It is one of 40+ short-line railroads owned by Watco.
The Cottage Home Historic District is a historic district and neighborhood located on the near east side of Indianapolis, Indiana. A small portion of Cottage Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places while a larger area is listed on the state and local levels. Known for its preponderance of "cottage-style" homes built with strong Victorian influences, Cottage Home has historically been a working class neighborhood. Numerous industrial buildings are also scattered throughout the district, providing a base of economic activity. Today, however, many of these buildings are vacant, providing a special challenge to preservation and urban renewal efforts.
Heartside is a neighborhood located near downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Heartside district is a developing area in the city known for its art. It has restaurants, a park with a playground and splash-pad, and a recently opened farmer's market. However, it also has experienced much urban decay, features numerous abandoned buildings, and contains a large presence of homelessness.
The Petoskey Downtown Historic District is a commercial historic district, roughly bounded by Rose, Division, Michigan, and Petoskey streets in Petoskey, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The Blissfield Downtown Historic District is a historic district located in the village of Blissfield, Michigan, and roughly bounded by Pearl Street on the west, Giles Avenue on the east, Jefferson Street on the south, and Adrian Street and the Blissfield railroad line on the north. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Charlotte station is a former railroad depot located at 430 North Cochran Avenue in Charlotte, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000 as Michigan Central Railroad Charlotte Depot. It has been refurbished as a restaurant, and now houses Don Tequilla's Mexican Grill.
The Lansing Downtown Historic District is a primarily commercial and office historic district located in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The district stretches along the east side of Capitol Avenue from Ionia Street to Lenawee Street, and along both sides of Grand Avenue between Michigan and Washtenaw, with additional structures along Kalamazoo Street between Walnut and Grand and along Lenawee Street between Washington and Walnut. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
The Desenberg Building is a commercial building located at 251 East Michigan Avenue in Kalamazoo, Michigan, within the Haymarket Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Henderson Park-West Main Hill Historic District is a primarily residential historic district roughly bounded by West Main, Thompson, Academy, Monroe, West Lovell and Valley Streets and Prairie Avenue in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
The Charlotte Central Historic District is a mixed commercial, residential, and historic district located in the downtown section of Charlotte, Michigan. The district stretches along Cochran Avenue from West McClure Street to south of Henry Street, containing portions of the streets adjacent to Cochran. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
The Wayland Downtown Historic District is primarily commercial historic district located on Main and Superior Streets, between Maple and Pine Streets and between Church and Forest Streets in Wayland, Michigan. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
The Vicksburg Historic District is mixed commercial and residential historic district located primarily along Main Street, Michigan Avenue, and Kalamazoo Avenue, and adjacent portions of Prairie, Washington, Maple, South, and Park Streets in Vicksburg, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.
