Story and photos by Stewart A. McFerran
The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is working to preserve a Benzie County diamond, located in Thompsonville. This jewel lies on the ground for all to see but is much too large for a thief to steal. The diamond of railroad tracks marks a place known as the Thompsonville Diamond Crossing, where the Pere Marquette and Ann Arbor steel rails crossed.
In the late 19th century, when the two railroad companies crossed tracks, the growth and development of northern lower Michigan took off. People and products moved in a way that facilitated growth. Weldon and Colfax townships became hubs, where freight moved in four directions. All that product crossed on the diamond of track which remains below the Red Thompsonville Junction Caboose, 124 feet south of Thompson Road.
The Benzie Area Historical Society is hosting a dedication of a state historical marker near the site, beginning at 2 p.m., June 19. The spirit in which communities in Northern Michigan came together and crossed at the diamond tracks will be celebrated. A vision for the future of the historic site will emerge as people once again meet at the diamond. This time, they will share their ideas. Public input will help the Thompsonville Junction Revitalization Committee as it works to rejuvenate the historic site.
In case of inclement weather, the event will move to the pavilion at the Thompsonville Village Hall, 14714 Lincoln St. For event updates, visit www.benziemuseum.org or call the Benzie Area Historical Museum at (231) 882-5539.
Read more about Thompsonville and what the former railroads became and could become: https://freshwater-reporter.com/the-thompsonville-trail-connection-2/
