Walking Tour – #11 The Depot

 #11 The Depot

After picking your way down from Mount Epworth, turn left on the main road and head towards the basketball court. There you will find Marker #11 and another historic building.

Most of the early Epworth residents traveled to Ludington by train and then had to arrange to continue to the grounds via horse and carriage. In 1896, a two-mile railroad spur was constructed and a coal-driven steam engine was put in service to meet this transportation need. The Epworth League Station was built in 1901 and served the Dummy Train passengers until the increased use of cars caused the line to cease operations in 1919.  

The station building became the Epworth Grocery until the late 1930s, with enterprising Epworth boys offering delivery service. After the Pavilion fire, the coffee shop was housed there briefly. Then, during the post-WWII housing shortage, the permanent watchman and his family moved in.  During the 1960s, it became the Epworth Administrative Office. When the office moved out in 1970, the building reverted to the name that described its original purpose: The Depot. Since that time, it has hosted countless activities for the young people at Epworth, from Sunday School to sleepovers, movies in the evening to a meeting place for the Boys and Girls Club, SubTeens and Teens. You could safely say that The Depot gives a whole new meaning to the term “multi-purpose!”