“If you have a building in a place like Michigan, you have to maintain it.” – Virginia Cram-Martos
Albion’s beloved train depot is getting a much-needed face lift, 40 years after the original restoration.
Train History
Built in 1882 as part of the Michigan Central Railroad, the Italianate style depot provided a transportation hub from Detroit to Marshall, while the railroad provided freight transportation for the numerous factories in the community. Twenty years later Michigan Central became a part of New York Central Railroad and was being served by Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad. These changes expanded travel options spanning from Detroit to Chicago and New York City. 1
Although train transportation was expanding, the depot was abandoned in 1971 and at risk of demolition. That is until the community came together.
Present Day
Mid-1980s Restoration
Seeing the iconic depot that had welcomed generations of visitors leave the community was not an option for Mary Cram. After speaking with her daughter, Virginia Cram-Martos, it was clear how passionate Mrs. Cram was not only about the train depot but the entire Albion community.
Mrs. Cram wanted to preserve Albion’s history and create a better image for the town. Having a deteriorating building, or no building at all did not suite this vision, and thus she joined the “Friends of the Depot”. Between this new organization, the Albion Community Foundation, Albion College, the Greater Albion Area Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations, “they raised approximately $30,000 and solicited in-kind donations of labor, construction materials and more to rehabilitate the depot and outfit it with modern amenities”1.
The Cram Family
After moving many times when he was growing up, studying at the University of Michigan and serving in the military, Dr. Ralph Cram wanted to settle down. That’s when Dr. Cram and his wife, Mary Ellen Cram, found Albion, and fell in love with the city. Dr. Cram practiced medicine in Albion for more than 50 years and Mrs. Cram served the community through non-profits like Friends of the Depot and the Albion District Library Planning Commission.
Albion was a special place for the couple and their children, Virginia, Kathy and Ralph Jr. They builtmany relationships and had a lasting impact on the community. The family wanted to see Albion thrive economically and be a city for all its citizens.
One of the Crams’ daughters, Virginia, went on to study and work in Chicago and then Europe and has lived in different locations across Europe since 1987. Even from a distance, Virginia’s love for Albion continued and she came home regularly to visit. In doing so, the train depot became a special place for her as she traveled between Chicago and Albion. Now, Virginia is continuing her mother’s legacy and giving back to her hometown in a big way.
The Cram Fund
Over time, snow, ice and hot summers without maintenance have taken their toll and in the early 2020s, Albion’s train depot found itself in need of love and care once again, and Virginia saw this need.
In 2021, Dr. Ralph Cram and Virginia Cram-Martos established The Cram Fund at the Albion Community Foundation to maintain and repair the depot in honor of Mary Ellen Cram.
Therefore, thanks to the generosity of the Cram family, the depot is once again getting restored under the guidance of the Albion Community Foundation and the City of Albion.
Exterior renovation of the train station began late in 2024 and includes:
- Repairing the front door and threshold
- Repairing the wood trim at decorative gable on the north elevation
- Replacing the damaged wood soffit
- Replacing the roofing membrane and the damaged wood roof decking canopy at the front entrance
- Repairing exterior wood canopy columns
- Replacing damaged stone and brick around the lower part of the building
- Tuckpointing brick and stone as needed where mortar has deteriorated
- Replacing gutters and downspouts
- Removing an abandoned public pay phone stand
- New exterior pendant light fixtures matching the existing style
- Paint on all trim and soffits
Executive Director of the Albion Community Foundation, Shane Williamson shared that he’s “excited that the Foundation can support revitalizing public spaces in our community, and is happy with the work that has been completed at the depot.” This phase of the renovation should be finished by early spring 2025, but much more work is needed on the interior of the train station, including refurbishing of the waiting room, a new heating system and more.
If you would like to support the efforts of the Cram Fund to complete the renovation and transform the train station into a resource for the community and future generations, donations can be made at https://albionfoundation.org/donate/.
Sources:
- https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/albion-mi-ali/
- Interview with Virginia Cram-Martos