Tourism and the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Michigan’s railroads played a major role in promoting tourism, particularly the five lines that ran north through the Lower Peninsula. Among them was the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad (GR&I), which carried passengers from Grand Rapids and other Midwestern cities to the growing resort communities of northwest Michigan.

Known as “The Fishing Line,” the GR&I promoted tourist travel through colorful brochures and booklets advertising fishing, hunting, canoeing, golf, theater, church camps, boat excursions, and accommodations ranging from small lodges to grand resorts. To serve the popular resort communities of Petoskey, Bay View, and Harbor Springs, the railroad also operated suburban “dummy” trains, offering what may have been some of the most remarkable steam-powered passenger service in Michigan's history.

Join historian Mark Worrall for a trip aboard “The Fishing Line” and discover how railroads helped shape tourism in northern Michigan during the golden age of rail travel!

This virtual History Talk takes place via Zoom at 7 p.m. Registration is required, and tickets are $15. Use the dropdown menu below to register or call 231-526-9771.