Electric interurban railway remnants have proven to be one of my favorite topics to post on in Local Remnants. Interurban railways changed transportation tremendously in the days when horse and buggy was still widely used. But the Great Depression, automobiles and other factors caused the railways to pretty much die out. Shown in the photo is a remnant of the right of way for the Benton Harbor-St. Joe Railway & Light Co. in Michigan. Note the cut for the old right of way, which obviously followed the route of the power poles now there. I took the photo from Pokagon Street not far from Dowagiac, Michigan. The interurban railway connected Dowagiac with Benton Harbor. It was especially used by those wanting to visit Lake Michigan and take advantage of all the festivities and recreation available there. This part of the railway paralleled Dowagiac Creek, at least for a good stretch. The portion going into Dowagiac was a branch of the main line for a while. Dowagiac also had an interurban station. This railway stopped providing passenger service in 1935.
