Then: Michigan Central Railway Station, Queen Street

The Michigan Central Railway Station was a large two-storey building on the southeast corner of Queen Street and Erie Avenue, and crossed the Niagara Gorge, connecting Canada, and the United States.

The station formally opened on January 13th, 1884. The station was located between the tracks going to the new Cantilever Bridge over the Niagara River, and the tracks crossing Erie Avenue at Queen Street. The paths of these old railway lines are still visible in aerial images. The station contained an annex with a restaurant for travellers, and the trainmaster's office was located upstairs. Canadian and U.S. Customs also had offices and a detention cell in the building.

As businesses began to relocate to new areas in the city, business and foot traffic waned. Consequently, Michigan Central Railway station operations were transferred to the Victoria Park Station on Victoria Avenue, and this station was demolished in 1942. The railway tracks were not removed until the early 2000s.

Now: Rosberg Family Park

With the station and tracks removed, this location is no longer a transfer hub for travellers. Therefore, there is a loss in potential visitors that could visit the nearby businesses during their trip.

Replacing the station today is the Rosberg Family Park & Splashpad. The site a popular recreational site during the hot months for Niagara Falls residents, and is accompanied by the Olympic Torch trail for walking and cycling, playground equipment, gardens, and an Inukshuk stone sculpture. During the splash-pad offseason (September-May), the park area brings few visitors due to the lack of nearby amenities.

What was once the site of a beautiful, downtown train station becomes quiet most months.

Niagara Falls Public Library. 2017. Niagara Falls - Then & Now: A Photographic Journey Through The Years. Michigan Central Railway Station, Queen Street/Rosberg Family Park.

The railway station sat in the triangle between the tracks going to the new Cantilever Bridge over the Niagara River, and the tracks crossing Erie Avenue at Queen Street. The paths of these old railway lines are still readily visible in aerial images like the one below.

Niagara Falls Then and Now
A collaborative project
Niagara Falls Museums - Niagara Falls Public Library - Dept. of Geography and Tourism Studies,Brock University.
Original newspaper series by Sherman Zavitz, Official Historian for the City of Niagara Falls from 1994 - 2019.

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