Historic Detroit

Every building in Detroit has a story — we're here to share it

Michigan Central Station - Post Renovation Photos

The Michigan Central Station on the right as seen in March 2023, four months before its alleged grand opening.

Michigan Central Station lit up from both sides on May 6th, 2023

Renovation almost finished - the Michigan Central Station in Jan. 2023

Michigan Central Station during a foggy morning in Jan. 2023

In the final stages of renovation - Michigan Central in January 2023

No other building symbolizes the past, present and future of Detroit more than Michigan Central Station. When this soaring Beaux-Arts building opened in 1913, it was the tallest train station in the world for a time and Detroit was prospering. The station’s opening coincided with the peak of rail travel in America, and with Detroit’s rise as a global leader in industry and innovation.

At its busiest, the station handled 200 trains and 4,000 customers daily. As Detroit’s economy slowed, so did the traffic coming in and out of Michigan Central Station. The final train departed in 1988 and it sat abandoned until Ford became the new owner in 2018.