Construction workers in hard hats dismantle a damaged roof of a small white building, with a truck and trailer parked on the grassy lawn in the background.

The Jamestown depot was once part of the interurban line of the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railway and faced an uncertain future after the Hudsonville Michigan church where it sat, was considering tearing it down. Recognizing the historical significance of the structure, Michigan Flywheelers Museum board members contacted the church and asked if they would donate it to the museum. The church agreed, and it was moved to the museum, which is located in South Haven, MIchigan in July of 2026.       Jamestown was organized in southeast Ottawa County about 1849. Located about six miles southwest of Grandville, it became a station stop on the interurban line which used steam locomotives when most interurban lines used electric power. It is the last known sole survivor of the rail line.    The museum plans to restore it back into a usable depot. Once finished, it will be part of the museum’s Black River Railroad - a 15 inch Grand Scale railroad that the museum has been building on its property with plans to run the historic Hanson Express steam locomotive, built and used by the House of David at its amusement park in Benton Harbor during the mid-1900s.  The restoration project will start with the construction of a new roof and a cement floor which is estimated to cost $17,500. Once those are completed, members will begin restoring the interior.

Michigan Flywheelers Museum

Giving Tuesday - Jamestown Depot Renovation

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