MAF is pleased to announce that nonprofit organization The Friends of the Harrisville Train Depot Inc. and their project, the Historic Harrisville Train Depot in Harrisville, Michigan, is the 2025 recipient of the MAF Evans Graham Historic Preservation Grant.
The grant of $25,000 will provide support in restoring two of the original doors and replicating the third original Train Depot exterior doors. After decades of wear and tear, they remain as an important piece of the depots history. The restoration of these doors is critical to help support and perverse the building from further deterioration. It is important to both The Friends of Harrisville Train Depot Inc. and the community to safeguard the building’s integrity and extend its life for generations to come.
The Train Depot was originally built in 1901 and has remained vacant for decades. As one of the only stone passenger train depots in Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula, the restoration of the depot is important to the community of Harrisville. Designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, the building is constructed of locally sourced limestone.
A Michigan-based historic restoration woodworker will work to restore the two original doors by using components from the third door that is unable to be restored. With creative reuse being a large part of this effort, it’s both innovative and environmentally sustainable. “These doors serve as a gateway that invites the public while honoring the building’s historical significance,” said Devany Donigan Eidemiller, Grant Specialist. Devany currently serves on the grant committee and restoration team at The Friends of the Harrisville Train Depot Inc. and has a background in Urban and Regional Planning and Historic Preservation.
The revived building will become a centerpiece of Harrisville. Through cultural and educational events, celebrations, and workshops, the depot will transform into a gathering place for the community. The doors being completed will be a symbol for Harrisville true resilience.
For more information on the MAF Evans Graham Historic Preservation Grant, click here. 