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[BigRedDog]

Is it a wall left over from a train platform for an old station or stop?

Here is a list of stations in the county - see if it is near or could be one of them.

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Stations/CountyStations/MonroeStations/MonroeCountyMenu.htm

Here's an article from the Toledo Blade back in 1964 discussing the rail history in Monroe County.  It mentions the county once had 33 train stations...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19641230&id=ZghPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3780,8631100

I went back out there and took some time to walk around and take pictures and videos on Friday...   I do believe now it is simply a wall that was filled with dirt behind it to be used for a very simple train platform.  I have found some more info (and as often happens, some of it is in conflict with other info I already had) and am trying to sort it all out.

At this time I think it's possible that this is the station or stop referred to as "Cousino".  I've never seen that reference on a plat map or a train map however it is obviously right on "Cousino" road.  Also, the property surrounding this location was then and still is owned by various members of the Cousino family. 

And here is another article from The Blade in 1964 talking about a train derailment at that location.  Interesting that the train was carrying, "sand, coal, and watermelons"

And one of people they interviewed was a neighbor named "Cousino"

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19640624&id=jQswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VAEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5291,1718263

[BigRedDog]

Absolutely!  Skitt loves all these history lessons.

These pics are classic! I love the long dresses and hats at the beach! Too cute. Lol

Here's another picture I found in the Toledo Library collection.

This is a slightly different view of the cars and the station at Toledo Beach...   I wonder if these were all taken at the same time.  There were just not a lot of people with cameras running around back then

[Tiny]

I can't figure out why they would tear down a station and leave a cement wall. 

Here's a couple of pics I took last saturday when I found it.




I'll be darned if we can find that nest of yours. We've been up and down the coast from Ohio to Wayne county. We found every other nest in the county though. One has a pair of Ospreys building a nest, and another looks like an old eagle nest with a Goose sitting in it, God knows why. They nest on the ground.

[BigRedDog]

I can't be 100% sure Tiny, but I think the nest with the goose in it may be the right place.

[Skittelroo]

I have NEVER seen a goose in a nest built high in the trees!!   

Great pictures, Tiny (of the wall and the nests). 

[Tiny]

I can't be 100% sure Tiny, but I think the nest with the goose in it may be the right place.

How old are your pics of the nest? There haven't been trees right behind the nest for many years. Your pic shows a lot of trees behind the nest. This tree is on Port Sunlight Rd going into Estral Beach. It was my first guess but didn't match your picture. You are too sneaky.

[DogLover]

Thanks BRD for the additional information you added to the
Monroe County search/history lesson.   Lots of good information
that I printed and added to my file.
There is a nice book of some of the history of Bedford Township
posted with the MEN's Bedford News site. 
OK...Professor H... I believe your building is hiding now (you
sneaky one ) but, and if  I'm correct, and have the right building..(and
for those still looking), you might look around the Monroe Farmers Market?
Thanks again all for the wonderful history lessons of our area     

[BigRedDog]

Thanks BRD for the additional information you added to the
Monroe County search/history lesson.   Lots of good information
that I printed and added to my file.
There is a nice book of some of the history of Bedford Township
posted with the MEN's Bedford News site. 
OK...Professor H... I believe your building is hiding now (you
sneaky one ) but, and if  I'm correct, and have the right building..(and
for those still looking), you might look around the Monroe Farmers Market?
Thanks again all for the wonderful history lessons of our area 

I've got some more info I found in the last few days and I'm trying to sort it out and make it make sense with some info I've had for a long time. 

Plus, if we're actually going to get a history section I hate to leave too much of it in here...   would rather it all went into the right area to start with (for the sake of posterity)

[BigRedDog]

How old are your pics of the nest? There haven't been trees right behind the nest for many years. Your pic shows a lot of trees behind the nest. This tree is on Port Sunlight Rd going into Estral Beach. It was my first guess but didn't match your picture. You are too sneaky.

You found it alright...   

all I had with me that day was my video camera and it does have an extraordinary zoom lens on it so it probably does throw things out of perspective.  I was standing literally on top of the dike when I took the photo and the nest is a couple of hundred feet away I'd guess...   Sorry about that...  it wasn't intentional....   and think of all the nice scenery and wildlife you got to see while you kept driving

Here's an aerial for members not familiar with that area.

I was standing at about B and the nest is in the tree at A:

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=41.99029,-83.24273&z=19&t=H&marker0=41.98988%2C-83.24266%2C5.7%20km%20NxNE%20of%20Stony%20Point%20MI&marker1=41.99063%2C-83.24304%2Cunnamed

Here's a Google StreetView link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=estral+beach+mi&hl=en&ll=41.989194,-83.242925&spn=0.001629,0.003484&safe=off&hnear=Estral+Beach,+Monroe,+Michigan&gl=us&sqi=2&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=41.989194,-83.242925&panoid=43lhDFeGYkWIc6jLQFI0Vg&cbp=12,11.96,,1,-3.11

[Skittelroo]

Thanks BRD, and thank you to all who have added more info and pics.   I think I know where our little road trip will be next weekend!

[BigRedDog]

I can't figure out why they would tear down a station and leave a cement wall. 

Here's a couple of pics I took last saturday when I found it.

I'm about decided there most likely never was any kind of a real building there Tiny.  Just the dock, and all it was was dirt.  I don't think there was really a village or any kind of a regular "stop" here but rather just a place where the local farmers (mostly named Cousino) could receive and ship out products. 

If it was ever used for any kind of a station for people (I'm reviewing some info) then it was probably not much more than a shed.  Certainly not anything as elaborate as the shelter at Toledo Beach.

Thanks for adding your pictures.  I had taken a couple more pictures when I was there but your's are just about what I took too. 

[BigRedDog]

Thanks BRD, and thank you to all who have added more info and pics.   I think I know where our little road trip will be next weekend!

If you make the trip to Estral Beach then make sure you go all the way to the end of Lakeshore...   you're almost on the backside of the Fermi plant.  Lots of wildlife.  Can't remember if I posted the YouTube I did of the swans out there or not

[Skittelroo]

If you make the trip to Estral Beach then make sure you go all the way to the end of Lakeshore...   you're almost on the backside of the Fermi plant.  Lots of wildlife.  Can't remember if I posted the YouTube I did of the swans out there or not

Will do!  Thanks again

[DogLover]

Thought I posted this earlier, but, maybe  I forgot to hit send button.. that's what happens when you get old..lol..
  I finally got hold of my brother in law who grew up on Kelly Rd. He said that as far as he knew that was just a wall. He said there was a small office building at the end of the lane where Cousino Rd/Kelly come together and that the railroad had a dirt/rock road about 8 foot wide along the tracks there. Farmers would bring  trucks with produce for the Detroit/Toledo markets, check it in at the office and drive down the lane to unload their trucks directly on  the train.  He told me that when the train no longer used the area as a loading station, his Dad was given the building.  It is now still used as a utility shed at his old house on Kelly Road.
   

[Tiny]

BRD your picture looks like the dead tree is in the middle of a jungle, and that tree is actually all by itself out there. I can't figure out how you managed to do that. I noticed on the google maps the nest is not in the tree, their picture is from 2008.





If you go North of that nest about 2000 yards you can see where someone put a telephone pole up with a nesting box on top and Saturday two Ospreys where building a nest in it. One was carrying a 2 foot long inch and a half diameter branch up to the box. It's right at the end of Masserant Rd.