Gaines, MI

Gaines grew from a railroad stop in Genesee County. The first passenger train passed through on July 4, 1856, the post office opened as Gaines Station that same year, and Henry Walker platted the village in 1859. Gaines incorporated in 1875, and the brick Grand Trunk Western depot followed in the 1880s. The village sits inside Gaines Township near the border with Argentine Township, with the old rail corridor still giving the settlement its shape. Village Hall is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Passenger service ended in 1957, but the depot found a second life after Gaines residents formed Save Our Station in 1992. Repairs in 1997 led to the building's use as a branch of the Genesee District Library. The Depot Library now sits at Genesee Avenue and Walker Street, with regular Wednesday and Saturday hours and a 24-hour Wi-Fi hotspot. Peace Park occupies the same intersection, so Gaines' historic station, library, and park meet at one recognizable corner.