Iron Diamonds Photographs

 
1907 McCOOL CYCLONES
 
cyclones
Before Portage became a bustling city of 38,000 and growing, three communities existed within the current city limits including Crisman, Garyton, and McCool. The McCool Cyclones baseball team represented their small community, however, very little is known about the ball club. This photograph was saved from a current Portage resident who wished to sell this peace of history on ebay. We're not sure what someone would have paid for the photograph on ebay, but to the City of Portage, it's priceless.
 
 PORTAGE RAILROAD HISTORY
 

1

The former Willowcreek Tower was once the heart of railroad operation in Portage Township located at the intersection (or diamond) of the B&O and Michigan Central Railroads. Employees manning the tower were responsible for routing trains by throwing switches, recarding train movements, passing along orders to train crews and general maintenance of the building and trackage. The tower was located near the current diamond of two CSX Railroad lines just south of Woodland Park. Photo from Images of American Portage Township

2

Steam locomotives, such as this one owned by the Michigan Central Railroad, were commonly seen passing through Portage Township. The Michigan Central RR passed through Crisman and Calumet Park...two communiities that existed long before Portage became a town in 1959. Photo from Images of Ameica Portage Township

3

A railcar of the Gary and Valparaiso Interurban Railway passes over a trestle spanning Salt Creek in rural Portage Township. The electrical-powered railroad linked the metropolitan areas of northern Lake County with rural setting of Porter County. The railway operated between Gary and Valparaiso from 1912 to 1938. Photo appeared in The Chronical Newspaper Oct. 26, 2005 issue.

4

An electrical interurban railcar makes a stop at the remote Crisman Depot south of the tiny community. The Gary and Valparaiso Interurban Railway maintained a route from Valpo to areas throughout Lake County with the Portage area being the link between. Three main depots existed in Portage Township; Garyton, Crisman and McCool. Although, according to Portage resident Wilma Buckley, the trolley would stop pretty much anywhere a person needed to get on. Photo appeare in The Chronicle Newspaper Oct. 26, 2005 issue.

5

This railcar of the Gary and Valparaiso Interurban Railway made regular runs between the two cities. In addition to transporting area residents, it also served as a delivery vehicle for newspapers and light cargo. Another feature of the unique railroad was a very ornate funeral car that delivered folks to their final resting places such as Calvary Cemetery in Portage. Photo appeared in a The Chronicle Newspaper Oct. 26, 2005 issue.