The next MARP membership meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2015, at Crossroads Village near Flint. Don Wescott, MARP’s meetings coordinator, has been busy planning a variety of interesting activities following the 10 a.m. business meeting. Members are urged to bring their families and friends and plan to spend the day.

We will gather promptly at 10 a.m. at the Flint Township Meeting Hall in the Crossroads Village (directions below) for a brief business meeting. Following adjournment, we will shift our attention to the many interesting things to do and see at the Crossroads Village.

Folks may wish to have lunch at either the Café on Main Street or the Lakeside Grill located near the Carousel beside Mott Lake. There will be time for a stroll around the Village before the 2 p.m. “All Aboard” signal for a ride on the Huckleberry Railroad. Led by a Baldwin steam locomotive, the train makes an 8-mile loop through the 4500 acre Genesee Recreation Area.

 Crossroads Village was developed as a Bicentennial project. Most of the buildings were rescued from demolition from areas mostly in Genesee County and were moved onto farm land adjacent to the old Pere Marquette line that ran up into the Thumb. The original tracks were converted from standard gauge to 3 ft. narrow gauge to accommodate the vintage equipment that came mainly from Colorado. The engines are coal-fired steam engines and cars are maintained and all restoration of the equipment is done on site.

An added bonus of our visit will be a tour – led by MARP member Dan Mitchell and his colleague Bill Simmons – of the Restoration and Engine House where the rail equipment is maintained.

For information about the Village and its attractions, visit the website geneseecountyparks.org/pages/crossroads. The website includes a link to local accommodations should you wish to make a weekend of it. Don has negotiated a $5.00 entrance fee (a significant discount) for MARP members and their guests. This includes the train ride.

The address for Crossroads Village is 6140 Bray Rd, Flint MI 48505. Park in the parking lot. Enter the Village grounds and turn left on Railroad Street. You will find The Flint Township Meeting Hall at the end of the street. The Flint Township Meeting Hall is #28 on the Village Map.

Don would appreciate knowing how many plan to attend in order to set up enough chairs in the meeting hall and to seat us together in the railcar. Please send an email to marprail@yahoo.com