Coopersville: a farm town, a tourist train, and the home of "Runaway"

Start with the tracks. They cross a town that still meets farm fields at several edges. The city’s current master plan lists 410 acres protected by Michigan’s farmland-preservation law when the plan was adopted. The rail line was first laid in 1858. It helped turn a timber settlement into Coopersville.

That stretch of track nearly disappeared. Central Michigan Railway planned to abandon it in 1989. The Coopersville & Marne Railway Company formed that July to preserve it. Today, the nonprofit Friends group runs passenger trips with volunteers. A typical trip covers six miles to Marne and six miles back, taking about 90 minutes. The line still connects to the national rail system, so it is more than a train parked for display.

The town’s rock-and-roll connection is Charles Westover, better known as Del Shannon. He was raised in Coopersville, and “Runaway” reached number one in 1961. The annual downtown event is now branded the Coopersville Car Show & Summerfest. The Historical Museum is where you will find the town’s Del Shannon display.

The museum is at 363 Main Street in a former electric interurban depot and power station. That line served Coopersville from 1902 to 1928. The museum opened in the building in 1987. Inside, the Del Shannon display shares space with train, household, military, business, and clothing exhibits. In one stop, you can see why trains and “Runaway” keep turning up in the same Coopersville story.