Thomas Edison Depot Museum in Port Huron to Get $23K of Exterior Upgrades

The main building of the Thomas Edison Depot Museum in Port Huron is about to get an exterior facelift. The historic Fort Gratiot train depot, where the museum is located, will have new siding installed on the south side of the building and five windows replaced. These upgrades are expected to cost approximately $23,450. 

At its March 24 meeting, the Port Huron City Council unanimously awarded the contract for the work to Union Properties, LLC, a Port Huron-based company.

“The Thomas Edison Depot Museum has siding and window deterioration and failure as a result of age and weathering,” said City Manager James Freed in a memo to council about the project. “Approximately 600 square feet of siding on the south side of the building needs to be replaced, caulked, and painted. There are three windows varying in size and two half-moon windows that need replacing, including trim and caulk.”

According to a report by the online magazine Blue Water Healthy Living, the city experienced difficulty finding bidders for the project. Freed noted that the city made additional attempts to obtain three quotes for the work, ultimately awarding the job to Union Properties.

The museum, at 510 Edison Parkway under the Blue Water Bridge, opened in February 2001 as the second satellite attraction of the Port Huron Museum. It will open for the 2025 season on May 3 and welcome visitors on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the month.

Grand Trunk Railway built the depot building that houses the museum in 1858. According to the museum, Thomas Edison worked out of the depot as a newsboy from 1859 to 1863. The museum also features a restored baggage car with exhibits of Edison's childhood chemistry lab and printing shop.