05/27/2026
Norma Ward didn’t just believe in saving Durand Union Station. She was instrumental in making it happen.
At a time when the depot’s future was uncertain and the threat of demolition was very real, Norma stepped forward with fierce determination. She simply wouldn’t accept losing the depot. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes and out in the community - organizing, fundraising, writing letters, attending meetings, and pushing for answers when no one else could get them.
She corresponded directly with state officials, reached out to Congress and the Michigan House of Representatives for funding, and worked closely with organizations like MARP, all to ensure the depot would continue to serve a purpose. Thanks in part to her persistence, Durand didn’t end up with just a small Amtrak shelter. Instead, Durand kept its depot, and its history.
In those early days of restoration, when even basic lighting was missing, Norma and others would come down twice a day, using their car headlights to illuminate the platform for passengers arriving on the Amtrak train. That’s the kind of dedication she had - not just in words, but in action.
Norma Ward didn’t just help preserve a building. She protected a piece of Durand’s identity. Her passion, grit, collaboration with others, and refusal to give up are some of the reasons our historic depot still stands today.
** The photo on the right shows Norma Ward inside Durand Union Station in front of the Ticket Cage in 1982, in the Flint Journal. Full citation for image is in the comments.
