The Pere Marquette 1223 is a steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

 on permanent display in Grand Haven, Michigan

Grand Haven, Michigan

Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...

. She is one of two surviving Pere Marquette

Pere Marquette

Pere Marquette or Père Marquette may refer to:*Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary and namesake of Marquette University*Father Marquette National Memorial in Straits State Park...

 2-8-4

2-8-4

In the Whyte notation, a 2-8-4 is a railroad steam locomotive that has one unpowered leading axle followed by four powered driving axles and two unpowered trailing axles. This locomotive type is most often referred to as a Berkshire, though the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway used the name Kanawha for...

 (Berkshire) engines. Parts from 1223 were used to restore sister engine 1225

Pere Marquette 1225

Pere Marquette 1225 is a 2-8-4 steam locomotive built for Pere Marquette Railway by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio. 1225 is one of two surviving Pere Marquette 2-8-4 locomotives and the only one operable...

 to operating condition.

Built in 1941 by the Lima Locomotive Works

Lima Locomotive Works

Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line...

 for $90,000 ($1.2 million in 2006 dollars), 1223 hauled freight between Toledo

Toledo, Ohio

Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...

 and Chicago in the years immediately before and after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

When Pere Marquette was absorbed by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway

Chesapeake and Ohio Railway

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...

, 1223 was assigned number 2657 but never had the new number painted on her. The locomotive was not paid off at the time and the merger agreement stated that equipment still under trust remained in Pere Marquette livery.

1223 was retired from service in 1951.

After retirement, 1223 was moved to New Buffalo, Michigan

New Buffalo, Michigan

New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census. This city is within New Buffalo Township, but is politically autonomous.-Geography:...

 to be scrapped. However she was repainted and moved in 1960 for display at the state fairgrounds in Detroit

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

.

In 1980 state fair officials wanted to expand the grandstands but 1223 stood in the way. The city of Grand Haven won the bidding process.

With the help of the Michigan National Guard

Michigan National Guard

The Michigan National Guard consists of the Michigan Army National Guard and the Michigan Air National Guard.-Units:Michigan Army National Guard units include:* Joint Forces Headquarters, Lansing, MI* 177th Military Police Brigade, Taylor, MI...

 as well as Grand Trunk Western and Chessie System

Chessie System

Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway , the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , the Western Maryland Railway , and several smaller carriers. It was incorporated in Virginia on February 26, 1973, and it acquired the C&O on June 15...

 railroads, 1223 was moved to Grand Haven. The 180 mile trip took place on September 1, 1981.

1223 was added to the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

on December 7, 2000.

Trivia

• 1223 never visited Grand Haven while in service due to her weight (400 tons).
• 1223 is displayed next to a previously abandoned Grand Trunk Western Railroad coal tower on an out-of-service industrial rail spur.
• 1223 is missing driving pistons. These were removed before the engine was ever taken to the Fairgrounds.