The Chicago & West Michigan Railway Company (C&WM) was created in October 1881, by combining the prior Chicago & West Michigan Railroad, the Grand Rapids, Newaygo & Lake Shore Railroad and the Indiana and Michigan Railroad. The latter company, which planned to build a line from New Buffalo, MI to LaCrosse, IN, was organized just before the C&WM consolidation.

The White River Railroad was organized in 1879 to provide access to the region between the C&WM’s northern terminal at White Cloud and Baldwin, MI. At Baldwin, the White River Railroad was to meet the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad. By 1883 the route was completed and the C&WM, which held the White River Railroad stock, formally took over the line.

In 1890 the C&WM completed a line north from Baldwin to Traverse City and in 1894 from Traverse City to Petoskey, where it connected with the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad. The Traverse City to Petoskey route was built as the “Chicago and North Michigan Railroad.” In 1899, the C&WM, just prior to its inclusion into the newly organized Pere Marquette Railroad, formally absorbed the Chicago North Michigan Railroad

At its apex, the C&WM main line ran from LaCrosse, IN to Bay View, MI via New Buffalo, Benton Harbor, Holland, Grand Rapids, Baldwin, Traverse City, and Petoskey. Major branches included lines to Pentwater via Muskegon; Muskegon to Big Rapids; Holland to Allegan and Williamsburg to Elk Rapids.