Volume 34, number 3!
Rapids Historical Society
November/December 2012
Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society
Inside this issue: Cover Story: November program: The Walls of Marywood Tell the Story Letter from our President, page 2 New Members, Photo Sleuth, page 3 Digital Collections, page 4 Happening in History, page 5 State History Awards, pages 6-7
The Walls of Marywood Tell the Story November 8, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Dominican Center at Marywood 2025 Fulton Street East Presented by Dominican Sisters “Have you ever wondered about that imposing building on a hill on the northwest corner of Fulton and Lakeside Drive? Now is your chance to find the answer to your questions and visit the lovely structure built in the early 1920s in the style known as Italianate. Learn about its earliest purpose, its transformation from academy and convent to residence and spirituality/conference center. Hear about the plans for its future as changes unfold in the lives of the Sisters of Marywood.
You will see a brief power point, hear a bit of the history and have a tour of some parts of this building including the new Legacy Room and renovated archives that were recently completed. You may have heard the saying: “if these walls could talk!” Now is your chance to read and listen as the walls of Marywood tell the story of nearly 90 years of existence.
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Next Program: Are We There Yet? One Hundred Years of Kent County Road Construction, by Tom Byle, Kent County Road Commission. Save the date: Thursday, January 10, 2012, 7 p.m., at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Dear GRHS Members,
The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society, published six times annually. Established in 1894, the Grand Rapids Historical Society is dedicated to exploring the history of West Michigan; to discover its romance and tragedy, its heroes and scoundrels, its leaders and its ordinary citizens. The Society collects and preserves our heritage, passing it on to new generations through books, lectures, and education projects.
Executive Committee: Gina Bivins, president Open, vice-president John Gelderloos, treasurer Board members: Alan Bennett Charles Bocskey Matthew Daley Thomas Dilley W.D. Frankforter, emeritus Tim Gleisner Marilyn Hamill Sharon Hanks Chris Kaupa Gordon Olson, emeritus Nan Schichtel Wilhelm Seeger Jeff Sytsma John Morrison, editor
Grand Rapids Historical Society c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Web site: www.grhistory.org Email: grhs.local@gmail.com
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I was born on the Westside of Grand Rapids, but as a small child moved to the east end. (Westside is always capitalized in my world.) I was raised Roman Catholic and attended Blessed Sacrament School. Upon graduation in 8th grade there was the choice of Catholic Central or Creston for co-ed. All-girls schools were Mount Mercy Academy on the Westside and Marywood Academy on the east side. Every year or two a boy would go to St. Joseph’s Seminary over on Burton SE. Three of my four brothers went there, with two of them staying until graduation. It was, in reality, the all-boys school in Grand Rapids for Catholic boys. Our November program takes us off site to the imposing structure of one of those facilities, Marywood Academy. It is Gina Bivins at the corner on Fulton and Lakeside. Two of my grade school GRHS President classmates went there, as I recall. It was really something, so classy. It was as if they “went away to school”. The reality was that Catholic Central, where I went, was farther away than Marywood. I look forward to learning about the history of the Academy, the convent, and about the great things happening there today. The Dominicans, who are the order of nuns at Marywood, were also at Blessed Sacrament. Last month I had a teaser about a nightmare I had for years as a child, having to do with Marywood. I am choosing not to share it, lest it comes back to haunt my dreams again. Some things are best left unwritten. A small, but interested audience attended the October program about early Chinese and Japanese in Grand Rapids given by Diana Barrett. If you were unable to attend and are interested in this topic I recommend you go to the Historical Commissions web site at http://www.historygrandrapids.org, type in Chinese or Japanese in the search bar at the top. You will find a number of interesting articles about this topic.
About the Grand Rapids Historical Society. The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight programs each year, beginning in September and running through May, including lectures, audio/video presentations, demonstrations, collections, or special tours. Programs are co-sponsored by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Membership. Membership is open to all interested persons with annual dues of $30 per family, $20 for seniors and students, or $400 for a lifetime membership. The membership year runs from May to the following May. Members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society receive eight newsletters each year and a subscription to our annual magazine, Grand River Valley History. Members also receive a 20 percent discount on books published by the society as well as books published by the Grand Rapids Historical Commission. Change of Address. If you will be permanently or temporarily moving to a new address, please notify GRHS before your change occurs. Let us know your new address and the date you plan to leave and plan to return. Email to grhs.local@gmail.com, or mail to Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
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Award Winning Magazine Grand Rapids Historical Society’s Grand River Valley History magazine won the State History Award for Outstanding Historical Newsletter from the Historical Society of Michigan. See the story about this and several other west Michigan awards on page 6.
Welcome to new members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society Gregg Andrews Marlene Cook Ann Ellis Pearl Fohlbrook Gary Gagliardo Michael Ghareeb Diane Hoff Phyllis Horowitz Ben Huisman Nicholas & Gerilyn Jarvis Roberta Jones Linda Kooistra Marney MacAdam Don McWatters Richard Morrow Ruth Prusinski Christopher Reader Harry Rinker Susan Taylor Victoria Van Dalsen Sue Vos Margaret Wheeler Nate Willink
Grand Rapids Public Library Photo Sleuth This photo comes from Father Dennis Morrow Buildings Photo Collection (#273). Morrow is the priest at St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Churches on the west side of Grand Rapids. Father Morrow is well known for his fondness for Grand Rapids History. The photo shows several men at the laying of the cornerstone of Engine House No. 14 at 2253 Plainfield Ave NE, in 1951. Can you help us identify any of the men. If so, please email your information to kgillman@grpl.org, or call 616 988-5402, extension 5497. Each month the local history department of the Grand Rapids Public Library posts a different photo on a web page called Photo Sleuth to enlist the public’s help in identifying individuals in the photos. To find the photo on GRPL’s website, go to www.grpl.org/history and click on “Archives and Photos.” Grand River Times!
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Tec h n ology U pdat e: D igit al Collec t ion s Most of us are aware of the vast changes in the way we create, save and share photographs since the digital photography revolution still less than two decades old. But you may not yet realize the implications of the new technology for historical collections. Until quite recently the vast majority of items maintained by libraries and archives could only be accessed through a visit to the
Commission also combines images and text into photo essays on a wide variety of topics. Check them out at www.historygrandrapids.org The Grand Rapids Public Museum is showcasing selected items from its holdings online, including photos, quilts and cameras. Go to grmuseum.org and click on "Collections". You will also find a new feature there with stories about aspects of the museum's collection. Local colleges and universities are also joining the digitization trend. Grand Valley State University has posted photographs, yearbooks, unique items from its special collections and oral histories. Go to gvsu.edu/library and click on "find" and then "digital collections" Calvin College has a wide variety of digitized items online, including old photos of Calvin. They can be found at library.calvin.edu/guide/collections/hdl (for Hekman Digital Library) Aquinas College, which recently celebrated its 125th anniversary, has numerous photos and oral histories on its website at aquinas.edu/heritage Davenport University's twelve yearbooks (1961-1972) can be viewed and searched at libguides.davenport.edu/ archives
Above: a screen shot of the Digital Collections page on Grand Valley State University’s website. There are 21 collections on this page. Below: a screen shot of the collections page on the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s website.
repositories where they were held. Today activity centered around scanning historical images and documents and posting them online is exploding. So is digitizing motion pictures as well as photographing museum artifacts and sharing them on the internet. Several local institutions have launched efforts to make materials available on their websites. The Grand Rapids Public Library's local history department has over one million photographs of local people, places and events. Now hundreds of them can be viewed from the library's website. Go to their home page (www.grpl.org) and click on "Archival Digital Collection". You can browse images, search by name or keyword, and/or order images delivered in a variety of formats. The Grand Rapids Historical Commission's collection is strictly digital. They share images from other public repositories, like the Grand Rapids Public Library as well as from the private collections of local individuals. The 4
Keep checking for new additions to the rapidly growing online presence of historical photos, documents, artifacts, audio and video recordings. The variety of offerings is impressive and more is appearing every day. Let the historical society know of other digital collections not mentioned here. Email information to grhs.local@gmail.com.
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Happening in History: November 2012 If you have history-related events you would like included in our calendar, please let us know at grhs.local@gmail.com. Reading the Great Lakes Thursday, November 1, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Come explore the Lakes with us! We'll read a range of titles including mystery, history, fiction, and nonfiction all taking place in the Great Lakes region--from Chicago to Cleveland. This book club will be lead by our smart librarians and will take place the first Thursday of every month. Additional copies of the book are available to be checked out on Level 4 of the Main Library. November's selection is Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell. Organizing Genealogical Documents Monday, November 12, 2012, 6:45 p.m. Main Library - 111 Library St NE Ever wonder how to manage all the documents, pictures, and electronic files you have collected as part of your research? Bill Grinstead will lead the exploration of the value of numerical filing and various ways to create an index to make accessing those files a snap. Basic computer skills are required for this class. Vander Veen Room on the fourth floor of the library. Pre-registration is not required. The Search for Westmoreland, Lake Michigan's Treasure Shipwreck Thursday, November 15, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE On December 7, 1854, the Propeller Westmoreland foundered in deep water near Sleeping Bear Dunes, killing 17 of her crew and passengers. Soon after the steamer's sinking, rumors began circulating of $10,000 in gold coins in her safe and 280 barrels of whiskey in her hold. For the next 150 years the Westmoreland was one of
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the most sought after shipwrecks in all of the Great Lakes. Author and shipwreck hunter Ross Richardson will explore the legend, history and discovery of the Lake Michigan treasure shipwreck. Free and open to the public. Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table: The Southern Legacy from the War Between the States Wednesday, November 22, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Kuyper College, Dewitt Student Center, 3333 East Beltline NE David Finney returns with a presentation that includes vignettes about literature, art, poetry, music, political and military leaders, museums, and monuments. Mary Chase Perry Stratton: Journey of a Pioneering Spirit Exhibit Through January 4, 2013 Main Library -111 Library St NE Founded in 1903, Pewabic Pottery has an 110-year legacy through its nationally renowned vessels, tiles and architectural ornamentation. This exhibit tells the story of Mary Chase Perry Stratton, Pewabic Pottery's founder, her unique vision and her role in the history of Detroit. It also explores the growth of the Arts & Crafts movement in America and the development of ceramic art. This exhibit is organized by Pewabic Pottery and is made possible through a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council. Free and open to the public. Save the Date: History Detectives is back at the Grand Rapids Public Library on Saturday, January 19, 2013!
Let the Grand Rapids Historical Society know about events in the community related to history. Email details to grhs.local@gmail.com
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Historical Society of Michigan Presents 2012 State History Awards The Historical Society of Michigan presented its 2012 State History Awards at the 138th Annual Meeting and State History Conference held September 28-30 in Monroe. The State History Awards are the highest recognition presented by the state’s official historical society. Several Grand Rapids area organizations and people won, including Christine Byron and Tom Wilson, Temple Emanuel Archives, and the Grand Rapids Historical Society. The Institutions award went to the Temple Emanuel Archives. Founded in 1857, the Congregation Emanuel— the oldest Jewish congregation in Grand Rapids—has had a long interest in preserving its history. In 1954, June
Sharon Carlson (right) presented the Institutions award to the Peg and Mort Finkelstein Archives at Temple Emanuel for their role in preserving history. Photo courtesy of Historical Society of Michigan.
Horowitz and Lena Warsaw wrote a centennial history of the temple and later organized boxes of minutes, photos, clippings, and other ephemera that the organization had accumulated over the years. The Peg and Mort Finkelstein Archives grew out of these early efforts. They shared the vision and provided generous financial support to preserve these materials. The Mort Finkelstein Family Archival Fund was established in 2002 and lists over 35 categories of materials to be collected and preserved. The support has generated substantial interest and volunteers have placed documents in protective sleeves. Nearly 5,000 documents have been scanned. Volunteers have sought out training
and, in turn, have helped other religious archives in the area. This impressive collection and its associated activities provide a valuable historical resource for the entire community. Four books were recognized with State History Awards in the Publications: University and Commercial Press category. Among those works was “Vintage Views Along the West Michigan Pike: From Sand Trails to US-31,” written by M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson and published by Arbutus Press. This book captures an often-overlooked aspect of Michigan history:
Christine Byron (left) and Thomas R. Wilson are presented the State History Awards in the Publications: University and Commercial Press category for their book, Vintage Views Along the West Michigan Pike: From Sand Trails to US-31, published by Arbutus Press. Sharon Carlson (right) presented the award. Photo courtesy of Historical Society of Michigan.
the efforts to build a road along the west coast of Michigan and the resulting development of automobile tourism. This volume opens with the first guidebook in 1913 to promote the roadway, and allows readers to travel back in time and experience the gas stations, tourist cabins, restaurants, and other roadside attractions. In the category of Communications: Newsletters, the Society presented a State History Award to the Grand Rapids Historical Society for Grand River Valley History, a magazine that focuses on Grand Rapids and the other communities along the Grand River in Kent and Ottawa counties. Since launching in 1980 under the direction of its first editor, Gordon Olson, the magazine continued on page 7
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Continued from page 6
has gained a wide readership and is now sold at several local bookstores. Not only are its articles based on original research aimed to appeal to the broadest possible audience, its wealth of illustrations include many rarely seen images from the vast collections of the region’s libraries, archives, and museums.
Matthew Daley (right) is the current editor of Grand River Valley History and accepted the State History Award on behalf of the Grand Rapids Historical Society. The magazine focuses on Grand Rapids and the other communities along the Grand River in Kent and Ottawa counties. Kendall Wingrove (left) presented the award. Photo courtesy of Historical Society of Michigan.
Join the Grand Rapids Historical Society or Give a Membership as a Gift The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight lectures each year, which are co-sponsored by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Members of the society enjoy these benefits: The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society. Published and mailed to members eight times a year, it includes current items of historical interest, details of upcoming lectures, historically relevant activities, and short articles. The Grand River Valley History is the society’s annual magazine. Featured are illustrated articles by local history researchers and contributions from the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the City Archivist, the Grand Rapids Public Library, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. 20% Discount on all books and other items published by the society. Special Joint Membership Discount offered by the Historical Society of Michigan to Grand Rapids Historical Society members. Please enroll me as a member of the Grand Rapids Historical Society: ____ New ____ Renewal ____ Gift ____ Individual/Family Membership:
$30.00 per year
____ Senior Citizen or Student: $20.00 per year ____ Lifetime: $400.00 one-time fee Name: Address: City/State/Zip Email: Please make check payable to the Grand Rapids Historical Society and mail it with this form to: Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids MI 49503
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Grand Rapids Historical Society, Inc.
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Grand Rapids, MI Permit No. 234
c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Walls of Marywood Tell the Story November 8, 2012, 7:00 p.m. Dominican Center at Marywood
Inside this issue: Cover Story: November program Letter from our President, page 2
2025 Fulton Street East
New Members, Photo Sleuth page 3
Presented by Dominican Sisters Details inside!
Digital Collections page 4 Happening in History page 5 State History Awards pages 6-7
For more information on Historical Society programs, visit www.grhistory.org
