Volume 35, number 3!
Rapids Historical Society
November 2013
Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society
Inside this issue: Cover Story: November program: Beer Brewing in Grand Rapids Letter from our President, page 2 History Detectives Wins State Award, page 3 The Yellow Kid, page 4 When Old is Not So Cool, page 5 Happening in History, page 6 Photo Sleuth, page 7
Search: Grand Rapids Historical Society
Next Program: The Legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Michigan, by Rob Burg, site manager for the Michigan Historical Museum. Save the date: Thursday, January 9, 2014, 7:00 p.m., at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
Beer Brewing in Grand Rapids Thursday, November 14, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Presented by William W. Seeger Grand Rapids was recently designated Beer City, USA, but beer has been a popular beverage in the United States ever since the days of the earliest colonists to these shores. In 1620, the Mayflower, which carried the Pilgrims to the New World, stocked a goodly supply of beer on board, not only to satisfy crew and passenger thirst, but also as a measure for preventing scurvy. The English colonists in Virginia and all along the eastern seaboard chose beer as a healthful alternative to the dangers of drinking the water. The Dutch who settled New Netherland in the early part of the seventeenth century were even fonder of the foaming brew. The Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, founded in 1626, had a population of 350 by 1629; about three years later the Dutch West India Company, proprietors of the colony, built a brewery not far from the fort. The first brewer in Grand Rapids was an Englishman named John Pannell, who came to town in 1836 and built a small brewery over a stream at the bottom of Prospect Hill on Kusterer’s Crew circa 1860 striking a pose for the annual spring the east side of Kent Street. His modest output - "a barrel release of Bock Beer. or two at a brewing" - of English hop beer gradually increased, and by 1844, thanks to rising demand, his brewery was doing quite well. That same year, Christoph Kusterer, a brewer trained in Germany, established a brewery on the west side of the river and shortly thereafter went into partnership with Pannell. Christoph Kusterer was a prominent figure in the local German-American community. A founding member of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Immanuel in 1857, he was the captain of the Grand Rapids Rifles, a German-American militia unit. He also served as a parade marshal for the "Grand German Jollification," an event which celebrated Prussia's victory over France in 1871. Kusterer's life came to a tragic end in Continued on page 4
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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 Matthew Daley, vice president John Gelderloos, treasurer Board members: Alan Bennett Charles Bocskey Thomas Dilley W.D. Frankforter, emeritus Tim Gleisner Marilyn Hamill Chris Kaupa Gordon Olson, emeritus Nan Schichtel Wilhelm Seeger Jeff Sytsma
Fall is certainly in the air as I sit at my computer writing this letter to you. It is late October and the weather forecast is mentioning wet snow. Brrrr. So you will need to bundle up when attending the November 14 program on beer brewing in Grand Rapids. This presentation, by Wilhelm Seeger, will have a historical perspective. We will be back at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. In light of the recent proliferation of breweries in Grand Rapids and the recent designation of Beer City, USA, I have decided to give my view of a few of the breweries located in the Grand Rapids area. I just came back from visiting my son and Gina Bivins his family in Brooklyn, New York and was surprised GRHS President to find out that Founders Brewing Company beers are available there. Looking at the growth of the Founders complex on Grandville Ave. SW you can no longer recognize the original building as the loading dock and offices of a moving and storage company. Schmohz Brewing, located on Patterson just north of 28th Street, is making a couple of soda selections that sound tasty, although I have not yet found them in the stores where I shop. The Mitten Brewing Company, located in a former fire station on Leonard NW, has yummy pizza with clever names, such as the Westerdog. Vander Mill Ciders, just east of Spring Lake, has amazing salt and pepper donut chips and fresh donuts to enjoy with made-on-site cider. Local chef Amy Sherman hosts the Great American Brew Trail if you want to “travel� farther afield in your search for knowledge about beer brewing in Michigan and beyond. You may have noticed that I do not mention the beer selections. That is because I have not acquired a taste for that beverage. But, I have found other reasons to celebrate our Beer City designation, and reasons to stop in and enjoy the resurgence of brewing in Grand Rapids. At its annual fall conference the Historical Society of Michigan awards individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions preserving Continued on page 3
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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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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and presenting Michigan history. This year Grand Rapids’ History Detectives: Sleuthing for Local History won the 2013 State History Award for Special Programs. Begun in 2008, it is hosted by the History and Special Collections Department of the Grand Rapids Public Library. This day-long event is sponsored by a consortium of Grand Rapids history organizations, including: the Grand Rapids Historical Society, the Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council, the Grand Rapids Historical Commission, the Western Michigan Genealogical Society, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the Kutsche Office of Local History at GVSU, the Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable, and the Grand Rapids Public Library. Pencil in
January 18, 2014 for the next History Detectives, and look for details in our next newsletter. And last, but certainly not least, the Society is in the process of “building” a new web site. Please be patient. I recommend that you find us on Facebook until we roll out the new site. The web address will remain the same.
Grand Rapids History Detectives wins State Award History Detectives: Sleuthing for Rapids Women’s History Local History won the 2013 Council, the Kutsche Office of State History Award for Special Local History at Grand Valley Programs at the annual fall State University, and the conference of the Historical Western Michigan Society of Michigan. The Genealogical Society. Melissa ceremony, held on Friday, Fox of the Grand Rapids September 27, began with the Public Library accepted the President’s Reception at the award which is now displayed Kalamazoo Valley Museum at in the Local History 4:30 p.m. followed by the State Department located at the History Awards Banquet at the downtown branch. Radisson Hotel at 6:00 p.m. ! History Detectives: Each year, the Historical Sleuthing for Local History is Society of Michigan presents loosely based on the PBS State History Awards to program “History Detectives,” individuals and organizations and features local historians that have made outstanding who present their research contributions to the appreciation projects and resources. History and understanding of Michigan Detectives has examined such history. The awards are topics as “Saving John Ball Melissa Fox from the Grand Rapids Public Library and presented at the annual State Park’s Historic Legacy,” Don Bryant from the Western Michigan Genealogical History Conference and “Rescued from the Attic: A Society with the State History Award for Special recognize the excellence of 1918 Grand Rapids Treasure Programs presented to History Detectives: Sleuthing for achievement by an individual or Trove,” “Building a Case: Local History. organization in the collection, Grand Rapids as an Important preservation, and/or promotion Suffrage Center,” and of state and local history. “Imagining Michigan While the award was given to the History Experiences in the Civil War.” Detectives program itself, eight organizations co-sponsor The Grand Rapids Historical Society is a sponsor the program to make it possible: Grand Rapids Public of the next History Detectives program taking place at the Library, Grand Rapids Historical Commission, Grand Grand Rapids Public Library on Saturday, January 18, Rapids Historical Society, Grand Rapids Civil War Round 2014. Watch for the next issue of Grand River Times for Table, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Greater Grand details on the programs to be presented that day. Grand River Times!
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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October 1880 when he, along with all others on board, went down with the steamer Alpena in a violent Lake Michigan storm. His brewing business, however, was carried on by his sons and grandsons, and the Kusterer name remained linked to the brewing of lager beer in Grand Rapids well into the twentieth century. Find out about these breweries and many more as Wilhelm (Bill) Seeger tells us about beer brewing throughout Grand Rapids’ history. Bill has been on the board of the Grand Rapids Historical Society since 1980 and has numerous publications and presentations to his name about the Germans of Grand Rapids and German brewing in Grand Rapids.
Above right: An artist’s sketch of the Grand Rapids Brewing Company. Right: Workers of the Frey Bothers’ Coldbrook Brewery posing for the annual spring Bock Beer release. Below: Tusch’s Cincinnati Brewery.
Excerpts and images originally appeared in the Grand River Valley Review, Vol. VIII, No. 1, and later appeared in the Fall 1991 editioin of NABA’s The Breweriana Collector Magazine. Photos are compliments of Bill Seeger, The Grand Rapids Public Museum, and the Grand Rapids Public Library. See the complete article online at http://www.mi-brew.com/history/ seeger/braumeisters/index05.html.
The Yellow Kid Laura Kayacan sent us this family photo from 1897 of the Horners who lived on Ransom Avenue. The costumes are of The Yellow Kid, the name of a lead comic strip character from the time created and drawn by Richard F. Outcault. In a 1902 interview he said: The Yellow Kid was not an individual but a type. When I
used to go about the slums on newspaper assignments I would encounter him often, wandering out of doorways or sitting down on dirty doorsteps. I always loved the Kid. He had a sweet character and a sunny disposition, and was generous to a fault. Malice, envy or selfishness were not traits of his, and he never lost his temper. Find out more about The Yellow Kid at http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yellow_Kid/. 4
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When is Old Not so Cool? When it’s Your Website!
The website for the Grand Rapids Historical Society admittedly hasn’t been very cool for a while now. That’s about to change. We’re working with the Grand Rapids Community Media Center to create a new website that is easier to navigate, has links to all the best historical organizations, and allows visitors to order books and magazines and renew their membership online. The new website should be up and running soon. Watch for it at the same address! In the mean time, keep up with the latest at the Grand Rapids Historical Society by following us on Facebook.
Welcome to new members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society Kenneth Hofmeyer Robert Israels James Israels Gary Rowe Joyce Kowatch David Husted Les & Barbara Neuman Bobi Rebentisch-Foster Joe & Sue Mulvihill Larry & Paula Strockis Ken & Rose Helmer Robert Grice
Special Discount from Grand Rapids Art Museum As a Grand Rapids Historical Society member, you can receive a 20% discount on tickets for a special exhibition at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM): Masterpieces of American Landscape Painting 1820-1950, Oct. 20 – Jan. 14, 2014. The 20% discount applies to tickets you purchase for yourself, your family, and your guests. You can purchase tickets online at startickets.com with the code “reupb” to claim the discount. You can also purchase tickets in person at GRAM, but you must have the code to receive the discount. GRAM describes this exhibition, on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as “a not-tobe-missed opportunity to experience more than 40 epic scenes as captured by some of America’s most admired artists — Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, and many others.” For more information, visit artmuseumgr.org.
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. 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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Happening in History: November 2013 If you have history-related events you would like included in our calendar, please let us know at grhs.local@gmail.com. Archives A to Z Exhibit April 8 – December 31, 2013 Main Library – 111 Library St NE Come explore the unique treasures found in the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department of the Grand Rapids Public Library. Using letters, business documents, personal recollections, scrapbooks, photographs and other items, this exhibit explores unusual and little known stories of Grand Rapids history using the 390 processed collections and over one million photographs held in the department. Free and open to the public. Día de los Muertos: Honoring Day of the Dead Friday, November 1 – Sunday, November 3, 2013, during open hours Main Library – 111 Library St NE Come celebrate Día de los Muertos with the Grand Rapids Public Library. Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that honors family and friends who have passed on. Loved ones come together to build altars that celebrate the life and memory of the dead. This is a time of celebration and joy, filled with talk and memories of those who have died. Altars from members of the community honoring family and friends will be on display. Every altar is unique and taken together they create a fascinating portrait of what the citizens of Grand Rapids hold close to them. Free and open to the public. Día de los Muertos: Family Day Saturday, November 2, 2013, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Families are invited to explore the Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead, a time to celebrate the life and memory of those who have passed on. Children can decorate sugar skulls, get their face painted and participate in other educational activities. Light refreshments will be served. Día de los Muertos: Hispanic Genealogy Saturday, November 2, 2013, 1:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE
What are the resources you need to search for your ancestors in Mexico? Are there online or print resources that can help in your search? Where might these resources be available and how do you use them? Answers to these questions will be provided by the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department of the Grand Rapids Public Library. Learn what resources are available for finding your relatives, whether they came directly to Grand Rapids from Mexico or via another route. You will also learn how to use these resources and get examples of how these resources have been used in real life. A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan Wednesday, November 6, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Ladies Literary Club, 61 Sheldon Blvd SE The Sociology and Social Work Department of Calvin College invites the Grand Rapids community to the Donald Bouma Lecture Series for 2013. This year's lecture will be delivered by Dr. Todd E. Robinson, assistant professor of history at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Robinson will be presenting on his 2013 book "A City within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan." The book explores the history of what Robinson labels "managerial racism" in Grand Rapids throughout the 20th century, focusing on issues of citizens groups, housing, and education. Reading the Great Lakes Thursday, November 7, 2013, 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. For a complete list of books, visit www.grpl.org/rtgl. November’s selection is Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff. Snowblood's Journal Monday, November 11, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Continued on page 7
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Grand Rapids Public Library Photo Sleuth This month's Photo Sleuth comes from the William F. Drueke Collection (#212). William F. Drueke, Jr. (1912-2000) was a Grand Rapids, Michigan businessman who headed the family business, the Drueke Game Company. This collection contains photographs he took of various scenes in Grand Rapids from 1958 to 1979. The photo is only identified as 'Kids on a Toboggan' and is not dated. We do not know if these are Drueke family members or not. If you can identify any of these people, please let us know by emailing your information to khazlew@grpl.org, or call 616 988-5402, extension 5497.
Can you identify anyone in this photo? If so, please let us know!
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.”
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Author Bob Linsenman will discuss his recent book Snowblood's Journal: An American Novel about Dogs and Men in Vietnam. The book follows Jason Snowblood and Benny Coyne, cousins of Ottawa-Irish decent from a small northern Michigan town, who are assigned to the U.S. Army's scout dog program in Vietnam. Day to day descriptions of fear, instinct, heroism, love and devotion combine for a great read. Linsenmen is an excellent storyteller and will share the inspiration and research behind this remarkable book. A booksigning will follow the presentation. From Marilyn to Madonna: A Brief History of Celebrity Women in the Media Tuesday, November 12, 2013, 5:30 p.m. University Club, 10th floor of the Fifth-Third Bank Building The Grand Rapids Torch Club invites you to join it as GVSU media educator and independent film and video producer, Maggie Annerino, will use portrayals of twentieth-century female media icons to demonstrate how audio and visual media sell celebrity as a product. "From Marilyn to Madonna" will be a brief history illustrating how celebrity women's images have been shaped to create specific outcomes, how the media Grand River Times!
affects culture and commerce, and how audience is responsible to be conscious consumers. Maggie Annerino is an award-winning video producer, advocate of media literacy, and adjunct professor of Media Studies at GVSU. Hoping to create critical thinkers of us all, she educates students and community members on how media techniques influence audience decision-making and how we need to look behind the scenes of its creation and around us to its effect on culture. Free parking in surface or underground lots. Tell the attendant you are with the Torch club. Details and dinner reservations at http:// www.torchclubgr.org/rsvp.htm Adult Computer Class: Organizing Genealogical Documents Wednesday, November 20, 2013, 6:45 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Genealogical research involves a variety of pictures, historical documents, and files. Learn the best ways to store your genealogical research documents safely and in a manner where they can be easily retrieved, physically and electronically. Basic computer skills are required for this class.
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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
Beer Brewing in Grand Rapids
Inside this issue:
Thursday, November 14, 2013, 7 p.m. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Presented by William W. Seeger
Cover Story: November program: Beer Brewing in Grand Rapids
Details inside! Letter from our President, page 2 History Detectives Wins State Award, page 3 The Yellow Kid, page 4 When Old is Not So Cool, page 5 Happening in History, page 6 Photo Sleuth, page 7
For more information on Historical Society programs, visit www.grhistory.org
