Volume 35, number 5!
Rapids Historical Society
February 2014
Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society
Inside this issue: Cover Story: February program: Pine Rest: 100 Years of Changing Lives Letter from our President, page 2 Our History, the Grand Rapids Historical Society page 3 Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department, pages 4-5 Happening in History, page 6 Photo Sleuth, page 7
Pine Rest: 100 Years of Changing Lives Thursday, February 13, 2014, 7:00 p.m. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Presented by Mark Eastburg, Ph.D., President and CEO of Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services Over 100 years ago a small group of women and men of vision saw a need for a compassionate place of healing for people suffering from mental illness, a ministry where those whose minds kept them in chains could come and be treated with dignity and respect, and they could find release and healing. An early photo of the Cutler House, the farmhouse where Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services began more than 100 years ago.
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Next Program: Women at the Bar: The First Century of Women Attorneys in Grand Rapids, 1870s 1970s Save the date: Thursday, March 13, 2014, 7:00 p.m., at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
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Pine Rest began quietly in the pastures of Cutlerville, and the story now reaches and extends throughout several states. From a garden to the city. From a small group of immigrant people to lives touched in the entire community in all its diversity. In one way, the Pine Rest of today is far removed from the Christian Psychopathic hospital of 1910, but the strong roots established a century ago have provided the foundation necessary for modern mental health care. The staff at Pine Rest are pleased to share that story with you.
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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 Jim Winslow 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 have been struggling to get this letter written, not because of lack of ideas, but rather too many. It is half way through the first month of 2014 and I am already overwhelmed by all the great history related events that have happened. Our first speaker of the new year, Ron Burg, satisfied my curiosity about the Civilian Conservation Corps. He also piqued my curiosity about the museum dedicated to the history of the corps at Higgins Lake. Who doesn't like a road trip up north!? The annual History Detectives Day was January 18. We don't have all the numbers in yet, but any day is a good day when you have six interesting Gina Bivins programs presented by six speakers passionate about GRHS President their research and discoveries. Many people came for the day, others for only one topic. I was given feedback by one of our members that we didn't put a location in our newsletter. I was glad they guessed right and made it to the event, and I appreciate the feedback. If you went on the Greenwood cemetery tour you learned about the Harrison family and the Harrison Wagon Works. During a conversation with George Meier, a descendant of William Harrison, I was informed that there was an area of the west side of Grand Rapids that was to be a cement city. In fact, William had taken out permits to build thirty-seven houses made of cement. If you drive down Davis south off of Leonard you will be able see more than five that are still standing not too far from Harrison Park School. The ones I saw that were definitely part of the development are on the west side of the street. The school itself sits on land that was once occupied by the wagon factory. George tells me that his ancestor owned 250 acres in that area. He also forwarded me some interesting newspaper articles that I am enjoying. I always enjoy connecting with others who are as interested in our local history as I am. I am looking forward to our February program about 100 years of Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Hospital. It should be good and I hope to see you there.
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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Ou r H i s t or y: Th e Gr an d R ap id s H i s t or ic al S oc i et y The Grand Rapids Historical Society began at 8:00 p.m. on November 30, 1894 in the office of Mayor E.B. Fisher. Ten men were present who put together the following purpose; “To organize an association whose purpose it would be to collect and preserve books, papers, pamphlets, maps and other material of historic value and interest on Michigan.” Three weeks later, on December 19, the Articles of Association and Incorporation were adopted and the society was officially named Historical Society of Michigan. Our first formal meeting was December 22, 1894 at 8 p.m. at city hall.
Association are not for profit, but to institute and encourage historical inquiry….” Membership originally was limited to the successful, educated, elite citizens of Grand Rapids. There is no record of any female members in 1895. A membership cost $1; a life membership was $50. Patron supporters gave $250. Eleven years later the Society reorganized and was placed under the patronage of the Grand Rapids Public Library. Records indicate that Mrs. James Campbell was VicePresident in 1924, and is the first woman listed in our records. The GRHS has been reorganized a few times over the last 120 years. Once was near the start of the Great
By 1895 the Society had changed its name to The Historical Society of Grand Rapids, and included in its articles that “the objects of the
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Welcome to new members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society Samuel Woolpert Dave and Sue Rowe Joyce Washburn
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:
• Lifetime memberships: 72
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.
• Annual memberships: 261
Please enroll me as a member of the Grand Rapids Historical Society: ___ New ___ Renewal ___ Gift
• Organizations: 41
____ Individual/Family Membership: $30.00 per year ____ Senior Citizen or Student: $20.00 per year ____ Lifetime: $400.00 one-time fee
Members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society:
• Baxter Award winners: 20
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 Grand River Times!
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Th e Gr an d R apids H ist or y & Spec ial Collec t ion s D epar t m en t at t h e Gr an d R ap i d s P u b li c Li b r ar y The Grand Rapids Historical Society has had a relationship with the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department (often called the Local History Department) at the Grand Rapids Public Library for more than 100 years. In the early 1900s we needed a place to hold all of the historical material we had collected. When the library built a new building in 1904, including a new “History Room,” the Historical Society gave its collection of 30,000 items – including letters, diaries, photographs, and maps – to the library for archival storage and to keep it available to the public. This arrangement continues today. The department has one of the largest collections of historical material in Michigan, including more than 30,000 books and periodicals, plus holdings on microfilm. Collecting emphasis is on the Grand Rapids and Kent County area, with additional sources on Western Michigan, Michigan, and the Old Northwest. County and state histories, atlases and
Archive boxes in the Special Collections Department, designed to help preserve paper documents and photos. Acid-free materials prevent paper yellowing.
Visit the Grand Rapids Special Collections & History Department on the fourth floor of the downtown branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library (111 Library St. NE, 49503), or you can email the staff at localhis@grpl.org.
maps, family histories and biographical information, census data, city directories, local newspapers on microfilm, and vertical files are just some of the items you can search. Following are some examples. Finding Aids Over 360 finding aids are available for browsing the archives of the Grand Rapids Public Library. A finding aid is a description of an archival collection, usually containing a history of the person or organization that produced the collection and an inventory of its contents. Indexes These indexes can be used in conjunction with the finding aids to search across materials throughout the department's collections. They range from indexing Civil War-related articles in local newspapers to indexing the Plat maps in our Map Collection (#240).
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City Directories The collection consists of Grand Rapids City directories, Grand Rapids Suburban directories, and a selection of directories from Battle Creek, Grand Haven, Hastings, Holland-Zeeland, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon. The Grand Rapids City directories date back to 1856 and include on microfilm 1856, 1859-60, and 1865-1956. Directories from 1958 to current are in print form. The Suburban directories range from 1957-1997. (Note: the directories were not published during certain years, such as 1957.) Some directories are also available on Google Books. Information Clipping Files African American Newspaper Clippings - An index of newspaper articles covering a time period from 1830 to 1935. These articles come from various Michigan newspapers, and document the history of African Americans in the West Michigan area. These articles were compiled by Carl Bajema, a volunteer to the library, and indexed by the staff of the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History and Special Collections department. Biography and Portrait File - Cabinets in the GRHSC department containing hundreds of files on the area's most notable men and women. Grand Rapids Homes and Architects - The GRHSC Architectural Database contains information on over 2800 properties in the metropolitan area. It spans the Grand River Times
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
years 1907 to 1942 and includes a wide variety of residential, commercial and institutional locations. This information has been compiled and indexed by the staff of the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History and Special Collections department. Pamphlet & Article Files - Cabinets in the GRHSC containing a wealth of information on hundreds of local subjects. Women’s History Clippings - An index of newspapers articles covering a time period from the 1840s to the early 1930s. These articles come from various Michigan newspapers, and document the history of Women in the West Michigan area. These articles were compiled by Carl Bajema, a volunteer to the library, and indexed by the staff of the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History and Special Collections department.
Rapids High School in 1894. There are a wide range of dates and not every year is available but the collection is continually being added to. The collection is located in closed stacks, so you will need to ask staff for assistance. Photos Over a million local photographic images document pivotal events and daily life in West Michigan during the past one hundred fifty years. Digital Collections View our online Digital Collections to see photographs from the archives including photos from the Robinson Photo Studio, the Morris Collection and more. Photo Essays Photo Essays - Series of photos highlighting items from our collection. Robinson Studio Collection The Robinson Studio Collection (#125) is the largest archival collection held by the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department Archives. It contains more than 950,000 black & white negatives, with some accompanying photographic prints, containing Grand Rapids views, news, businesses & peoples from the 1930s to the 1960s. A sampling of this collection is available in our Digital Collections.
The Special Collections Department has more than 1,800 maps available to patrons, which are very useful for research.
Maps Over 1,800 historical maps of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the old Northwest Territory are included in this collection. Current and older plat maps are used by historians to locate early settlers and property holders. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Available on microfilm from 1887-1960 (1960 edition also available in hard copy). They include an outline map of every building, with building material and other pertinent fire information included. Kent County Atlases - Available for 1855, 1863, 1876, 1907, these atlases indicate land owners and building locations for structures outside incorporated areas. Yearbooks The collection consists of High School yearbooks from throughout the city and a few of the suburbs. The earliest yearbook in the collection is the The Mirror from Grand Grand River Times!
Real Estate Listing Cards are popular with people researching the history of their house.
Real Estate Listing Cards Organized by address and available from 1955 to 1994, depending on whether a house was listed with a real estate dealer during that time period. These cards contain a description, owner's name, a photo, and the listing price. The collection is located in closed stacks, so you will need to ask staff for assistance.
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Happening in History: February 2014 If you have history-related events you would like included in our calendar, please let us know at grhs.local@gmail.com. Family History vs. Genealogy Saturday, February 1, 2014, 1:30 p.m. Grand Rapids Public Library, Ryerson Auditorium Presenter Donna Odom asks: Are you anxious to document your family’s past, but not sure whether you want to do genealogy or a family history? In this presentation Ms. Odom will review the difference between the two and offer suggestions to help you make your decision. Donna Odom is founder and executive director of the Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society. She retired from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in 2010. Donna has presented at conferences on the Underground Railroad and oral history. She presents at conferences and does workshops on oral history, memoir writing, and doing family history and assists organizations and individuals with writing their histories. Donna serves a board member of the Historical Society of Michigan, the Kalamazoo County Historical Society, the Michigan Oral History Society, and is a member of the Genealogy Speakers Guild.
Reading the Great Lakes Thursday, February 6, 2014, 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. February’s selection is The Fourth Coast: Exploring the Great Lakes Coastline by Mary Blocksma.
Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 7:30 p.m. DeWitt Student Center, Kuyper College 3333 East Beltline NE James E. Spurr comes to the Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table in February to talk about the June 19, 1864 battle between the USS Kearsarge and the Raider CSS Alabama off the coast of Cherbourg, France. Living History and The Colored Car: The Backstory Thursday, February 20, 2014, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Sharing the process of researching and writing her latest book, author Jean Alicia Elster will provide the backstory to the creation of The Colored Car. Elster will also explore the challenge of keeping historical authenticity within the plot while creating a storyline and characters that will engage twenty-first century readers. Interspersed throughout the presentation, she will read selections from various chapters of The Colored Car. A book signing will follow the presentation. Genealogy Class: Family Trees on Ancestry.com Thursday, February 20, 2014, 6:45 p.m. Main Library, Adult Computer Lab, Lower Level This class is a follow-up to the Basics of Ancestry.com class and will focus on using existing family trees on Ancestry.com as well as creating and updating your own tree on the Ancestry.com website.
Taste of Soul Sunday Sunday, February 16, 2014, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Join us as we celebrate African American history and culture at the ninth annual Taste of Soul Sunday. Sample African American art, music, literature, history, and food. Free and open to the public. Call 616-988-5400 or visit www.grpl.org for more information.
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Grand Rapids Public Library Photo Sleuth This image comes from the James B. Winslow Collection (#248) which comprises primarily Grand Rapids, Michigan documents and items in numerous formats, representing the eclectic historical and collecting interests of the donor. Winslow’s special interest and expertise has been in the history of Michigan and national railroads & railroading. This image appears to be an undated formal team photo of the Grand Rapids Rockets. The Grand Rapids Rockets were an IHL (International Hockey League) team playing at the Stadium Arena for the seasons of 1950-51 through 1955-56. The team had previously been a member of the Eastern Amateur Hockey League for the 1949–1950 season, before moving to the IHL. Their team colors were blue and gold. After the 1955-56 season, the team moved to Huntington, West Virginia and became the Huntington Hornets. They played one season in the IHL before folding. If you can identify the year, or identify any of the players in this photo, please let us know by emailing your information to khazlew@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.”
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Depression and lasted until WWII. It’s believed that the Society was dormant during the years of WWII and the immediate aftermath. However, by 1951, citizens of Grand Rapids were focusing on the changes brought on by the war and were looking to preserve Grand Rapids for the future. And so on April 19, 1951, 60 people met to make plans for a new Historical Society. On May 10, 1951, the Grand Rapids Historical Society (GRHS) that exists today adopted its Statement of Purpose and appointed 15 individuals to the Board of Directors. The Grand Rapids Public Library has the records of the GRHS from 1951 through today, and it remains the meeting place for the Board of Trustees of the GRHS. The Society still has a wonderful working relationship with the library and encourages all those interested in history to
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visit the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department on the 4th floor of the Main Library (111 Library St. NE, Grand Rapids 49503) where more information can be found on this Society, and Grand Rapids history as a whole. Today, the society not only preserves and protects our history, but also presents it to the community to encourage historical study through new generations. These programs are focused on the history of Grand Rapids and the greater West Michigan area and consist of lectures or tours given by guest historians and society members. In addition to these programs, eight times a year the society mails our newsletter The Grand River Times which contains information on upcoming programs, as well as other local historical events occurring in the area. The Grand River Valley History is an award winning magazine published annually by the Grand Rapids Historical Society.
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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
Pine Rest: 100 Years of Changing Lives
Inside this issue:
Thursday, February 13, 2014, 7 p.m. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Cover Story: February program: Pine Rest: 100 Years of Changing Lives
Presented by Mark Eastburg, Ph.D.
Letter from our President, page 2
Details inside! Our History, the Grand Rapids Historical Society page 3 Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department, pages 4-5 Happening in History, page 6 Photo Sleuth, page 7
For more information on Historical Society programs, visit www.grhistory.org
