Rapids Historical Society
Volume 36, number 4!
January 2015
Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society
Inside this issue: Cover Story: January program Letter from our President, page 2 History Detectives, pages 4-5 Happening in History, page 6 Ethnic Festival, page 7 Photo Sleuth, page 7
Fed er al B u ild in g t o W. N. Fer r is B u ild in g: R en ewal an d R ec on s t r u c t ion by Thomas R. Mathison and Gene Hopkins Co sponsored by the Kendall College of Art & Design
Thursday, January 8, 2015, 7:00 p.m. at the Kendall College of Art & Design: Woodbridge W.N. Ferris “The Fed” Building Parking is available on the street after 5 p.m., and the Kendall College of Art and Design lot is available across Pearl Street, with the entrance from Division Avenue.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, Grand Rapids was in a period of rapid growth. New commercial, manufacturing, and civic buildings helped meet the demands of an expanding community and economy. The existing Federal Courthouse and Post Office was no longer large enough to handle the increasing load. So in 1909, construction began on a new courthouse and post office building – on the same site as the old building. In 1912, the building that became known as the Old Federal Building was completed and opened for business. For over 100 years, this building has served a range of functions, adaptively modified to retain its character while serving new audiences. In 2013, it began its service as a place for higher education in art and design for Ferris State University and Kendall College of Art and Design. Come and hear from the design architects of this transformation about the journey to make this a reality.
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Next Program: The Exciting Early History of African American Women’s Clubs in Grand Rapids. Save the date: February 12, 2015, 7:00 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 Matthew Daley, vice president John Gelderloos, treasurer Board members: Alan Bennett Charles Bocskey Thomas Dilley Tim Gleisner Marilyn Hamill Chris Kaupa Gordon Olson, emeritus Nan Schichtel Wilhelm Seeger Jeff Sytsma Jim Winslow Kurt Yost 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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The Grand Rapids Historical Society has lost one of its long time board members with the death of W. D. Frankforter in November of 2014. His name has been on the mast head of the Society’s newsletter as “emeritus” for as long as I have been on the board, and deservedly so. He spent many years as the Assistant Director and then as the Director of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. To quote Tim Chester, another former Director, “Frank’s work in recording, preserving and exhibiting the ethnic history of West Michigan was ground breaking and drew national attention and acclaim. In a 2003 interview, Frank Gina Bivins, GRHS President admitted that he regarded this work as the highlight of his career”. He reminisced that “I got acquainted with the most wonderful people in the community through those exhibitions. We were focusing on our own heritage – the point of view of the person coming to America, retaining their own culture. We gave the different groups the freedom to form their own committees.” Each time a new portion of Heritage Hall opened there was a celebration. Some of those celebrations continue today in the form of ethic festivals held in parks and on plazas around town. Frankforter was a leader in the national museum community, serving on the committee that established the Accreditation Commission of the American Association of Museums. As a result, the Grand Rapids Public Museum was the first museum in the nation to achieve accreditation. Frank was lauded for being the museum’s historic advocate for community engagement when the Continued on page 3
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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institution’s 150th anniversary was celebrated in 2004. He ensured that the term “public” in the museum’s name meant exactly that. Grand Rapids Press columnist and curator emeritus of the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium David DeBruyn, was hired by Frank fresh out of college. David said “Throughout nearly a quartercentury working under Frank, I watched firsthand this man’s amazing accomplishments and benefited in so many ways from the encouragement he provided and example he set.” I found my way to the Museum in 1981 as a volunteer tour guide to school children. I remember being invited to his and his beloved Glea’s home for a party. He proudly showed me where he had buried an ostrich that had died at the zoo. As I recall he was letting nature take it to the bone. He would pop in
Welcome to New Members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society: Gary Reid Karin Marcinak Lori Ambrose Evonne Koopmans Elizabeth Bols James Gardeski Bill Cheevers Sheryl Mulder Phyllis Horowitz Sherri Taylor Alex Maxim Jan Schichtel Joni Schichtel Kurt & Karin Schichtel Ryan & April Butler Marianne Krupiczewicz Susan Lewis Richard Howell
every now and then at the Van Andel Museum Center and if I had the opportunity I would take him on a tour of the newest exhibit. He really liked the Civil War exhibit. During the last visit I had with him his caretaker whispered in my ear that he really wanted to ride the carousel, but was insisting that he would get up on one of the horses. Thankfully, we convinced him that it would be just as much fun to ride in a chariot. The joy on his face as the carousel spun is a memory I cherish. I am sure many who are reading this column also have fond memories of W. D. “Frank” Frankforter. He will be missed.
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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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
2015 History Detectives: Sleuthing for Local History 6 Programs about Michigan History Saturday, January 17, 2015, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Limited parking is available in the library parking lot, and is free on Saturdays with a validated parking lot ticket. Tickets can be validated in the library’s lobby. History Detectives will be at the main branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library at 111 Library Street NE, downtown Grand Rapids. For more information, call 616-988-5400 or visit www.grpl.org. Why Grand Rapids Chose to Bulldoze Downtown in the Name of Urban Renewal 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. Garret Ellison
In May 2014, The Grand Rapids Press ran a six-part, indepth, multimedia history series examining the motivations, inner-workings and legacy of a vast 1960s urban renewal project that transformed the heart of downtown. Ellison will share stories and photos from the renewal years, detail how and why the city bulldozed forty acres of downtown and built modern, taller structures. He will also explain how the project was developed and why The Press green-lit a history series about urban redevelopment without an obvious news hook. The series resulted from eight months of detective work by reporterGarret Ellison, who aimed to bridge the gap between Grand Rapids of the 1960s and the city of today. Sponsor: Grand Rapids Public Museum. The Architecture of Production: Grand Rapids’ Furniture Factories 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. Mathew Daley
past as “Furniture City, U.S.A.” Former factory buildings line Monroe, Seward, and Godfrey Avenues serving as useful local landmarks in all four quadrants. These facilities provide a key part of the community’s architectural heritage, as much a part as any historic district’s grand houses. Unlike modern factories in separated areas, these are knitted into their surrounding neighborhoods. It makes sense to look at the factories not only as architectural sites, but also as places where men and women worked and spent a large part of their lives in a web of houses, churches, schools, and stories. Today, many of these structures have been renovated, adaptively reused, or demolished with their original purpose a vague or absent memory. To that end, this presentation will discuss the architectural features, neighborhoods, and lives of workers inGrand Rapids’ furniture factories during the 19th and 20th centuries. Sponsor: Grand Rapids Historical Society. Pharaohs on the Grand: The Egyptian Revival in Grand Rapids 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Thomas R. Dilley
Beginning in the first quarter of the 19th century, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and eventually architecture began to reflect the outwardly mysterious and sometimes exotic motif of the ancient Egyptians, reinterpreted by revivalist designers to meet contemporary uses. It was in the generally rare, but often dramatic, buildings of the late Victorian era where the Egyptian Revival made its most lasting appearance in cities all over the eastern United States, including Grand Rapids. In this illustrated lecture, Thomas Dilley will explore the local appearance of Egyptian architectural forms, as well as the motives and aspirations behind their use by Grand Rapidians of a century ago. Sponsor: Grand Rapids Historical Commission.
Throughout Grand Rapids stand reminders of the city’s
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Lunch – Reserve ahead of time! 12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Boxed lunches are $8.00 and must be ordered in advance. Please call 616.988.5492 or email: rsvp@grpl.org by 5:00 p.m. on January 14 to reserve your lunch and include your sandwich choice - turkey, ham, or vegetarian. Included in the lunches are a half sandwich, chips, a deli salad, individual condiments, and bottled water. Lunches must be reserved in advance and paid for in cash when the lunch is picked up on January 17 at the event. Attendees may choose to bring their own lunch as well. Pop will be available for an additional $1.00. Please note, the library no longer has a cafe, but does have vending machines.Lunches provided by Grand Central Market; bottled water by Meijer; afternoon cookies by Lomonaco Sicilian Cookies. Additional sponsors include the Kutsche Office of Local History at Grand Valley State University and the Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table. Stories from Maple Grove: A History of the Kent County Poor Farm 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. Adam Oster
Fannie Boylon: The Legacy of Grand Rapids’ First Female Home Designer 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. Marcella Beck
On January 27, 1918, at a time when educational opportunities were limited and few women went to college, the Grand Rapids Herald referred to Fannie Boylon as the “Only WomanHome Designer in Grand Rapids.” Between 1910 and 1930, Fred and Fannie Boylon operated one of the most successful home-building companies in Grand Rapids, building as many as 1,200 dwellings primarily in the south and east sides of the city, anchoring neighborhoods such as Wilcox Park and John Ball Park. Public recognition of the Boylon’s achievement most often went to Fred, but Fannie was literally the architect of their success. This program will look at Grand Rapids’ first female, self-taught architect and at the homes she designed. Sponsor: Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council. Support Our Schools: Mid-Century Architecture and Rebuilding the School Plant in Grand Rapids 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. Melissa Fox and Pamela VanderPloeg
Long before the advent of modern social welfare, county governments maintained poorhouses or poor farms. Explore the early history of Kent County Poor Farm, and its buildings, starting in the 1840s and then again in the 1850s, as it became both a self-sustaining entity and refuge for the area’s poor, elderly and destitute. Discover the lives and stories of those that resided at the poor farm. Learn about its transition to serving individuals with chronic illnesses as Maple Grove Medical Care Facility and what led to its eventual shutdown and demolition in 1971. Sponsor: Western Michigan Genealogical Society.
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After the success of the Support Our Schools millage campaign in 1950-51, the Grand Rapids Public School System embarked on an ambitious building program to update and replace older school buildings, handle the postwar baby boom, and address the need for neighborhood schools in newly developing areas of the city. They hired a collaborative of local architects to design modern schools that matched educational trends of the time. Using Palmer School as a jumping off point, we’ll explore the history of these mid-century schools – the building program, the architects and their designs, and the impact schools such as Mulick Park and Riverside Elementary had on education, neighborhoods, and the lifestyle of the community during the mid century years in Grand Rapids. Sponsor: Grand Rapids Public Library. 5
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Happening in History: January 2015 If you have history-related events you would like included in our calendar, please let us know at grhs.local@gmail.com.
Genealogy Lock-In Friday, January 30, 2015, 6:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE
Filling in the Blanks Saturday, January 3, 2015, 1:30 p.m. Main Library - 111 Library St NE Hosted by the Western Michigan Genealogical Society
Come to the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections department for a free after-hours program just for genealogists! Learn how to use the microfilm reader/ scanner/printer, save images, and take advantage of free copying and printing during the event. Use the time to search databases—we will have plenty of computers available or bring your own laptop and use the library’s WiFi network. Bring your genealogy questions or Ancestry and Heritage Quest problems—volunteers will be on hand to assist. Network with other genealogists— you never know what you might find! Registration required: www.grpl.org/register or call 988-5400.
Our family trees begin with basic research. We ask Mom and Dad who their parents and grandparents and greatgrandparents were. But we want to leave more of a legacy than just names, dates, and places. To expand the story we can look at what was happening in the township, county, state, and world around those dates. In this workshop, presenter Lori Piercefield Fox will explore ways to answer these questions. Reading the Great Lakes Thursday, January 8, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE Come explore the Lakes with the Grand Rapids Public Library! They’re reading 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 is led by librarians and takes place the first Thursday of each 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 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience Tuesday, January 6, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Main Library – 111 Library St NE
Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 7:30 p.m. DeWitt Student Center, Kuyper College 3333 East Beltline NE Chad Johnson comes to the Grand Rapids Civil War Round Table in January to discuss Petersburg in 1865. Visit www.grcwrt.com for details. Grand Rapids Torch Club programs coming up. Membership is not required to attend and guests are always welcome. There is a $29 meeting charge for members ($33 for guests), which includes the meal, and reservations are required (torchclubgr.org). The social hour and dinner are an integral part of the Torch experience as they offer the opportunity for members and guests to become acquainted and share and exchange knowledge and ideas. •
Our Fires Still Burn is a one-hour documentary about the lives of contemporary Native American role models in the Midwest. The film examines the myth that American Indians have disappeared from the American horizon, and reveals how they continue to persist, heal from the past, confront the challenges of today, keep their culture alive, and make great contributions to society. Their experiences will touch both Natives and non-Natives and help build bridges of understanding, respect and communication. A question and answer session with the filmmaker Audrey Geyer will follow the screening.
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George Welsh, The Making of a Grand Rapids Political Leader. Diana Barrett, Torch Club member. February 10, 2015 The Holocaust Survivor in America: Revisiting the Pawnbroker. Robert Franciosi, Ph.D, Torch Club member and GVSU faculty member. March 10, 2015 The Monuments Men: A Grand Rapids Connection. Betsy Ford, Guest Speaker. April 14, 2015 Suffragist Spring: Taking Over the Grand Rapids Press in 1914. Ruth Van Stee, Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council member. May 12, 2015
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Coming in February: Ethnic Heritage Festival
Join the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Saturday, February 7, 2015, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Ethnic Heritage Festival. The city of Grand Rapids and the surrounding region have a long standing history of diversity and various cultural traditions dating back from early explorers and fur traders, to modern day cultural rituals from new residents of the region. The Festival is a day-long celebration of music, dance, crafts and food representing the various ethnic groups that call West Michigan home. The event will begin at 10 a.m. and features a variety of organizations, performances, beer tastings and presentations. The Museum Café will feature ethnic food selections. There will be a special International Beer Tasting from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The beer tasting is open to those 21
and above for $6.00. Tickets will be available at the door. Colorful performances by various ethnic groups will take place throughout the day in the Meijer Theater and Galleria. Visitors will be able to view the Museum’s exhibitions with two specific exhibitions having a primary focus on diversity and culture: Newcomers: The People of This Place which highlights the ethnic groups that have settled the Grand Rapids area, and Anishinabek: The People of this Place which focuses on the Native American culture in the region.
February 7, 2015, 10 a.m. at the Grand Rapids Public Museum
Grand Rapids Public Library Photo Sleuth New Year's Eve, 1940. The Blythefield Country Club in Belmont hosted a New Year's Eve party for these and other club members. Perhaps the shutter closed on this bunch of revelers just as midnight ushered in 1941; perhaps Lena Horne was singing “What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?” in the background, or the strains of Auld Lang Syne began to filter through the room. Can you identify these party goers from the club's party? If so, email Heather Edwards at the Grand Rapids Public Library at hedwards@grpl.org, or call 616 988-5402, extension 5497. Last year, the Grand Rapids Public Library added more than 25 names to its photo index with help from the public, including Grand Rapids Historical Society members. Thank you! Grand River Times!
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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
Fed er al B u ild in g t o W. N. Fer r is B u ild in g: R en ewal an d R ec on s t r u c t ion by Thomas R. Mathison and Gene Hopkins Co sponsored by the Kendall College of Art & Design
Inside this issue: Cover Story: January program Letter from our President, page 2
Thursday, January 8, 2015, 7:00 p.m. History Detectives, pages 4-5 Happening in History, page 6 Ethnic Festival, page 7 Photo Sleuth, page 7
For more information on Historical Society programs, visit www.grhistory.org
