Grand Rapids Then and Now

[6th Gen local]

Civitas, you said...

The big canels were on the east side. No one should have been surprised whern the Civic Auditorium had foundation problems. Isn't there a historical monument by GVSU about a mill on the west side?

There is an old millstone by the museum, South of Pearl, down by the river with a plaque.

[6th Gen local]

Are those boats on the river in the second picture? Also, does anyone know what happened to the rail lines that ran through downtown? It looks like there was a north/south line cutting straight through CBD.

I saw those same things in the river and thought maybe they were mining limestone up there. I know limestone was mined below 6th street dam, but never heard of above the dam.

Someone else asked about when US131 came thru, I have a picture of US 131 being constructed down near Moline in 1958.

[civitas]

I saw those same things in the river and thought maybe they were mining limestone up there. I know limestone was mined below 6th street dam, but never heard of above the dam.

Someone else asked about when US131 came thru, I have a picture of US 131 being constructed down near Moline in 1958.

I recall going to the Speedrome near Comstock Park with my dad in the early 60's. It was closed when US-131 was extended north from the s-curve in downtown Grand Rapids. I also recall driving on the new s-curve in the late 60's. So I guess the downtown GR portion was built in the mid-60's.

I had a Triumph sports car and enjoyed the wide steel plates that covered the expansion joints along the s-curve. When driven hard the rear end would slide a little every time I'd cross one of those joints.

Edited March 29, 2006 by civitas

[Nitro]

The canal was to feed power, and probably lumber, to the furniture factories along the river. There's even

Voight Milling Company would have been on that canal. It was where the Ford Museum is now. They used the river to power the flour mills. My g-grandpappy was the transportation manager there.

[mpchicago]

The rail lines now stop at the massive railyard South of downtown along 131. I had heard that right along Ionia was a Central Station, but I didn't realize how massive it was.

For you magellan's, take a look at the tall structure on Commerce just South of Fulton in the top picture. Wonder what that was? Obviously the top picture was pre-131, post streetcars, pre-urban renewal.

Hey, check out the canal along the West bank of the river too.

Yes, Jeff, there seems to be a trio of taller buildings near the corner of Commerce/Fulton/Louis. It was my understanding that the one bounded by Fulton/Louis/Ionia was a parking garage, but what are the other two behind San Chez, and at the site of the old City Center ramp? In the second pircure (131 construction) the building behind San Chez is gone.

Edited March 29, 2006 by mpchicago

[Rizzo]

IgNirto, Maybe you should add that cool tidbit to my family history thread Thats a cool history lesson right there.

BTW, Anyone have pictures of the elevated railway that was in the Herpelsheimer's basement?

[Nitro]

I recall going to the Speedrome near Comstock Park with my dad in the early 60's. It was closed when US-131 was extended north from the s-curve in downtown Grand Rapids. I also recall driving on the new s-curve in the late 60's. So I guess the downtown GR portion was built in the mid-60's.

Good Grand Rapids trivia question.............Has the Grand Rapids area ever had a NASCAR event???

In fact there were two. In 1951 there was a 200 lap race won by Marshall Teague and and 200 lap race in 1954 won by Lee Petty.

[civitas]

IgNirto, Maybe you should add that cool tidbit to my family history thread Thats a cool history lesson right there.

BTW, Anyone have pictures of the elevated railway that was in the Herpelsheimer's basement?

[Rizzo]

Thanks for that one Civitas!

[GRDadof3]

There's Rizzo! Front row baby!! They did have that thing in the basement of Mackie's World for a while I think. Creepy!!

[Rizzo]

I rode that thing imagining the skyline out the window... Thats why I have a that "stare" about me.

[civitas]

I rode that thing imagining the skyline out the window... Thats why I have a that "stare" about me.

The train started in the toy department but the track also went over the shipping and receiving area. Do you remember getting soft-serve ice cream as you entered the parking ramp?

Edited March 29, 2006 by civitas

[Rizzo]

No, I just remember telling everyone to shut up while we passed over people, I was a spy back then.

[MJLO]

i didn't have the pleasure of Living in Grand Rapids while it was still Herpolshiemers. Back in my old school days, I remember Hudson's downtown Detroit, that place was flippin huge.

[Greedo]

I am on record that that train was one scary ride. And my experience was during the City Center days in the mid-80's.

[grrwymg]

I am on record that that train was one scary ride. And my experience was during the City Center days in the mid-80's.

Amen, brother. That thing shook and rocked and made all sorts of noises.

(Still loved riding it. )

[LA Dave]

Never noticed the canal. What would that have been used for?

When 131 was built, is that when the current rail station south of wealthy was built? There must have been alot of demolition required in order to clear the way for that rail station.

No. The old Union Station on Ionia was torn down in about 1960. Prior to that time, passenger rail service on the Pennsylvania Railroad (Grand Rapids & Indiana) had ceased and the Chesapeake & Ohio (former Pere Marquette) moved its passenger station to the Wyoming Yards, off Market Street. (The building may still be there.) The current station south of Wealthy was built by Amtrak when the GR to Chicago rail service re-started in the 80s. There was no passenger rail service in GR from 1971 until that time.

[evac311]

What are the chances of seeing new rail lines in GR?

[NorthEnder]

Man, seeing that train makes me sad. My grandma used to take me down to the City Center, and would get us ice cream, and let us ride the elevated train.

[NorthEnder]

I recall going to the Speedrome near Comstock Park with my dad in the early 60's. It was closed when US-131 was extended north from the s-curve in downtown Grand Rapids. I also recall driving on the new s-curve in the late 60's. So I guess the downtown GR portion was built in the mid-60's.

I had a Triumph sports car and enjoyed the wide steel plates that covered the expansion joints along the s-curve. When driven hard the rear end would slide a little every time I'd cross one of those joints.

That speedrome is now Greenleaf landscape suppy. They had to move old sections of concrete in there recently.

[civitas]

Here's a few images from the archives.

[mejane]

Amen, brother. That thing shook and rocked and made all sorts of noises.

(Still loved riding it. )

I hopped that train in the early 60's - it was a little jerky, but the scariest part

was being that far off the ground when you're 2 1/2' tall!

[LA Dave]

Here's a few images from the archives.

WOW! Those brought back memories, good and bad. The postcard on top looks like an early 50s view of downtown. The Wurzburg store (demolished in 1971 or 72) was formerly Herpelsheimer's; Herps moved to the City Center building at the corner of Fulton, Division and Monroe in 1949 and I think Wurzburg's moved into the old Herps building in 1951. I don't know where Wurzburg's was before that time. Monroe was red brick, by the way, not asphalt.

The lower picture looks like the hideous mall that Monroe became in the 70s. That destroyed a prime cruising location for us high school guys, along with much of the remaining retail traffic. I hope that this street is doing better now.

[civitas]

WOW! Those brought back memories, good and bad. The postcard on top looks like an early 50s view of downtown. The Wurzburg store (demolished in 1971 or 72) was formerly Herpelsheimer's; Herps moved to the City Center building at the corner of Fulton, Division and Monroe in 1949 and I think Wurzburg's moved into the old Herps building in 1951. I don't know where Wurzburg's was before that time. Monroe was red brick, by the way, not asphalt.

The lower picture looks like the hideous mall that Monroe became in the 70s. That destroyed a prime cruising location for us high school guys, along with much of the remaining retail traffic. I hope that this street is doing better now.

The street is doing much better now.

We cruised from Veteran's Memorial Park to Big Boy on Pearl Street about a hundred times on a weekend night. If you left a car at Big Boy to ride with friends, you'd come back to find your windows covered with "No Parking" stickers.

The brick street was great for spinning tires, especially when wet.

[GR_Urbanist]

While crusing around on Youtube, I came across a cool video showing the history of the architecture and growth of the downtown area set to a very famous jazz tune.

Im sure many of us have seen alot of the photos that are shown but there are a few that may be new to many here. Enjoy!