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What are the Oldest Buildings in Grand Rapids?

michaelskis

By michaelskis
in Grand Rapids

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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Does anyone remember the clergymen who did a lecture on the 131 project? It included a slideshow showing MANY slides featuring the old neighborhoods, commercial buildings, people, houses, etc... I think it was broadcasted on GRTV in 2003. A very informative lecture.

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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Does anyone remember the clergymen who did a lecture on the 131 project? It included a slideshow showing MANY slides featuring the old neighborhoods, commercial buildings, people, houses, etc... I think it was broadcasted on GRTV in 2003. A very informative lecture.

The Community Media Center is in control of that presentation. I'm sure for a small fee they would make a copy for you. I just got mine a few weeks ago.

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Beavis Whistle-Stop

Beavis

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I've recently started attending First (Park) Congregational Church downtown. It is the second oldest existing church building in Grand Rapids. Erected between 1867 and 1869, it was designed by A. Barrows of Adrian, Michigan and Chicago. Among the church's notable features are its Tiffany stained-glass windows. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

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michaelskis Hamlet

michaelskis

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I've recently started attending First (Park) Congregational Church downtown. It is the second oldest existing church building in Grand Rapids. Erected between 1867 and 1869, it was designed by A. Barrows of Adrian, Michigan and Chicago. Among the church's notable features are its Tiffany stained-glass windows. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

I just checked the historic register, and they only have 33 listings for Grand Rapids. (Heritage Hill Historic District counts as one listing).

I thought that it would be a lot more than that...

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GRGridGirl Hamlet

GRGridGirl

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Does anyone remember the clergymen who did a lecture on the 131 project? It included a slideshow showing MANY slides featuring the old neighborhoods, commercial buildings, people, houses, etc... I think it was broadcasted on GRTV in 2003. A very informative lecture.

I believe Father Morrow put together that presentation.

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Weallneedhistory Whistle-Stop

Weallneedhistory

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Also, does the city or the library have the old tax records if I wanted to lookup original owners and property information on properties in the Heritage Hill Historic District?

I have quite often used the old city directories at the GRPL archives. They go back a bit, not much further back than the turn of the century though. They're like giant phonebooks. You look up the street, and it lists all the addresses on that street at that time, and the owner at that time.

Once you have a name there are numerous different ways you can go with it.

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mpchicago Burg

mpchicago

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I have quite often used the old city directories at the GRPL archives. They go back a bit, not much further back than the turn of the century though. They're like giant phonebooks. You look up the street, and it lists all the addresses on that street at that time, and the owner at that time.

Once you have a name there are numerous different ways you can go with it.

Yes there are pretty informative. In high school I used the directories to find out who built our house and who lived it over the years. I think it also advised where the home owner was employed.

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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I also heard that St. Mark's and the First Congregational church were once in a battle for the tallest steeple and it got quite contentious. Each increased the size of their steeples several times. I don't remember who eventually won.

Joe

Do you mean St. Marks? Their site mentions that although the parish was incorporated in 1836, the church building wasn't complete until 1848.

Although it itsn't mentioned in their history, I might have read somewhere that the original facade was constructed out of stone from the Grand River. Apparently it didn't wear very well as it was too soft and had to be replaced. I thought it was St. Marks, but I'm not positive.

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Fountain Street Church looks fairly old. Any idea when it was built? Requardless of age, the architecture is awsome placing it on my list of favorite buildings in GR.

"The Romanesque Basilica was dedicated in 1924 after an earlier Gothic sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1917."

www.fountainstreet.org also has a virtual tour.

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AlexPKeaton Burg

AlexPKeaton

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How would an at-grade boulevard really make things any better? It would still be a busy road, people would still drive fast because it's a through road, but you'd just be throwing right angle turns and pedestrians into the mix. I'd like the idea more if there were a full beltway system in Grand Rapids that would keep through traffic out of downtown, and then possibly removing all the freeways cutting through town. They'd still be major streets for sure, but ideally lined with stores and such. Think Woodward or any of the other "spokes" in Detroit, but without all the burned out buildings.

-nb

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Ted Whistle-Stop

Ted

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Faster, Faster........sterb022.gif

Just kidding

Final draft of the AIAGV Guide to Architecture is finished and off to the graphic designer.

I will post estimated delivery dates when they become available.

All interested in West Michigan architectural history should find this work to be worth a look.

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dbrok Hamlet

dbrok

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Rizzo, when these do hit the street they will be free. The guide will be a brochure format.

Will they be distributed at restaurants, coffee shops, Grand Central Market etc around the city or will they be available at the Library or other government buildings?

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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Will they be distributed at restaurants, coffee shops, Grand Central Market etc around the city or will they be available at the Library or other government buildings?

Don't know how we're going to distribute them yet. We were thinking library, airport, bus station, yadda yadda yadda.....

That will be a good topic for our board meeting next Tuesday.

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Ted Whistle-Stop

Ted

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Don't know how we're going to distribute them yet. We were thinking library, airport, bus station, yadda yadda yadda.....

That will be a good topic for our board meeting next Tuesday.

Party hats at the next GR Planeteer gathering, perhaps?

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