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Old GR postcards


ZachariahDaMan

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gr.jpg

^This was sent in 1947 to Jackson, MI. It says "Dear Jennie, we sure are having a grand time"

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^The back of this one says the Pantlind Hotel has 750 rooms, Mocha dining room, cafeteria and men's grill. A floor of seven foot beds for tall people. The person wrote "Oct 18, 1949, We had to go through an underground tunnel to get to the auditorium."

Feel free to post your old postcards too.

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I don't know if I'm doing adding the scans correctly but here are some cards out of my GR collection. These are all postmarked between 1904-1931. The real photo ones of Grand Rapids seem to be the hardest to find.

First GR postcards

GR postcards2

GR postcards3

NM, I can't seem to figure out the proper picture format.

grpcs.jpg

I don't know if I'm doing adding the scans correctly but here are some cards out of my GR collection. These are all postmarked between 1904-1931. The real photo ones of Grand Rapids seem to be the hardest to find.

First GR postcards

GR postcards2

GR postcards3

NM, I can't seem to figure out the proper picture format.

grpcs.jpg

grpcs2.jpg

grpcs3.jpg

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...

...

Feel free to post your old postcards too.

Mmmmm, postcards.

Zack, run over to the A2 Antique Show. Someone there will have postcards from all over Michigan.

After a while one has to specialize. I collect old dance halls (yes, I have Reed's Lake, the Belle Isle Casino, and one at a local park), dancers dancing, two-wheelers, LARGE LETTERS, and cityscapes where the pictured buildings still stand or the location is still identifiable.

[got into $$$trouble at the Allegan antique show...better than Ebay, and no shipping!]

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Thanks for the suggestion, I just found out about that recently. I'll be going to it sometime in July.

Purchased a new postcard today, for fun can you guys name what is in each letter.

G- there was a postcard of that exact same view where I went today but decided not to get it.

R is the Civic Auditorium

image-4.jpg

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Thanks for the suggestion, I just found out about that recently. I'll be going to it sometime in July.

Purchased a new postcard today, for fun can you guys name what is in each letter.

G- there was a postcard of that exact same view where I went today but decided not to get it.

R is the Civic Auditorium

image-4.jpg

G = Mackay Tower

R =

A = looks like Central HS

N= Veterans Park

D=

R=

A=

P= now Clearwater Place (?)

I= Fountain Street fountain??

D= Reeds Lake

S= part of Davenport Univ

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G = Mackay Tower

R =

A = looks like Central HS

N= Veterans Park

D=

R=

A=

P= now Clearwater Place (?)

I= Fountain Street fountain??

D= Reeds Lake

S= part of Davenport Univ

R is the old GR Public Museum on Jefferson; D is McKay Tower. G is another older high rise that I am sure a bunch of people will recognize.

Don't know the second "A" but P may be a country club. Cascade?

R is the old GR Public Museum on Jefferson; D is McKay Tower. G is another older high rise that I am sure a bunch of people will recognize.

Don't know the second "A" but P may be a country club. Cascade?

Dang it, "G" is McKay Tower. Sorry, Veloise.

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G: McKay Tower

R: Public Museum

A: ? Maybe Veteran's Home

N: Fulton Street Park

D: McKay again

R: Civic Auditorium

A: A Heritage Hill Home?

P: John Ball Park?

I: Could be the zoo too, it had some fancy landscaping.

P: Reeds Lake

S: I think Veloise has it correct.

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After a little research at the online library photo archive:

The second A is definitely a home in heritage hills. It's Warren Hall (T. Stewart White House) at 427 Fulton and home of the Grand Rapids Furniture Museum from 1936-1959.

That does look like the Veterans Home in the other A, showing the front central gable and arched windows, with one of the long porches visible in the lower right. Apparently this would be the period after the tower was removed. However, if this really is the veterans home, it should have light (sandstone) trim and gables that aren't depicted.

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I was wondering if you guys knew something, in my first post in this thread I mentioned that someone wrote that they took an underground tunnel from the Pantlind Hotel to the Civic Auditorium, any idea of that tunnel is still there?

I don't know for sure, but unless it was removed to make way for underground utilities, it's quite possible that it is still there. In the Civic, there used to be (and still might be) a lobbly-like space under the main lobby. You used to be able to get to this space from the basement exhibition hall. The tunnel probably originally lead there.

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I don't know for sure, but unless it was removed to make way for underground utilities, it's quite possible that it is still there. In the Civic, there used to be (and still might be) a lobbly-like space under the main lobby. You used to be able to get to this space from the basement exhibition hall. The tunnel probably originally lead there.

In fact, there was an entire basement level under the main Civic Auditorium floor. It was used as overflow space or for such low-profile events as Cub Scout/Boy Scout exhibitions. I remember going to a war relics convention, for example.

I have a very vague recollection of a tunnel between the Pantlind and the Civic. It would have made sense, given that the Pantlind was THE hotel in GR, the place where visiting Presidential candidates, opera divas, et al. stayed when in the Furniture City.

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I was wondering if you guys knew something, in my first post in this thread I mentioned that someone wrote that they took an underground tunnel from the Pantlind Hotel to the Civic Auditorium, any idea of that tunnel is still there?

Unless things have changed since 1997 when I worked there the tunnel does exist and is used frequently for food serrvice between the hotel and DeVos place. It's really nothing special. It's just another hallway in a maze of hallways that make up the basement of the hotel. You wouldn't even realize you're in a "tunnel."

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Unless things have changed since 1997 when I worked there the tunnel does exist and is used frequently for food serrvice between the hotel and DeVos place. It's really nothing special. It's just another hallway in a maze of hallways that make up the basement of the hotel. You wouldn't even realize you're in a "tunnel."

When I worked downtown I recall someone once telling me that you could walk from nearly one end of town to the other completely underground via tunnels, parking structures, etc. but that most of it was closed up for security reasons. Were they just messing with my head (sort of like how the seniors would sell "elevator keys" to the freshman in my SINGLE STORY high school)? Was this just an urban legend or does anyone know where all these tunnels are?

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They are not that extensive, but most of the core buildings are linked by catacombs and access tunnels. Most of it is due to the steam heating and the required service tunnels. Also, there are a few that go up to Spectrum. They are still used today for deliveries, data cables, and heat.

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  • 4 years later...

Went shopping at the antique show, brought home some new ephemera.

pant1.jpg

Looove the appearance of the building above the word Campau. This predates Mackay Tower.

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Just found this one in my on-line stash. Enjoy it now because it'll get torn down.

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Location?

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They tore this down for the post office?!?

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Love this view, taken from a balloon held by the spaceman in his former location (and blowing slightly towards the restroom building)

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Vegetation at the GRCC plaza

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Location? This is now Monroe Center, IIRC. (Monroe Ave is the former Canal St)

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While I'm in here, looks like I have others that were heretofore unshared.

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All at the same corner:

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5c_1_b.jpg

eBay_Store_March_Grand_Rapids_Bank.jpg

Now Veterans Park

ryersonpark.jpg

Bike!

fultonstpk.jpg

morton3.jpgmorton1.jpg

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Went shopping at the antique show, brought home some new ephemera.

Location? This is now Monroe Center, IIRC. (Monroe Ave is the former Canal St)

monroe.jpg

You are looking west at the intersection of Monroe Street and Justice Street. Now known as Monroe Center and Ottawa Avenue.

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