Compiled and Edited by
William J. Etten
Copyright © 1926 by A. P. Johnson Company.
Table of ContentsIn Primeval Days, 1
What Louis Campau Saw, 2
First Comers Were French, 6
Under Three Flags, 7Louis Campau Founds City, 9
His Two Marriages, 10
Arrival at Grand Rapids, 13
Buys the Heart of Grand Rapids for $90, 14
Uncle Louis Amasses Wealth, 15
Beginning of His Evil Days, 16
His Mansion on the Hill, 17
Some Episodes in His Life, 20
His Last Will and Testament, 22
Estimates of His Character, 24
Sophie de Marsac Campau, 27First Easterners Arrive, 31
Coming Through the Wilderness, 32
Beginning of the Boom, 33
Beginnings of the Farms, 36
First Merchants and Pioneer Mechanics, 37
Early Map, 38 - See Photos
The Village of 1837, 40
Days of Fever and Ague, 41
First Weddings and Births, 42Ten Years of Depression, 43
Some Other Early Workers, 44
Grand Rapids in 1844-1845
Grand Rapids in 1846, 47
City Resumes Its Growth, 49Grand Rapids or Kent?, 50
Early Map, 52 - See PhotosCounty, Township, Village, City, 53
Walker Township Organized
Grand Rapids Township OrganizedThe City of Grand Rapids, 59
Early Bridges - See Photos
Village of Grand Rapids
City Charter of 1857, 62From Indian Trails To Paved Streets, 64
Some Early Physicians, 66Pay Day for the Indians, 67
Some Early Hotels, 68
Old Time Amusements and Theaters, 71Early Churches, 73
Baptist, 73
Park Congregational, 74
Roman Catholic, 75
Early Churches - See Photos
Episcopal, 78
Methodist, 79
Presbyterian, 81
Dutch Reformed, 81
Second Reformed, 82
Hebrew, 82
Swedenborgian, 82
Universalist, 83
Lutheran, 83River Transportation, 85
Bridges and Canals, 84 - See Photos
Canals and Dams, 86
Gypsum Quarries and Plaster Mills, 87
Houses of the Pioneers, 88Court House, Jail and City Hall, 89
What's Beneath Grand Rapids, 91Courts of Record, 92
Kent County Circuit Court, 92
Probate Court, 93
Superior Court, 93
United States District Court, 94Newspapers, 95
Grand Rapids Times and Its Successors, 95
Early downtown Grand Rapids - See Photos
Grand Rapids Eagle, 97
Grand Rapids Daily Times, 97
The Evening Leader, 97
Grand Rapids Herald and Its Predecessors, 97
Grand Rapids Press, 98Early Fire Fighters, 99
1873 Fire, 100 - See Photos
Managers of the Fire Department, 103
Fire Marshals, 103Bridges Across the Grand River, 105
Bridge Street Bridge, 105
Leonard Street Bridge, 107
Pearl Street Bridge, 107
Early Downtown Views, 106 - See PhotosOur Meandering Post Office, 108
Schools, 111
Early School buildings, 110 - See Photos
Old Stone School House, 112
Coldbrook School District, 113
Early West Side Schools, 113
High School buildings, 114 - See Photos
Three School Districts Consolidated, 115
Some Old Time Private Schools, 116
Present Public School System, 117
Elementary School buildings, 118 - See Photos
Health Activities in Schools, 119
The High Schools, 119
Junior College, 120
Superintendents and Present Management, 120
Salaries of Teachers, 120
Calvin College, 121
Denominational Schools, 121Water Supply, 122
City Water System, 123
Water System of Today, 125
Filtration Plant Constructed, 126
Filtration Plant building, 127 - See PhotosIn The Logging Days, 129
Log Running and "Hogging", 129
Log Jam of 1883, 130Floods That Wrought Havoc, 132
Early Members of the Bar, 133
Public Buildings, 134 - See PhotosBanks, Old and New, 138
Bank and Hotel buildings, 140 - See Photos
Old National Bank and Its Predecessors, 138
Other Early Banks, 139
Grand Rapids National Bank, 141
Grand Rapids Savings Bank, 142
Kent State Bank, 142
Industrial Bank, 142
Home State Bank for Savings, 142
Michigan Trust Company, 143
Grand Rapids Trust Company, 143
Clearing House Association, 143
A Perfect Record, 143Patriots in Civil War Times, 144
Civil War Monument, 146 - See PhotosGrand Rapids in the World War, 149
Street Cars----Horse, Cable, and Electric, 153
Street Cars and Stage Coaches, 154 - See Photos
Interurban Electric Line, 156Gas Company's Growth Since 1857. 157
Hospitals, 163
Hospitals, YMCA, YWCA, Children's Home, 162 - See Photos
Butterworth, 163
Blodgett Memorial, 164
St. Mary's, 166
D. A. Blodgett Home for Children, 166Public Library, 167
Public Library Trust Funds, 169
Other Trust Funds, 170The Furniture Capital of America, 171
Furniture Factories, 172 and 176 - See Photos
Furniture of Quality, 175
Grand Rapids Market Association, 177Development of Telephone Service, 178
Citizens Telephone Company, 179
Two Systems Combined, 180Parks, Playgrounds and Boulevards, 181
Grand Rapids Welfare Union, 183
Association of Commerce, 189
Business buildings, 188 - See PhotosYoung Men's Christian Association, 189
Young Women's Christian Association, 190
Liberty Loan Subscriptions, 194
Kent County subscribed for $38,460,400 Liberty bonds during the World War drives for funds; First, $4,063,650; Second, $8,481,000; Third, $6,502,200; Fourth, $11,420,350; Victory, $7,993,200. It went over the top in every call. Subscriptions in the city proper were about $30,000,000.Present City Management, 195
City Officials, 197
Kent County Officers, 197
State Legislative Representatives, 197Grand Rapids in 1926, 199
Industrial Statistics for 1923, 203
Business and the Professions, 203
Clubs, 204Of the more than fifty clubs in Grand Rapids there are these: Advertising, Alibi Gun, Altrusa, Army-Navy, Big Brothers, Business Girls', Business and Professional Woman's, Century, Engineering, Exchange, Building Owners, Business Woman's, Buyers, Credit Men's. Federation of Woman's, Hotel Men's, Rotary, Motor, Radio Listeners, Transportation, Universal, Woman's City, Kiwanis, Lions, Metropolitan, Michigan Traffic, Midday, Optimist, Round Table, Triangle, University, Zonta, Women's University, Ladies' Literary, St. Cecilia, Boat and Canoe, Peninsular, Elks, Moose, Camera, Schubert, West Side Woman's, Igdrasil.Present Day Churches, 205Population of Grand Rapids
1826 About 20
(White population.)1835 75 to 100 1837 500
(Vicinity.)1838 700
(Vicinity.)1840 880 1850 2686 1860 8085 1870 16,507 1880 32,016 1890 60,278 1900 87,565 1910 112,571 1920 137,634 1921 141,197 1922 145,947 1923 153,877 1924 159,910 1925 163,500 1926 169,000 * 1840 to 1920, inclusive, government census.
** 1921 to 1926, inclusive, estimated.
Contact County Coordinator: evlynsaw@comcast.net