Roads and Streets
The early roads into the village of Grand Rapids were along Indian trails, and the influence of these trails on the city can still be seen today.
In 1922, Leo Robinson and Don Gildersleeve opened a radio supply store on Diamond Ave to bring, nearly non-existent, home radio to Grand Rapids. It took Robinson and Gildersleeve two years of hard work to create a radio station on par with other, larger cities. WEBK was formed in 1924 to broadcast shows from other cities. A year later, WEBK was on the air full time. In 1926, the WEBK call-letters were changed to WOOD.
The early roads into the village of Grand Rapids were along Indian trails, and the influence of these trails on the city can still be seen today.
The only institution of its kind in the world, the Michigan Fish Commission's hatchery was located within three miles of Grand Rapids.
The Irish seemed to have followed the direction of the westward movement on the Erie Canal and later the railroads.
The first trade established in the village of Grand Rapids was that of blacksmith, and the carpenters were not far behind.
Two fine elm trees stood on Bostwick St. At least three feet in diameter, and sixty feet high, their wide tops shaded both sides of the street. The city was ready to cut them down.
More than one town has claimed itself the GOP's birthplace. One of those towns was Grand Rapids, back in 1854.
Several enterprising youngsters, bent on the possession of an automobile, but not having the price of one, contrived a ride in a horseless carriage.
For 19th century women, making a living was fraught with hurdles. Nora Husted found way to support herself and her five children by making face cream in her kitchen from an old family recipe. It grew into a Grand Rapids business that lasted over 50 years.
A small group of nine women were responsible for the construction, in 1893, of the St. Cecilia building, dedicated to the purpose of music.
Jess Elster was a symbol of semi-pro baseball. He came to Grand Rapids in 1904 and played his first season as a catcher the next year. When he died in December of 1950, he had been "Mr. Baseball" of the city for almost 50 years.
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