USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I > Part 25
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PUBLIC PARKS.
Grand Rapids has a park system in which its citizens take a par- donable pride. It consists of 398 acres, scattered throughout the city, and there is not a man, woman or child living in any part of Grand Rapids who cannot reach an open space of grass, water and fresh air in a five minute's walk from home. And most of the park lands have been acquired by the city within the last quarter century. It was not until 1905 that Grand Rapids citizens fully awoke to the realization that the city needed parks. Long before that time the Monument Park, Foster Park, Lincoln Place, Fulton Street, John Ball, Highland, Lincoln, Creston, Crescent, Lookout, and Pearl Parks had been acquired by the city. Four of them are sufficiently large and pre- tentious to be properly called parks, and these are: John Ball Park (137.41 acres), forty acres of which was bequeathed to the city by the late John Ball. This fine park is located at the westerly end of Fulton street, between Sibley street and Butterworth street, and ex- tends west to the city limits. The original park, forty acres, was
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bequeathed to the city by the late John Ball, in 1869, and the widow's interest was acquired April 22, 1884, for $750. An adjoining 17.3 acres was acquired Aug. 5, 1891, from Agnes Fitzpatrick, for $8,500. The north forty acres was purchased from Thomas F. Carroll, I. M. Turner, Mrs. F. B. Turner, and the Fourth National Bank, Nov. 2, 1895, for $21,500. An adjoining nine and one-half acres was pur- chased from Agnes Fitzpatrick, Oct. 22, 1897, for $5,000. A strip of seven acres adjoining the north forty on the west was deeded to the city Sept. 4, 1906, by Julia A. Richards, under an agreement to make certain improvements without cost to her. An adjoining 22.46 acres was acquired by purchase from the McNamara estate for $29,300. The present area of this park is 137.41 acres, and it cost, exclusive of improvements, $65,050. Its present estimated value is $207,200. High- land Park contains 34.22 acres. One and one-half acres of this park, lying north of the Grand Trunk Railway, between Grand avenue and Union avenue, was purchased from Alpheus Bissell and wife, Mel- ville R. Bissell and wife, and Benjamin A. Harlan, April 29, 1873, for $1,200, and three and one-half acres were donated by the same par- ties. In March, 1911, ten parcels were purchased from the Bissell estate, Mrs. Bissell, Coit estate, Kennedy & Thompson, and others, for $18,225. In 1911 and 1912 the park was extended by purchase to Bissell street on the north and College avenue on the west at a cost of $13,000. The present estimated value of this park is $60,000. Lin- coln Park (between fifteen and sixteen acres) is situated between Bridge street, Jackson street, Garfield avenue and Marion avenue, and was purchased in June, 1873, from Theodore F. and Julia A. Rich- ards, Jane D., Charles F., Edward A., and Emma L., Clarence R., and Ania M. Tuttle, for $10,000. Its present estimated value is $70,000. Creston Park contains fifteen and two-tenths acres. This lovely park is situated around and above the old water-works settling basin, which is situated so low down that it is nearly out of sight from the upper portion of this park, and is surrounded by shrubbery and lawns. Ten acres of this park was purchased July 26, 1875, for $15,000. On Feb. 25, 1911, about one acre was purchased from the Oliver Machinery Company. The present estimated value of the park is $25,000.
As above stated, these four were the only ones sufficiently large in extent to deserve the name of parks, when the present park system was established in 1905, and the others were in reality only ornamen- tal city squares. They were: Monument Park (about six-hundredths of an acre), which is in reality' only a triangular grass plot orna- mented with handsome flower beds and a soldiers' monument, erected as a result of private subscription. This park originally contained five acres, as was acquired by condemnation proceedings in the Cir- cuit Court from the estate of Lyman I. Daniels, Sept. 1, 1843. The portion north of Monroe avenue was sold, leaving the present site bounded by Fulton street, Monroe avenue and Division avenue. Its present estimated value is $31,500. Foster Park (twenty-nine hun- dredths of an acre) is at the corner of State and Cherry streets, and was donated to the city, Aug. 8, 1849, by Canton Smith. Its present estimated value is $6,000. Lincoln Place, lying at the corner of State and Washington streets, was donated to the city, Aug. 8, 1849, by Canton Smith. Its area is eleven one-hundredths of an acre and its present estimated value is $6,000. Fulton Street Park, lying between
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East and West Park avenues, Fulton street and Library street, was purchased from Louis and Sophia Campau, Aug. 12, 1852, for $600. It has an area of 1.65 acres, and its present estimated value is $364,- 967. A handsome fountain ornaments it, and it is improved with grass plots, trees, walks, etc. Crescent Park (ninety-five hundredths of an acre) is on Bostwick avenue, between Lyon street and Michigan street. The south one-half was purchased from Arthur and Charlotte Meigs, Aug. 2, 1887, for $500, and the north one-half was donated by T. H. Cuming and G. K. Johnson. Its present estimated value is $15,000. Lookout Park, containing about two acres, nearly adjoins the reservoir property and is located at the northwest corner of Fair- view avenue and Newbury street, and was purchased from Mary E. Crosby, in 1893, for $4,500. Pearl Park, containing one-tenth of an acre, is located at Walker avenue, Seventh street and Fremont ave- nue, and was designated as a park by resolution, July 22, 1895. Its estimated value is $200. Antoine Campau Park, lying between Divi- sion avenue, Ryerson street, Ionia avenue and Delaware street, was donated to the city by Martin A. Ryerson, of Chicago, July 10, 1899. It has an area of 3,58 acres and its present estimated value is $35,000. DeCommer Park, lying on Grant street, was declared a public park by ordinance Jan. 29, 1900. It has an area of one-tenth of an acre, and its present estimated value is $500. This completes the list of parks up to 1905.
Prior to the year named there was no park board. But the new charter, adopted in 1905, provided for a park board consisting of five members, and Mayor Edwin F. Sweet appointed on the first board J. Boyd Pantlind, Herman G. Barlow, Frank E. Pulte, Lester J. Rindge, and Charles B. Blair. J. Boyd Pantlind was chosen president of the board. In 1906, the playgrounds, located on Madison avenue and Burton street, were donated to the city by Charles W. and Jessie S. Garfield and Julia L. Fletcher. These playgrounds have an area of twenty-five acres and their estimated value is $50,000. The follow- ing year, six acres, constituting the Mary Waters' Field, located on Lafayette avenue, Legrand street and North avenue, was donated to the city by Dudley E. and Florence Hills Waters. Its present esti- mated value is $10,000. Julius Houseman Field, located between Dia- mond avenue, Houseman avenue and Sophie street, was donated to the city, March 22, 1907, by Hattie Houseman Amberg, as a memo- rial to her father, Julius Houseman. It has an area of six acres and its present estimated value is $10,000. This is under the direction and control of the Board of Education. Susan N. Baldwin gave a tract of one-tenth of an acre, located at Lake Drive and Fulton street, the following year, and the park was named in her honor. Its pres- ent estimated value is $1,500.
Coit Park, located at the north side of Hall street, between the Pere Marquette Railway and Rathbun avenue, was presented to the city by the D. W. Coit estate, and was accepted by the council June 13, 1910. It has an area of seven and one-third acres and its present estimated value is $3,500. The North Avenue Playgrounds, situated on the east side of North avenue, between More street and the Grand Trunk Railway, was presented to the city Feb. 16, 1911, also by the D. W. Coit estate. It has an area of seventy-six hundredths of an acre and its present estimated value is $500.
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On April 15, 1911, the city purchased from Lillian B. Ricken- baugh and others the property at the northwest corner of Cherry street and Eastern avenue, and in November and December of that year acquired the two lots immediately adjoining on the west. This playground has an area of about 1:54 acres and cost $18,500.
On May 9, 1911, the city purchased from Crabb & Hunter the property on Madison avenue and during April and May purchased the three lots adjoining on Delaware street, at a total cost of about $15,- 000. This playground has an area of two acres.
Briggs Park, situated on the extreme northern boundary of the city, and comprising twelve acres on Knapp street, east of Wartrous avenue, was purchased from Charles S. Briggs, Nov. 1, 1911, for $6,000. Its present estimated value is $10,000.
Harrison Park, comprising 18.1 acres in the northwestern part of the city, lies between Muskegon and Alpine avenues, north of Myr- tle street. It was acquired from the Harrison Land Company and John and Charles Barr, together with adjoining property, in Novem- ber, 1911. The investment amounted to $44,000, which will be large- ly reduced by the sale of the property outside of the park area. The present estimated value of the park itself is $30,000.
Franklin Street Park is located on the south side of Franklin street, between Benjamin avenue and Fuller avenue. The greater part of it was. purchased from F. K. Cargill and McPherson Brothers in 1911, several smaller parcels adjoining being also purchased, and Mrs. Eliza S. McConnell Butler generously donated six lots. The area of the park is twenty acres and cost about $21,000. In 1906 the city purchased about one acre across Fuller avenue for a standpipe, at a cost of $1,350. The present estimated value of the park is $50,000.
Third Street Playgrounds, situated at the corner of Broadway avenue and Third street, was acquired by purchase during 1911 and 1912, at a cost of $23,000. Its present area is 1.75 acres.
Rumsey Park is located on Godfroy avenue, between Franklin avenue and B street, and was acquired in 1911 and 1912 from the Grand Rapids Gas Company and several other property owners, at a cost of about $25,000. George A. Rumsey, James L. Rumsey, Ellen M. Wyman, and Martha R. Simonds donated eighteen lots for this park. It has an area of twelve acres and its present estimated value is $35,000.
Wilcox Park is situated between Milton street, Youell avenue and Edward Lowe's property, and was purchased from the East End Land Company and several small holders, in 1911, for about $19,480. Four lots were acquired from the Reed's Lake Avenue Company by condemnation proceedings, at a cost of $1,100. The area of this park is 11.5 acres. In 1913 about three acres more land was purchased with a fund of $10,000, bequeathed by Frederick P. Wilcox, for the purchase of park lands in this section of the city. The present esti- mated value of this park is $35,000.
Comstock Riverside Park was presented to the city by Mrs. Clara C. Russell and Mrs. Etta M. Boltwood. This beautiful site comprises forty acres on the bank of Grand River and extends from the Soldiers' Home to the Hydraulic Company's pumping station. An
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additional parcel of land containing about fifty acres, adjoining this on the east, was purchased by the city, Sept. 4, 1917, at a price of $10,458. The present estimated value of the park is $30,458.
Ellsworth Avenue Park is located on Market avenue and Ells- worth avenue. It has an area of eight-hundredths of an acre and its present estimated value is $1,500. Hosken Park lies between Lake Drive, Cherry street and Diamond avenue, and the records do not show when or how it was acquired. It has an area of one-tenth of an acre and its present estimated value is $100. Michigan Street Park is located at Michigan street and Coit avenue. It has an area of one- fifth of an acre and its present estimated value is $5,000. Reservoir Park comprises the bluffs north of the city reservoir and covers about twenty-eight acres of this sightly hill. It was acquired from Tag- gart, Denison & Judd and several small holders, in 1911, at a cost of nearly $30,000. Extensive improvements have been made. The estimates of acreage and value are those made by the park governing board.
An organization of representative men, styling themselves the Park and Boulevard Association, has extensive plans for the im- provements and extensions of the park and boulevard system. A definite plan of action in the acquirement of park lands and the lay- ing of boulevards and driveways is being carried out. It has numer- ous plans for the immediate future, such as constructing a boulevard to encircle Reed's Lake and opening driveways in other directions. The board has under consideration also the establishment of chil- dren's playgrounds all over the city, so that these places of sport may be even more accessible to the youngsters than the parks. Eugene V. Goebel, experienced in landscape gardening and park management, is superintendent of the public parks.
ORGANIZED CHARITIES, HOSPITALS, ETC.
"The poor ye always have with you." This indictment of the so- cial system which existed nineteen hundred years ago is equally ap- plicable to that of the Twentieth century, and Grand Rapids is no ex- ception to the universal rule in these later days. But the benevolence of the city's more prosperous population in the support of the great number of charitable organizations for the aid of the unfortunate ones who are unable to keep the wolf from the door, is one of the things of which the Furniture City may well be proud. Nearly all of the 138 churches of Grand Rapids have auxiliary societies, composed mostly of the women of the church, which deal more or less with charitable work, and there are numerous asylums and. homes within the city. The municipality and the county, with poor departments, contribute largely to the succor of the poor, and besides there is the Associated Charities, which is perhaps the largest single agency for the relief of the financially distressed.
The first meeting for organized charity ever held in Grand Rap- ids was held on Dec. 16, 1846, in response to a call issued in the vil- lage papers, at the schoolhouse on Prospect Hill. Those present formed themselves by resolution into a benevolent society for the re- lief of the poor and the destitute within the village. The first officers of the society were Mrs. C. Cuming, president; Mrs. W. G. Henry,
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secretary, and Mrs. Lucinda Shepard, treasurer. This was a season of great business depression, when men were out of work, and their families suffering for the necessaries of life, as a consequence of this lack of employment. The society was maintained by donations and subscriptions. There was from the first a desire to establish a chari- table institution and, with this end in view, a lot was purchased on East Fulton street. The establishment of this institution became a subject of much discussion, and different plans were proposed and advocated. Finally, in 1858, a corporation was formed, known as the Grand Rapids Orphan Asylum Association. The same year a small house was rented on Prospect street, and opened for use, with Mrs. Lucia Johnson, a most excellent and capable woman, as matron. Soon thereafter, a small house on Lagrave street was purchased and occupied by the society. Here for six years its work was done. But in 1861 every heart and hand were given to our sick and suffering soldiers, and Grand Rapids hospitals absorbed all interests. As a consequence, the work of the society lagged, and when, in the fall of 1863, the matron died from the effect of her services at the camp hos- pitals, the ladies were obliged to close the little home. But in the try- ing years during and following the close of the Civil War the society maintained its existence, and in January, 1873, it became the Union Benevolent Association, with a charter providing for all kinds of benevolent work, and with the privilege of maintaining and manag- ing a home and a hospital for the aged, the infirm, the sick, and the needy. A transfer of property was made and negotiations commenced for a suitable building, which resulted in the purchase of the old Cuming homestead on Bostwick street, near Lyon. This building was occupied until the erection of the Union Benevolent Association Home, at the corner of College avenue and Lyon street, which was ready for occupancy in February, 1886. This home remained in use until, by the generosity of John W. Blodgett, the present commodious and handsome building, known as the Blodgett Memorial Hospital, was erected. The present building is very satisfactory and conveni- ent and most admirably suited for its purpose.
The Butterworth Hospital, located on Bostwick avenue at the southwest corner of Michigan street, had its origin in the kindly im- pulses and sympathetic hearts of the ladies of the congregation of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, who felt that a place of shelter should be provided for deserving ones who might otherwise be compelled to seek the cold charity of the world. This movement was started in 1873, before any of the numerous institutions, which have since as- sumed a share of the burdens, had come into existence. Among the ladies who founded this worthy charity was Mrs. H. W. Hinsdale. In the beginning they labored under many difficulties,but finally suc- ceeded in opening the doors of a comfortable home, and by the gen- erosity of R. E. Butterworth and other generous donations and sub- scriptions from the people of Grand Rapids, the present fine hospital was erected and is maintained.
Among the most notable charitable institutions where destitute people are cared for in the city are: The Holland Union Benevolent Association Home, a home for aged, indigent and infirm persons of general good conduct and character, under the management of trus- tees with Justus C. Hertstein as superintendent, 1450 East Fulton
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street ; Home for the Aged, conducted by the Little Sisters of the Poor at 240 Lafayette avenue; Home of the Good Shepherd, at 1315 Walker street; Christian Psychopathic Hospital, 701 Bristol avenue; Kent County Juvenile Home, Mrs. Pauline Regester superintendent, east side of Walker street, third north of Leonard street; Woman's Home and Hospital, Daisy V. Welbourn matron, 1435 East Fulton street ; D. A. Blodgett Home for Children, 920 Cherry street; St. John's Orphans' Home, under the superintendency of the Dominican Sisters, north side of Leonard, between North and Lafayette avenues ; St. Mary's Hospital, in charge of the Sisters of Mercy, 250 Cherry street ; St. Mary's Hospital Nurses' Home, 217 Lafayette avenue; St. Mary's Maternity Home, 215 Lafayette avenue; St. Raphael's Home in charge of the Sisters of Mercy, 227 Lafayette avenue; Salvation Army Evangeline Home and Hospital for Girls, 1215 East Fulton street, and several others. Each of these has its special form of charity and all are doing a great amount of good. The hospital accommoda- tions of Grand Rapids are abundant, and besides those mentioned in the foregoing are the City Contagious Disease Hospital on Fuller ave- nue opposite Flat street; the DeVore Hospital and Sanitarium, at 417-423 Clancy avenue, and of which Frances L. J. DeVore is super- intendent ; The Keeley Institute of Michigan, at 733-735 Ottawa ave- nue; Reed's Lake Sanitarium, of whom Thomas B. O'Keefe is the medical director and treasurer, and the Tuberculosis Sanitarium, on Fuller avenue opposite Flat street.
Thus it will be seen that the people of Grand Rapids have by charity or otherwise made ample provision for the sick and suffering among them, and the hospitals are well supplied with the requisites demanded by modern sanitary science, being in these respects fully abreast of the time. And besides the regularly established hospitals there are a number of asylums, houses of refuge, industrial schools for boys and girls, homes for the aged and the friendless ; for the way- ward, for infants, for foundlings, and for orphans; there are also, as have been enumerated, several benevolent aid societies and associa- tions largely maintained by the charity of citizens, and designed to care for the infirm, the destitute, the struggling, the fallen; to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and bind up the wounds of the afflicted.
NATIONAL SOLDIERS' HOME.
Although not strictly a Grand Rapids institution, and not alto- gether one of charity-what the soldier gets is his by rights-the Na- tional Soldiers' Home is one of the things which justly merits local pride. The United States is foremost among the nations of the earth in caring for its needy former soldiers. The home which it estab- lished here was the direct outgrowth of a movement or an agitation inaugurated for the purpose of extending aid to soldiers. Byron R. Pierce was a potent factor in securing the location of the home here. It is located on Monroe avenue, one and one-half miles north of the city limits, and comprises 132 acres of land. There are ample accom- modations for the soldiers who desire a home, and here, where the beauties of nature are enhanced by the skill of the landscape artist the inhabitants of the home may spend their declining years in peace.
"Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife."
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NOTABLE FIRES.
Grand Rapids has always had a reasonable good fire department, and has generally managed well in providing securities against loss by fire. But of course the city has had frequent visits from the fire fiend. Prior to 1844 there had been numerous small blazes, but it was on Friday, July 12, of that year, that the first fire of note occurred. The court house, a two-story wood building, which stood on the pub- lic square (now Fulton Street Park), was burned to the ground.
În 1854, on Jan. 15, saw-mills of H. S. Wartrous and David Cas- well, located on Mill street just below Bridge, were destroyed by fire, and on May 16 of the same year, four buildings on the north side of Monroe, above Ionia street, were burned to the ground. Another building was torn down to stop the progress of the fire.
The Bridge Street House, the third wooden hotel erected in Grand Rapids, and which was built in 1837, by or for Charles H. Carroll, was burned on Feb. 10, 1855. It was located on the north- west corner of Bridge and Kent (now Michigan and Bond) streets, and at the time of the fire was kept by Gottlieb Christ. A fire that is sadly remembered, on account of the burning of the county records, was the burning of Taylor & Barns' four-story block, at the south- east corner of old Canal and Lyon streets, and the postoffice build- ing, on Jan. 23, 1860, and which caused a loss of $90,000. The county clerk's, treasurer's and register of deeds' offices were in the Taylor & Barns building at the time, and records of untold value were de- stroyed. On April 15, of the same year, fifteen wooden buildings east of old Canal, between Lyon and Crescent streets, were burned with a loss of $15,000. Another destructive fire was the burning of Letel- lier & Robinson's sash and blind factory, at the corner of old Canal and Trowbridge streets, on the morning of Sept. 7, 1869, with a loss of $15,000. Other notable fires which occurred while the city was dependent, in whole or in part, upon its volunteer fire department for protection, was the burning of John Westcott's house, at the corner of Monroe and Spring streets, in 1853; of nearly all the north half of the block next south of Michigan street, between old Canal and Bond streets, in 1862; of Sweet's Hotel, twelve buildings between Bond and Ottawa streets south of Michigan street and including the Reformed Church, Squier's Opera House and Flouring Mill, the Na- tional Hotel, Butterworth's brick building by the river west of the canal basin and which was used as a coffin factory, buildings each way from the Lovett Block at the corner of old Canal and Pearl streets, and the old Congregational Church and other buildings be- tween Division and Spring streets at Monroe, all of which fires oc- curred in 1872; of the Kent Woolen Mills at Mill street north of Mich- igan, the brush factory at the west end of the Pearl street bridge, Perkins Brothers & Company's tannery near the railroad junction and north city limits, about fifteen acres north of Michigan street and be- tween Bond and Ionia streets, and the Christ brewery, a large estab- lishment, and many other fine buildings of brick and of wood, all of which fires occurred in 1873; and in 1874, on May 26, six buildings on the north side of Bridge street, between Scribner and Turner streets, were burned; on June 4 of the same year, Verdier & Brown's hardware store at 102 old Canal street; on July 7, the Michigan Cen-
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