605 Lafayette Ave NE
347 N Lafayette before 1912
http://maps.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/website/countymap/image.pl?ppn=41-14-19-333-031
E 88 FT OF S 1/2 OF LOT 19 & E 88 FT OF N 12 1/2 FT OF LOT 20* CORBIT S & CO ADDITION
It had brown asphalt siding. It had a stone foundation.
L268 P27 18 Oct 1948 WD GR Mutual Savings and Loan to Frank and Irene Kosakowski
Permit History
Jul 12, 1946 Frank Kosakowski convert to 2 family
Jul 25, 1950 Frank Kosakowski convert to gas burner
Apr 22, 1957 Frank Kosakowski Rebuild rear shed onto house
and build basement stairs
The Residents:
1900 Census Page 58 - James Johns
1912 City Directory - John H Anderson
1930 Census Pg 71 - Harold V. Caire, City surveyor
1950 - This house is where the Koskakowski family lived. The back door opened into a rough enclosed porch. The basement stairs led downstairs from this porch. Then the kitchen. Opposite of the kitchen was a long narrow bathroom that had been added-on. It was necessary to step down to get in and it had two doors, one on each end, both off the kitchen. It was a two-family. Mr. Koskakowski was the only person I ever saw go down into the basement. The stairs were closed off by a swinging wood gate. I am just guessing, but I'll bet it was originally an outdoor entrance and was probably a partial Michigan basement just under the kitchen. He had hunting dogs in an enclosure under the back exterior stairs to the upstairs apartment. He hunted squirrels.
They had at least three kids - Bob, Mary and Margie who was my age.. She attended St. Alphonsus. She ate orange popsicles and always wanted to play Sorry (parcheesi).
From article My neighborhood
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info