Chapter Four - The Settling Years
1872-1890
Sheldon 1874
SW ¼, Sec 31, Grand Rapids Twp, Antoine Campau's Subdivision
Tax Address: 1050 Sheldon Ave SE, Southeast of Hall St and Division Ave
1874 - lot purchased by GRPS
1875 - school opens as Primary # 9
1883 - renamed Center Avenue School
1891 - street renamed, Central Avenue School
1892 - addition
1912 - street renamed, Sheldon Avenue School
1912 - additional lots to the east purchased, plans made for new school
1916 - new school opens
1956 - additional lots purchased
2005 - active
Pine 1878
SE ¼ Sec 23 Walker Twp, Panfil Assessor's 21 Plat
Northwest of Bridge St and Pine Ave
Address: lots 507, 509, 511, 515 Pine Ave, 1047 First St.
1878 - lot purchased by GRPS
1879 - school built, called Primary #10
1883 - renamed Pine Street School
1895 - addition built
post 1913 - replaced by five houses adjacent to Wallin Church
c.1965 - I-196
Henry 1879
NE ¼ Sec 31 Grand Rapids Twp, Remington's Addition
Mail: 419 Henry Ave SE Tax: 425 Henry Ave SE, S of Wealthy St, W of Eastern Ave,
1879 - lot purchased by GRPS, School opens as Primary #11
1883 - renamed Henry Street School
1889 - enlarged
1912 - street renamed, Henry Avenue School
1919 - new building
1962 - new building
2006 - new building
Coit 1880
SW 1/4 Sec 19 of Grand Rapids Township, Dexter Fraction
Tax Address: 607 Mailing Address: 617 Coit Ave NE
North of Michigan Street, East of Division Avenue
1880 - lot purchased by GRPS, school opens as Primary #12
1883 - renamed as Coit Avenue School
1908 - addition to the front
1922 - addition to the back
1980 - designated historical landmark as oldest school building
- large addition to the back and heavily remudled.
2005 - active
As Straight would have been Primary #13, the system for naming schools was changed.
Straight 1883
SW 1/4 of Section 25 Walker Twp, Converse and Tolford
Addition
Old Address: Southeast corner of Watson and Straight
c. 1880 - four room house built
1883 - lot on Straight bought and house converted to school called Straight
Street School
1884 - new brick building, old house moved to back of lot
1902 - addition
c. 1908 original schoolhouse sold and moved to 134 Indiana Ave SW
1912 - street renamed, Straight Avenue School
c. 1965 - demolished, school moved to new site at 850 Chatham St NW
1975 - old site sold to City as Straight park
2005 - active at new site
Plainfield 1883
SW 1/4 Sec 18 Grand Rapids Township, A. L Skinner's Addition
Plainfield Avenue School (NE corner Plainfield Av and Quimby St)
Address: Lot 1522, 1533 Plainfield Ave NE
1883 - lot bought
1884 - school opens
1887 - addition
1925 - 1953 - replaced by Eberhard's Grocery Store
2005 - extension of Lafayette Avenue
South Ionia 1884
SE 1/4 Section 36 Walker Twp, Antoine Campau's 2nd Addition
(SW Franklin St and Division Ave)
Possible Address: 100 Franklin St SW or 800 Ionia Ave SW
1884 - lot purchased and school built, South Ionia Street School
1912 - Street renamed, South Ionia Avenue School
1917 - used as Truant School for boys
1921 - only remaining frame school
1928 - closed
1953 - Sanborn shows empty lot
Replaced for Campau
Commons Public Housing See Campau
East Bridge 1884
Section: NE ¼ Sec 30 Grand Rapids Twp, Coit and Curtis
Partition
Address (SW Michigan and College)
1884 - lot purchased by GRPS
1885 - school built
1890 - addition
1909 - street renamed, Michigan Street School
1929 - sold and converted to Calvary Church
c. 1962 - church remodels school building and razes home on Allen Park Place for
parking lot
c. 1980 - demolished
2005 - medical building built on site of parking lot
Seventh1884
SE 1/4 of Section 23 Walker Township, Van Buren and Turner
possible address: 828 Seventh St NW, SE corner Stocking and Seventh
1884 - first site purchased and school built, Seventh Street School
Stocking replaces Seventh
1920 - new site purchased, Smith's Sub-Division of Stocking and Van Allen
1923 - new school opens at 863 Seventh St NW called Stocking School
2005 - active on second site
Madison 1887
E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 Sec 31 Grand Rapids Township, J. Penney's
Addition
(North of Franklin, West of Madison)
1887 - lot bought, school built in style of Turner School
1919 - addition
1952 - new building on new site to be called Madison Park School
SW ¼ Sec 31 Grand Rapids
Township
Mail Address 851 Madison
Ave SE Tax: 831 Madison Ave SE
2007 - new school to be named after Gerald Ford
From the Article School History
From the Heading History of the City of GrandRapids
From the web page MyGrandRapids