Industrial Area
When the bus reached the bottom of Michigan Street hill we encountered a factory area that was alongside the river.:
This area was industrial. The traffic lights were on top of dark green poles on the corner but there were traffic cops directing traffic. Almost all of it was torn down in the 1960's for a horrid Hall of Justice, where I later worked, and a horrid, barren, desolate Convention Center. But the Civic Auditorium and the Federal Savings and Loan building continued to exist until this century but now all of that is gone too for a new Convention Center that I have never been in and don't want to as it should be called City Employees Stolen Pension Fund Convention Center.
Page 23 of the 1953 Sanborn Fire Map
The other side of the street had stores that catered to men. Wurzburg's was no longer there. My mother never stopped here. There were many small stores that were dark and dingy. I rarely noticed any ladies around there. When I was older, I remember skipping school with Carol Schlinz and we went to the Regent Movie Theater where most of the patrons were older men caressing very young women. The movie was about some hippie girl sucking her finger in the back of a Mack truck. It made no sense. Yuk. A little farther east began government offices and a transition to more white-collar pursuits. We rarely went there either.
Page 24 of the 1953 Sanborn Fire Map
The Furniture Exhibition Building is beautiful and still exists although in a different capacity along side of the new Amway Grand Plaza Hotel which includes the old Pantlind Hotel where my grandmother worked as a chambermaid. On the south side of the street, Israel's Home furnishing store existed there in the 1980.s. One of the buildings, the one identified as a Sears warehouse maybe, was part of Forslund Furniture warehouse, has now been converted into condominiums.
Page 5 of the 1953 Sanborn Fire Map
Campau Street actually runs along what was once the East Channel of the Grand River. The land to the west was an island. So the Kent County Jail had been on an island ala Alcatraz. I remember a long red brick building that my parents identified as the Phone Company that is the only building still standing. I marked what I think is the right building with a red "?" as I have no proof. Even Ferry Street and the railroad tracks are gone although I think the bridge still exists as a pedestrian pathway. Central Michigan Paper was alongside the railroad tracks indicated by either or both Richard's Storage Company and Vinkemulder Building.
Wurzburg's replace Herpolsheimers which replace the Luce Building. Now a new art gallery is being constructed there. Sybil's Hat shop is gone although Mutual Home Savings and Loan building is still there although that institution was bought out by First of America which got bought out by Prime Bank which got bought out by National City which is where Woolworth's used to be. Part of Market Street was re-named and connected to a new extension of Monroe that was put right through dime store row.
Page 1 of the 1953 Sanborn Map
Only a few of these buildings still exist. The old Judson Wholesale Grocery is shown as American Seating. It is now Bob's, a bunch of yuppie restaurants. Lena Lou Liquor was on the corner where there is now a modern bar. The Leonard Building and its adjacent Helmer Building have been gutted and remudeled. What was Hefner's Art Gallery was a former water front saloon in the days before the east channel of the river was filled in. The building marked with a "B" was Bixby Office Supply for many years before they moved to the old Kewpee's. Now its no more. Ferry Street and the railroad tracks are gone.
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Page 2 of the 1953 Sanborn Fire Map.
From article Downtown
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info