Baxter Street School
N 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Sec 32 Grand Rapids Township
This school began under the authority of Grand Rapids Twp District # 15.
Warranty Deed
Francis Van Driele and wife
To
School District No. 15
May 18, 1883
Liber 146 Page 436
Consideration. None written
Description
Lots 27, 29, and 30, block 3 of Barclay and Stevens Addition
Warranty Deed
Frederick C Miller
To
School District No. 15
June 5, 1883
Liber 146 Page 615
Consideration $150
Description
Lot 28, Block 3 of Barclay and Stevens AdditionCE
Barclay and Stevens Addition surveyed by Coffinberry, Skeels, and Collar for Charles & Esther Barclay and Sidney F. Stevens
Street Name Changes: Dosker Street to Baxter in 1892, Little Street to Gelock in 1892 then to Finch in 1898 then to Neland in 1909.
1891 - Tenth Ward, Lot 200 feet on Dosker (Baxter) Street x 200 feet on Ella (Bemis) Street x 102 1/2 feet deep.
A brick building, two-story and basement, six rooms, with seating capacity for 300 pupils, heated by hot air furnaces and ventilated. $15,000.
1892 - Extensive repairs were made - change of windows, constructing ventilating and heating ducts and excavating basement and placing larger furnaces. Cost $1,000.
1895 - Lot is 200' Baxter x 200'on Eastern and 102 1/2' on Diamond. The closets for this building are located in the rear of the lot.
1895 Sanborn Fire Map:
1898 - The closets have been placed in the basement and connected with city water and sewer during the past season.
1899 - The closets are in the basement and are connected with the sewer and supplied with city water.
1900 Lot 175' on Baxter, 175 ' on Ella (Bemis) and 102.5 feet on South Diamond.
1907 - sold to Sigsbee Street Christian School Board
1907 map shows school between Baxter and Ella between Dolbee
and Diamond
1913 Sanborn Fire map shows it as Baxter Street School for Christian Instruction. Assessor's has hand drawn in red a new building on the West side subsequent to 1913.
1953 Sanborn Fire Map continues to show this as a Christian School. By the way, there was a neighborhood shopping district on Baxter near this school where THE DeVos family of Amway fame had a small store but the DeVos family showed little interest in historic preservation when asked.
The building at 950 was an upholstery shop in the front room with a central hall that led straight back to the kitchen and bath. The dining room was particularly beautiful. An elderly Black lady lived there who was always called Miss ---- but I can't remember her name. She was grand.
From article School History
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info