Section 25 of Walker Township

Bounded by Leonard, Division, Bridge, Straight

1853 map of the City.   1850 boundaries from Baxter 1891

While boundary lines run straight, streets rarely do.

Walker Township Section 25 west of the Grand River was Indian Mission lands running from Bridge in the North to the Grand River in the South. Bordered on the East by the Grand River. The Western Boundary followed the curvature of the Grand River somewhat west of Winter. Lot 1 ended North of Lake Michigan Drive, Lot 2 ended at Fulton and were the location of the Baptist Mission. Lot 3 ran from Fulton to a southern point where Gold Avenue intersects Butterworth. Lot 4 ran from that point to the River. The Catholic Mission was located where Straight Park is today. See Special.

Lot 3 of the Mission Lands was platted by Coggeshall before 1853. . There was some dispute with the Indians, Converse represented them in some law-suit. The Indians won and Converse replated Lot 3 eliminating Veto and California, renaming Thomas, Polk, Harriet, Holland and Main and adding Blossom. 

Bank, Erie, Huron, Lock, Mill and New England streets still existed when I was a child. They were a rabbit-warren of factories with cops directing traffic. Now they and the factories have been replaced by a convention center which, if it were named for who actually paid for it, would be called the City Employees Stolen Pension Fund Convention Center.

This section East of the River would contain the center of the City of Grand Rapids. The Village of Grand Rapids would be platted for Louis Campau considered to be the founder of the City. As he was of French Canadian descent, the streets were laid out in the French manner; the river was the primary highway and streets were run diagonally so as to end at the river. The streets also went around hills. The Village of Kent would be laid out for Lucius Lyons in the English method; streets were run due North and South or East and West intersecting at 90 degree angles without any accommodation for the terrain.

Louis and Lucius feuded so that Division was the only street that entered both plats. The public soon tired of this nonsense and it wasn't long before a pathway was created, called the Arcade, that connected Pearl to Lyon. This path is still in existence today although greatly narrowed running just east and adjacent to Flannary's Bar the former Terryhouse Cafeteria.

As Division runs along the township line separating Walker township from Grand Rapids Township only the Walker side is discussed on this page. To see  Grand Rapids Township north of Michigan St Sec GR 19   south of Michigan St Sec 30 GRT

North end of Lucius Lyons's Village of Kent:

Louis Campau's Village of Grand Rapids:        addition: 

South end of Lucius Lyon's Village of Kent:       

The Island Addition after the east branch of the Grand River was filled in:

Allen - created in the 1856 Converse Plat running from Front to Winter.

Almy - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Fulton to Cherry.  Extended to Wealthy in the 1861 Ellsworth Add. Changed to railroad right-of-way very early

Bank - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat east of a canal running south off Michigan to Erie St. Now vacated.

Bartlett - created in the 1861 Ellsworth Addition running from Division to Market.

Blossom - created in 1856 Converse Plat running from Front to Winter. Changed to railroad right-of-way before 1883. Now a pedestrian walkway under US131 used by Grand Valley State University Students.

Blumrich - created as Valley in 1856 Converse Plat running from Front to Winter. Renamed Blumrich in 1890

Bridge - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Bank to Division. Renamed Michigan St.  in 1909. Designated NW in 1912. Continued across the Grand River to Winter in the 1861 Converse Plat. Continued about one block west in the 1872 Tusch Add.

Butterworth - created in 1873 Converse & Tolford running from Front to Straight.

California - Created in 1854 Scribner Add running from Seward to Straight.

Campau - created in the former East Branch of the Grand River ending on a former island in the 1868 Island Add.

Century - was extended north from Wealthy to connect with Ellsworth at Goodrich perhaps about 1965 when the freeway went through when the last block of Ellsworth south of Goodrich was vacated.

Chatham - created in 1854 Scribner's Addition running from Seward to Straight.

Cherry - created in the c.1836 Kent plat running from Grandville to Division. Extended to Market as Ellsworth in the 1861 Ellsworth Add. Ellsworth renamed Cherry in 1873.

Chubb - created as Curtis in the 1860 Chubb's Add running from Emperor to Lettelier. Renamed in 1877. Vacated.

Commerce - created as Official running from Fulton to Monroe in the 1833 Campau Plat. Extended as Spring in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Fulton to Cherry. Extended as Spring in the 1861 Ellsworth Add running from Cherry to Wealthy. Official renamed Spring in 1873. Spring renamed Commerce in 1898. Spring NW vacated in 1947 for Herpolsheimer's Department Store.

Crescent - created as Bronson in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Monroe to Division. Renamed Crescent in 1885.

Division -  Follows the township line. Created in the Campau Plat running from Fulton to Pearl. Extended in the c. 1836 Kent Plat from Pearl to Bridge. It was extended in the Kent Plat as Prairie from Fulton to Cherry being renamed in 1873.

Douglas - created as Bowery in 1854 Scribner's Addition running from Seward to Straight. Created as Tremont in 1856 Converse Plat running from Front to Winter. Tremont renamed Bowery in 1873. Bowery renamed Douglas in 1920.

Emperor - Created as Earl in 1860 Chubb's Add running from west from Front short of Gold.  Continued  as Earle past National in 1874 Tolford & Beckwith. Renamed Emperor at an unknown date.

Erie - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running west off Monroe to Bank. Now vacated.

Ferry - created in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Fulton to the Grand River.

Finney - created in the 1861 Ellsworth Add running from Cherry to Wealthy.

Fountain - created in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Ottawa to Division.

Front - created as Water St in the 1856 Converse Plat running from Bridge to Fulton. Created as Water running from Emperor to Lettelier in 1860 Chubbs. Extended from Butterworth to Emperor in 1872 O. J. Bissell.   Extended as Front in the 1873 Converse & Tolford Plat running from Fulton to Butterworth. Water renamed Front in 1873. Extended to Wealthy in 1900 Wallin & Thum.

Fulton - created in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Division to Grand River. Created as Oak Oil in 1854 Scribner Add running from Seward to Straight.  Extended as Grand from the Grand River to Winter in the 1856 Converse Plat. Grand changed to Fulton in  1873. Oak Oil changed to Fulton at an unknown date.

Gelock - created on land owned by John Gelock as shown in Lot 14 on 1873 Converse & Tolford. Gelock Alley plated in 1885 Gelock's Add running north from Emperor ending in a dead-end. Nine lots were created.

Gold - Created in 1854 Scribner Add running from Bridge to Fulton. Extended from Fulton to Butterworth in 1873 Converse & Tolford.

Goodrich - created in the 1861 Ellsworth Add running from Division to Market.

Grandville** - created as Summit in c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Weston to Cherry. Extended as Summit from Cherry to Wealthy in the 1861 Ellsworth Plat. Summit renamed Ellsworth in 1885. Ellsworth as far as Bartlett renamed Grandville in 1928.

Hemlock - created in 1900 Wallin & Thum running from Olive to Straight.

Huron - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running west off Monroe to Lock. Now vacated.

Ionia - created as Greenwich  in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Fulton to Pearl. Created as Ionia about 1836 in the Kent Plat running from Lyon to Bridge. Created as Calder running from Fulton to Cherry in the Kent Plat. After Louis Campau's death, a roadway was constructed between Lyon and Pearl connecting Greenwich with Ionia. Greenwich was renamed Ionia in 1873. Calder was renamed Ottawa in 1897.

Jackson - created in 1854 Scribner's Addition running from Seward to Straight.

Lake Michigan -  Created as New York in 1854 Scribner Add running from Seward to Straight. Created as Shawmut in 1856 Converse Plat running straight from Front to Winter.  New York renamed Shawmut in 1873. Shawmut renamed Lake Michigan Dr in 1928. That portion east of Summer would be usurped by US131 about 1965.

Lettelier - created as Baldwin  in 1860 Chubb's running west from Front ending in a dead-end just past Olive. Renamed in 1892

Lexington - Created as Jefferson in 1854 Scribner Add running from Bridge to Fulton. Extending from Fulton to Butterworth as Jefferson in 1873 Converse & Tolford.  Renamed Lexington in 1912..

Lock - created in the c.1836 Kent Plat running between Erie and Huron, east of a canal. Now vacated.

Louis - created in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Fulton to the Grand River. Extended west over the former East Branch of the Grand River and former Island in the 1868 Island Add.

Lyon - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from Lock to Division. Extended west into the former East Branch of the Grand River in the 1868 Island Add.

Market* - created as Waterloo in the 1833 Campau Plat running alongside the Grand River from Fulton to Monroe. Extended as Water St. from Fulton south to Cherry in the c. 1836 Kent Plat. Extended as Waterloo to Wealthy in the 1861 Ellsworth Add.  Water renamed Waterloo in 1873. Waterloo renamed Market in 1899.

Mill - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running south off Michigan running dead before Huron, west of a canal. Now vacated.

Monroe* - created in the 1833 Campau Plat following an Indian Trail turned State Road that ran alongside the bottom of Prospect Hill running from Division to Pearl.

Mt. Vernon - created in 1856 Converse Plat running from Bridge to Fulton. Extended to Butterworth in 1873 Converse & Tolford.

National - created as West Broadway in 1854 Scribner's Add running from Bridge to Fulton. Champlin created in 1873 Converse & Tolford running from Fulton to Butterworth. Champlin changed to West Broadway in 1873. W Broadway  renamed National in 1912,

New England - created in the c.1836 Kent Plat running between Monroe and Bank. Now Vacated.

Ney - created as Catharine in the 1861 Ellsworth Add running from Bartlett to Cherry. Date of name change unknown.

Oakes - created in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from the Grandville to Division.

Olive - created in the 1860 Chubb's Add running from Emperor to Lettelier. Extended from Lettelier to Hemlock in 1900 Wallin & Thumb.

Ottawa - created as Justice  in the 1833 Campau Plat running from Pearl to Fulton. Created as Ottawa about 1836 in the Kent Plat running from Lyon to Bridge. Created as Calder running from Fulton to Cherry in the Kent Plat. After Louis Campau's death, a roadway was constructed between Lyon and Pearl connecting Justice with Ottawa. Justice was renamed Ottawa in 1873. Calder was renamed Ottawa in 1897.

Pearl - created as Pearl in the 1833 Campau Plat running from the Grand River to Division. Extended west across the former East Branch of the Grand River and former Island in the 1868 Island Add. It would be extended across the river to Summer connecting to Lake Michigan Dr at an unknown data.

Pike - created on a former island in the 1868 Island Add.  Vacated 1985.

Provender - was on the old assessor's map. It ran E/W on the North Side of "the island", property owned by the City  that had been an island before the river was filled in. West of Market and North of Wealthy. (Vacated)

Scribner - created as Court in 1856 Converse Plat running from Bridge to Fulton. Court renamed to Scribner in 1912.

Seward - Created as West Division in 1854 Scribner Add running from Bridge to Fulton. Renamed Seward in 1912.

Sibley - created as Washington in 1854 Scribner's Addition running from Seward to Straight. Washington renamed Sibley in 1873.

Straight - created as Strait in 1854 Scribner's Add running from Bridge to Fulton. Extended as Straight from Fulton to RR ground just north of Butterworth in  1873 Converse & Tolford. Extended to Emperor by common usage as shown in Panfil's Assesor's Plat #46. Extended to RR ROW in 1882 Wallin's Add. Extended to Wealthy in 1900 Wallin & Thumb.

Summer - created in 1856 Converse Plat running from Bridge to Fulton.

Tolford - created in 1873 Converse & Tolford running from Butterworth to Emperor.

Veto - Created in 1854 Scribner Add running from Seward to Straight.

Watson - created in 1873 Convers & Tolford running from Front to Straight.

Wealthy - created in the 1861 Ellsworth Addition running from Division to the Grand River.

Weston - created as Island in the c. 1836 Kent Plat running from the Grand River to Division.

Williams - created in the 1861 Ellsworth Add running from Division to Market.

Winter - created in 1856 Converse Plat running from Bridge to Fulton. Extended from Fulton to Watson 1873 Converse & Tolford.

*When Logie was mayor, Monroe from Fulton to Pearl was renamed Monroe Center. A new street was extended from the end of Monroe at Pearl though old dimestore row connecting to Market at Louis.. This new street was named Monroe while that portion of Market running from Louis to Fulton was renamed Monroe. Only one block of Market NW from Louis to Monroe Center retained the name Market.

*Grandville ended from the south at Wealthy. In the 1920's it was extended through diagonally to meet with Summit (renamed Ellsworth in 1885) at Bartlett St. That portion of Summit/Ellsworth north of Bartlett was then renamed Grandville in 1928..

Ellsworth Plat. Summit renamed Ellsworth in 1885. Ellsworth to Bartlett renamed Grandville in 1928.

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Copyright © 2006 My Grand Rapids
Last modified: 06/05/06