Grand Rapids Creeks
When I worked in Inspection Services there was a big map showing the creeks in the city. Now that office has moved and begun a computer system. The map is gone. So I am writing from my memory.
Creeks
Carrier Creek
This creek runs along the south side of Leonard St. where the second dip in College Avenue occurs. The AA building is nearby. After if goes under College Avenue it runs underground along the north side of Coldbrook Street eventually flowing into a pond in Creston Park. It is a tributary to Coldbrook.
Coldbrook
This runs above ground in Wilcox Park then underground along the south side of Fulton across Fuller. Then down along the west side of Fuller where the Farmer's Market is. It then extends across Michigan Street to near the railroad tracks. It surfaces in Highland Park then goes underground as it crosses College Avenue where the first dip occurs. It goes underground near the railroad tracks until it begins turning northward near Clancy Avenue entering another pond in Creston Park from the south.
This photo dates from around 1898 showing Coldbrook Creek near Fulton St and Fuller Ave.
Creston Park
Creston Park was a park because it was a natural drainage basin for the NE side. When I was a child, there were still two ponds with a bridge between. It was always wet, cool and shady even in August. Carrier Creek and Coldbrook combined here and flowed westward under the Coldbrook Pumping Station where they emptied into the Grand River.
Tanner Taylor showing Carrier Creek and Coldbrook Creek meeting at Creston Park.
Now public housing that floods every Spring along with the whole Northeast end. Progress????
City Hall From Baxter: Across that street (Canal changed to Monroe), about twenty rods (330 feet) north of Lyon, ran a small creek, over which was a narrow plank bridge with log abutments. This would be about where City Hall is located at 300 Monroe Ave NW which might account for why the storage in the basement flooded.
Silver Creek
This creek flows near Boston Avenue and Kalamazoo. It ran under the old South High School football field.
Plaster Creek
This runs behind the Luther Home on 32nd Avenue where the Kent County Poor Farm used to be.
Indian Mill Creek
This runs along the south side of Ann Street.
Springs and Wells
Before indoor plumbing was common, people went and fetched drinking water. They were still doing that when I was a child.
John Ball Park Spring
There was a spring in a grotto near the bottom of the hill that leads to the zoo.
Fountain Street Hill
There was a spring near the top of the hill not far from Barclay Avenue.
Lexington Well
There was a well at the northeast corner of Lexington and Jackson.
South East Well
I used to know exactly where this was, but I have forgotten. It was in an alley somewhere in the vicinity of Hall St.
I have tried to impact every source with corrections or comments so everything on this site is copywrited. The information may be used for your project but the source must be cited.
From Heading Geography and the City of Grand Rapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info