Creston High School
N 1/2 of Sec 18 Grand Rapids Township
Alternate Names: North Side Junior High, North Side High, Creston Junior High
1 April 1915
Burritt J Watrous, divorced
To
The Board of Education
Consideration: $13,000
Description:
Being part of the N ˝ of Section 18 T7N R11W
Beginning in the center of the highway known as the Plainfield Road at the SW
corner of a piece of land conveyed by Frances D. Boardman and his wife and
Berzillus Boardman to Martin Sweet
thence running South 29 ˝ degrees West (mostly south by a little west) along the
center of said Plainfield Road 3 chains and 46 links,
thence South 60 1/2 degrees East (mostly east by a little south) 18 chains and
55 links
thence North 1 degree East (almost due North) 3 chains an 94 links to the SE
corner of said piece of land sold to said Sweet,
thence North 60 ˝ degrees West (mostly west by a little north) along the
Southwest line of said piece of land sold to said Sweet, 16 chains and 41 links
to the place of beginning
containing six acres of land the above bearings being true.
This lot is shown as belonging to B J Watrous on the 1907 Ogle. (The land sold
to Sweet appears to be Kent Country Club).
1917 - plans for a new junior high on the north end. acquired an addition to the North High Site.
North Side Junior HIgh
1921 - recommended - a school in the northeast for a junior high. Plans ordered for new building. Contracts were let in May for the Creston Junior High.
1921 Annual Report - Old 5th Ward - Part of N 1/2 of Sec 18, 7N,R11W (Grand Rapids Township) - Plainfield Road
1922 - during 1922, the Creston Junior High has been under construction and will be ready for use in September2 1923
From Citz 1926
1923 - opens as a junior high. Etten
1925 - becomes a High School with Samuel Upton as first principal Etten
From a web site:
 | look.gvsu.edu:8000/civicstudio5/20 |
It's the oldest golf club in Michigan, built in 1901. Edward Lowe was inspired
in 1896 after a trip to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in Scotland. His vision
was of a place where GR's affluent could go to enjoy nature. Moved to Creston
(the neighborhood previously known as the "Bloody Fifth" due to its city zone
and the history of the folks who lived there!) Club bought the farm of Martin
Sweet, one of the many farmers in debt during the 1890s. The location was
convenient because it was close to the city– members could get to the club
easily via the North Park Streetcar line, which was extended as far north as the
Club gate. All Streetcar Company officers were members. Factoid: In the
agreement with the bank, 58 remaining acres of wheat were reserved until harvest
time. To solve the problem of having to work around it, the club bought the
wheat crop. A rolling green was born!
>> the name "Creston" comes from the crest of hills that surrounds GR–the
residents wanted to name it something nicer to beat the stigma of being from
"the Bloody Fifth"
started out researching the St. Alphonsis Parish on our library day, which I've
heard referred to as "St. Al's" by local Crestonites. It was built in 1888 when
John Clancy gave sixty grand for grouds and buildings of the orphan asylum (the
first building of the parish). The first masses were held September 2, 1888, and
the congregation grew steadily; in 1893 it had 225 families and by 1932 it had
520 families and 414 children in the St. Alphonsis Parish School system. I also
wrote down a list of the Fathers to date who have served in that Parish. Now we
found out on an excursion to local businesses that they give out free hot meals
to anyone in the neighborhood thursday nights. Would be interesting to attend.
This morning (2/2/2005)I met with David Lyons, a 1987 graduate of Creston and
currently teacher of creative writing. He grew up and now lives in the suburban
tract to the east of the country club. He has a strong emotional attachment to
Creston (his Beloved Creston) and has kept track of historical and curious
information about the school. He also is inquiring about us contacting a friend
of his who is a 92 year old woman and long-time resident of Creston. She
remembers the school being built and when Plainfield road was not paved. She
graduated in the 4th class from Creston.
David has the sense that the school from the start was intended to have a fine
arts and academic emphasis. Between the old school and Plainfield used to be a
large green lawn. When you enter the main (old) entrance (under the 7 gargoyles)
The first space in the main hall is the Library, which used to be an ornate
auditorium. The stage, balcony, wings, and ornate trim can still be seen. When
they converted it to a library, they had to level out the floor. David wonders
if there is a way into the space under the new floor - and if the old seating
might still be intact. The building (having been built in 1923 - shortly after
WW1) originally had a bomb shelter. There are still some odd cots around in
storage. The structure still exists and is used for some storage. The original
gym has been split into offices and classrooms including the art room. I have
been in numerous schools in which the gym becomes and art room and they always
have amazingly high ceilings. I have not been into the art room yet. One of the
rooms includes the balcony from the old gym. There is an old elevator shaft that
was original to the building with strange doors. It was just filled in recently.
There is a strong ROTC program which includes a firing range. They used to shoot
22 caliber rifles, but now have switched over to air rifles. The range is
currently shut down due to a death in a similar firing range in another state.
Slowly the ROTC firing ranges are being inspected and re-certified. I could not
imagine that there is programmed shooting as part of an educational program, but
there is.
The land was donated by the Briggs family who had a farm in this area. I think
they were involved in development. There is a city park off Knapp called Briggs
park.
When I asked about mixed-income neighborhoods David felt strongly that Riverside
park has historically been important in the stabilization and civic good vibe in
the Northeast. The park runs along several miles of the River and provides
wide-open spaces for everyone. Also the existence of the park blocked the likely
high-end property development that would otherwise privatized the waterfront.
Growing up in proximity to the Country Club, David's perception was that the
club was separate and isolated; never seen as part of the neighborhood. "They"
are part of a backdrop. The division between the club and the neighborhood has
become more concrete as the neighborhood has changed from firmly middle-class to
more of a low-income area. Also, the suburban development that David grew up in
is separate from the neighborhood in much the same way (but I understood at a
different level).
When I drove around I noticed that the suburban tract is bordered by the club to
the west, Knapp to the north, and Kent Hills Elementary school and park to the
south. There is a weird zone that exists between the suburban tract, Kent Hills
School, Kent Hills Road where it dead-ends. This zone buffers a strip of very
exclusive homes which are isolated and surrounded on all sides by odd borders.
paul 2
Grand Rapids Press 26 Mar 1998 - bond issue proposal
Creston High
1720 Plainfield Ave NE
students, teachers
Built: 1923, additiion in 1978
Existing square feet: 305,444
Proposed new square feet: 0
Cost: $22.8 million
Highlights: $16 million to renovate classrooms, offices, computer and science
labs, corridors, pool,
weight room, locker rooms and industrial arts building and replace roof, heating
and electric systems;
improvement to Briggs Field and track, and $1.3 million for computers and video
equipment.
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