Kent renamed Grand Rapids Township Schools
This is by no means an exhaustive study of township schools but just a brief timeline in order to differentiate township schools from City Schools. This information comes from Marsha Bouwkamp, former Grand Rapids Twp supervisor. Eight (sic) township schools were annexed by the City of Grand Rapids, Districts #1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14. Central, Lake, Michigan Oak, Coldbrook, Knapp (Huff), North Park, Beckwith and Burr Oak.
Note the City of Grand Rapids extended its boundaries in 1857 but then rescinded its eastern boundary back to Eastern Avenue. Congress, Baxter, Lake and Diamond were schools in this no-man's land. See below the green line for more information on these schools. Fairmount was annexed north of Knapp in 1911.
* and italics indicate a Township school that was annexed by the City.
District # 1* Central -commencing at the SW corner of the Fractional Section 34 of T7N R12W (Walker Twp)
thence east to the corner of Sec 31 T7N R11W
thence north along the section line to the NE corner of Section 7 of T7N R11W
thence west along the section line till in intersects the Grand River
thence running along on the south and east side of the place of beginning.
ANNEXED TO CITY of Grand Rapids in 1850. The forerunner of Central High School.
District #2 - Collins School, Section 25 near Perry Hills, substantial wooden structure with a bell erected in 1869.
District #3* - Lake School, SE corner of Sec 29, built 1859. Brick structure with a bell. ANNEXED TO CITY of Grand Rapids in 1891.
District #4* - Michigan Oak, on Bridge St, section 21, wood, erected 1860. ANNEXED TO CITY
District #5 - Martin School, next to Martin Cemetery, Section 36, a wooden building erected in 1852 near residence of James H Martin.
District #6* - Coldbrook School, ANNEXED to the City in 1850.
District #7* - Knapp School, (Huff) Section 17, wooden structure, erected in 1850. Located on the NW corner of Knapp and (Green) Fuller adjacent to Fairplains Cemetery ANNEXED to City of Grand Rapids
District #8* - North Park, SW corner of Section 5, a neat, substantial wooden building erected in 1863. Originally located where I96 expressway is. ANNEXED to City of Grand Rapids
District #9 - Smith School, SW corner of section 11, wood, built in 1850. Restored as museum and moved to park behind GR Twp Hall.
District #10 - Orchard View, Section 10, wood, erected in 1860.
District #11* - Beckwith School, Section 16, wood, erected in 1860. ANNEXED to City of Grand Rapids.
District #12 - Atwater School in Ada Twp, building is now a home.
District #13 - Peach Grove School was on the Robinette Farm then relocated on East Beltline. (When I rode a bus to Day Camp at the Wilder Farm run by Camp Fire Girls, we stopped at this school on the East Beltline.)
District #14* - Burr Oak
Additional information beyond what was provided by the Township:
1859 - District 3, Lake School
1879 - District 1, Congress School
1883 - District 15, Baxter School
1889 - District 1, Diamond School
1898 a joint school lot partially owned by the city and the twp SE corner of Coit and Knapp.
1907 a school at the corner of Coit and Crosby (Eleanor)
The 1907 map also shows a school at the SW corner of the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 on 40A owned by Cornelia G. Comstock, Clara C. Russell and Ella M. Boltwood. It is on the corner of Coit and Crosby (Eleanor). It is East of what looked like Robinson, Lacy & Bowen and north of Fairmount Park. From the school north there is quite of bit of farmland, including a Maple --- Dairy farm. Then a Comstock Plat with streets labeled with letters. I could find neither of these plats on the state site.
1911 - District 6, Fairmount
From article
School HistoryFrom Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info Home