Fountain Street School
SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 30,
Alternate Name: Primary #3
First Site;
July 28, 1856
D W Coit, by Judge of Circuit Court
To
School Dist. No. 1 of Grand Rapids
Liber C page 268
Consideration (none given)
Description
Commencing on the West line of the W 1/2 of
the NE ¼ of Sec 30-7-11 where said line
intersects North line of Fountain Street
thence North 16 rods (264 feet)
thence East 10 rods (165 feet)
thence South 16 rods (264 feet)
thence West on N. line to the place of beginning.CE
The West line would be North Avenue extended. This deed corresponds roughly to what would become Lot 19 of Coit and Curtis Partition Plat.
1856: First small wooden school house built similar to South
Division School on the
South 1/2 of Lot 19 of Coit and
Curtis Partition Plat facing Fountain Street near the end of Clifford Place..
Warranty Deed
20 Sept 1867
Daniel W Coit and Harriet F Coit his wife of Norwich, Conn and Joshua Coit of
New Haven, Conn
to
Fractional School District Number One (1) of the City of Grand Rapids for $800
Description: The S1/2 Lot 20 of Coit & Curtis Partition Plat.
By Isaac T. Miller & James B Williams, his attorneys.
No liber or page given but includes a reference to a plat
by E C Martin 12 Mar 1856 L5, pages 132,133,134.
On the state site: Coit & Curtis Section 30 Page 2 This plat is is in two parts, one for Section 19 and one for section 30. Fountain school is in the second part or section 30 so it is necessary to click on the "blank page" icon on top that has a horizontal arrow pointing to the right to get to the right page. First you must click once on the top bar to activate the bar. Part 2 is bordered by North Avenue extended on the west, Bridge on the North, Union on the east, Fulton on the south
This lot 20 was platted 756.8 feet North and South by 146.6 feet East and West.
1872 - a just-built new school, a three-story brick building 60x80 feet with a basement. It had nine rooms for 450 pupils and just completed fences, walks and out-houses. The furniture was supplied by Novelty Works of Sterling, IL. It was built by Gifford and Monders, contractors and had been designed by W G Robinson, architect. It is surrounded by a fine grove of oak trees. Value $20,000.
(This school is shown on the 1894 Polk map as in the front of lots 19 and 20. The older school was moved to the rear of the lot).
Bd of Ed map c. 1970's.
Central replaced Fountain at this site in 1911.
1874 - A new tight board fence has just been put up in the rear of the lot. The Committee have not been able to dispose of the old building standing there in the northwest corner of the lot, but are in hopes of doing so before long.
1877 - overcrowded and two new schools east of the river are being planned. The lot is 293 feet on Fountain. (This would be the approximate width of both lots 19 and 20). It is considered best to supply this building with city water, as it is now supplied with water from cistern, filtered.
1879 - The lot is 295 feet on Fountain. It is warmed by stoves and ventilated by flues, heated by grates, which were put in the present year. the ventilation has been improved by inserting coal grates into two flues, by means of which six rooms of the nine are quite well ventilated. One more grate is recommended to complete the work in a satisfactory manner. This building was supplied with city water, and sidewalks re-laid.
1880 - it was described as brick with sandstone trimmings, high basement. It faced Fountain between Prospect Avenue on the West and College Avenue on the East. It was 60 feet x 80 feet with nine rooms, suitable halls, stairways, cloak and store rooms, warmed by stoves, room for 500 pupils.
1883 - renamed Fountain Street School. The entrances to this building have been rebuilt the past year and the vault has been enlarged and repaired. New side walls have been laid. In June last, contract was made with Dedrick & Hays, of Bloomington, ILL, to put in warm air furnaces for warming the building and ventilating the same on the Ruttan principle.
1884 - the school rooms have been calcimined and the roof and outside woodwork repainted. The rooms in the front part of the building are poorly lighted.
The 1885 Collar and Greiner map shows this school on two lots of Coit & Curtis plat.
1886 - Water closets (toilet stalls) have been put in the basements during the year.
1889 - additional closets and wash bowls have been placed and several brick floors laid.
1890 - the water closets are connected with the public sewer.
1891 - Second Ward
1893 - Placing of a double set of closets in the basement as well as a complete steam heating plant and adding one large window to each of six rooms in the south side of the building
1895 Sanborn Fire Map:
1901 - the school is described as having the halls on the outside going around the classrooms which are inside resulting in dim classrooms and poor ventilation.
1907 - Both the present and future site "F" on Section 30 Ogle GRT
1909 - 144 feet of land has been purchased and added to Fountain lot in preparation for high school.
Grand Rapids Herald Jan 29, 1911
1911 - Central's gym, was a separate building to the NW, upper left hand corner ppn=41-14-30-251-041 SW 1/4 NE 1/4
For the new site and building Fountain 1918
From article School History
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info