Hundreds of tons of limestone were removed from the Grand River in the late 1800s/early 1900s and were used to construct buildings. But only three of those river limestone buildings still stand in Grand Rapids today (contrary to the sign in the public museum).
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(From the Grand Rapids Public Museum)
This is the Eliphalet Turner House at 731 Front Ave NW. It was built in 1846.
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The second limestone structure can be found at 222 Fulton Street SE. Zillow reports it was built in 1900 but it's probably older than that.
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It has a large red brick addition in the rear.
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The third river limestone building that still exists in Grand Rapids is the beautiful St. Mark's Episcopal Church at 134 Division Avenue N. It was completed in 1849 and the stone towers were added in 1851.
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It's lovely that these three historic structures still stand in our city.
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We also still have two cobblestone streets and one cobblestone alley in Grand Rapids.
West Side Water Power Canal
ReplyDeleteHistorical Timeline of Grand Rapids West Side Water Power Canal
1852 — State of Michigan approves Eliphalet H. Turner plan to construct dam across Grand River at the rapids for water power
1865–66 — William T. Powers purchases riparian lands along the western or right bank of the Grand River situated along the Rapids, nearly a mile in length.
1866 — A Water Power Rights Contract is agreed to between the West Side Water Power Canal Company and Grand Rapids Water Power (East) Canal Company
1866–68 — Construction of the West Side Water Power Canal beginning at the head of the rapids and heading south.
1867 — Harrison Wagon Works, “The Fort” constructed in 1856 on the west side, receives the first use of water-power.
1867–68 — The first structure completed in January 1868 for hydropower is Powers’ & Ball Lumber Mill, William H. Powers and E. Morris Ball proprietors.
1868 — January — Alfred O. Currier*, a brother-in-law of William T. Powers, exhibits a new improved turbine water-wheel in the Powers’ & Ball Lumber Mill
1868 – Sep 30 — West Side Water Power Canal is complete and water let in the full length of it.
1880 – Sat 24 Jul — First commercial use of hydroelectric power in the world begins.
1882 — Voigt & Herpolsheimer purchase Star Mill and later Crescent Mill.
1959 – Nov — West side water power canal is drained and paved over in time for Christmas shoppers.
*Alfred Osgood Currier was a founding member of Kent Lyceum of Natural History (1854), the earliest predecessor of Grand Rapids Public Museum and brother-in-law of William T. Powers.
https://powersbehindgr.wordpress.com/powers-family/powers-businesses/west-side-water-power-canal/
Wow!!
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