Glance at the Past

By GRHC

Society & Culture History Government & Organizations Non-Profit Local

What's Glance at the Past about?

The Grand Rapids Historical Commission Podcast features "A Glance at the Past," a local history radio project. Take a listen to give you a glimpse of Grand Rapids in the past.

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Glance at the Past episodes:

03.31.2014
Roads and Streets
The early roads into the village of Grand Rapids were along Indian trails, and the influence of these trails on the city can still be seen today.
03.24.2014
Mill Creek Bass Hatchery
The only institution of its kind in the world, the Michigan Fish Commission's hatchery was located within three miles of Grand Rapids.
03.17.2014
The Irish
The Irish seemed to have followed the direction of the westward movement on the Erie Canal and later the railroads.
03.10.2014
Blacksmiths and Carpenters
The first trade established in the village of Grand Rapids was that of blacksmith, and the carpenters were not far behind.
03.03.2014
The Nelson Elms
Two fine elm trees stood on Bostwick St. At least three feet in diameter, and sixty feet high, their wide tops shaded both sides of the street. The city was ready to cut them down.
02.17.2014
Historic City Elections
More than one town has claimed itself the GOP's birthplace. One of those towns was Grand Rapids, back in 1854.
02.10.2014
Homemade Auto
Several enterprising youngsters, bent on the possession of an automobile, but not having the price of one, contrived a ride in a horseless carriage.
02.03.2014
Cosmetics Business
For 19th century women, making a living was fraught with hurdles. Nora Husted found way to support herself and her five children by making face cream in her kitchen from an old family recipe. It grew into a Grand Rapids business...
01.27.2014
St. Cecilia Building
A small group of nine women were responsible for the construction, in 1893, of the St. Cecilia building, dedicated to the purpose of music.
01.06.2014
Jess Elster is Dead
Jess Elster was a symbol of semi-pro baseball. He came to Grand Rapids in 1904 and played his first season as a catcher the next year. When he died in December of 1950, he had been "Mr. Baseball" of the...
12.30.2013
Grand Rapids Hydraulic Company
The privately owned Grand Rapids Hydraulic Company provided drinking water from creeks and springs to residents from 1848 until the end of the 19th century.
12.23.2013
Viva Flaherty
Viva Flaherty attended Central High School, Vassar College, and the University of Michigan before taking a position at the Bissell Settlement House in Grand Rapids in 1903. Several years later she left for New York City to work with newly...
12.16.2013
Wurzburg's Toyland
Wurzburg's Department store ran large ads in the Grand Rapids Herald and Press announcing the visit of Norwegian Hero of the Arctic and his Siberian sled dogs to Wurzburg's Toyland.
12.09.2013
Grand Rapids Romance
Grand Rapids Romance, produced by Gilligham & Smith Enterprises, owners of the Orpheum Theater, featured local citizens in a suspenseful, romantic story. The newspaper reviews were mixed.
12.02.2013
Hoffman Apartments
The Hoffman apartments on Ransom NE had many modern conveniences to attract upscale tenants. The seven room suites made for comfortable living close to downtown.
11.25.2013
Crossing Lake Michigan
Grand Rapids seems to have had difficulty relinquishing its attachment to the great lakes steamboats, but at the same time it happily accepted the advantages of the railroads.
11.11.2013
White Flame Light
A simple attempt to adjust his mother's oil lamp led to a small shoestring business which grew into a company with international agents.
11.04.2013
Saving the Fair
A Grand Rapids businessman, Melvin Church, while visiting Chicago, suggested an innovative solution to an engineer during the construction of the World's Fair that allowed the fair to open on schedule.
10.28.2013
The Land of Make Believe
The children's map, Land of Make Believe, created by Jaro Hess in the 1930s, captured the imagination of children and their parents as soon as it appeared. While it was just one of his many creations, it is his most well-known...
10.07.2013
Artist, Alexander Flyn
Alexander Flyn, an accomplished Grand Rapids portrait artist, came to this city in 1918 and stayed until his death in 1963. During that time he was active in the local art community.
09.30.2013
One Man, Two Milestones
William J. Hardy became active in the politics of Gaines Township after African American men were granted the right to vote in 1870.
09.23.2013
Fifty Years Ago
The "Knockout Polio" drive began in September of 1963. Approximately 320,000 people in Kent County participated, 86% of the population, and took the two drops of vaccine placed on a sugar cube.
09.16.2013
Rose's Beach
Jim Rose began offering swimming instruction at Reed's Lake in 1901. By the time Rose's Beach was closed during WWII, Jim and his family had watched thousands of people swimming there for forty-three years.
08.26.2013
City Charter and Seal
The original seal of the city was adopted on June 25, 1850, but seven years later the Common Council decided that since it had passed a new charter, the seal also needed a few adjustments.
08.22.2013
Aquinas College
Aquinas College has had several names and been in several locations, but it has occupied its beautiful wooded campus since 1945.
06.14.2013
Ryerson Portrait
Martin Antoine Ryerson's roots go back to the beginning of the city, and the Ryerson Library, now the Grand Rapids Public Library, was his gift to the people of his native city.
05.23.2013
Ramona Theater
The Ramona Theater had stood so long it couldn't be dismantled. Wreckers wanted to salvage the steel roof beams, but the huge wooden pillars supporting them were rotten. How could they finish the project?
05.15.2013
Brief History of Microfilm
When you visit the Grand Rapids Public Library you can read microfilm copies of city newspapers from the 1840s to current times. Have you ever wondered how long microfilm has been available?
05.08.2013
One City Corner
In October of 2007 the Grand Rapids Art Museum opened its new building, ninety-seven years after its founding in 1910. It occupies the same corner where 157 years earlier William Preusser began his jewelry and clock business.
05.01.2013
Inventor, Bill Lear
The Lear organization was founded in Chicago in 1930 to produce the first practical automobile radio and other radio equipment Bill Lear had invented.
04.24.2013
Spring Floods
When Native Americans occupied the shores of the Grand River they welcomed the river's spring floods as they cleansed the lowlands and islands of debris for the coming season.
04.17.2013
First Talking Picture
In September of 1928 ads in the local papers clamored, "You'll want to tell your grandchildren that you heard the first all-talking picture. The screen speaks!"
04.10.2013
Early Elections
The election of 1837 was an event not only in Michigan, but in the village that would become Grand Rapids.
04.03.2013
Railroad Race
Citizens of Grand Rapids were so anxious for the advantages of the new railroad line that they had offered a bonus of $10,000 if the line was completed on time.
03.20.2013
Ty Cobb
The famous Tiger baseball player, Ty Cobb, visited Grand Rapids in October of 1912. The city's baseball fans had long regarded Cobb, nicknamed the "Georgia Peach," as the greatest player the sport had ever known.
03.13.2013
Number 3's Engine House
The membership of Fire Company No. 3 began to build their engine house on Scribner just north of Bridge St. in 1859 and completed it in 1860. Most of the labor was done by the firemen after six o'clock during...
03.06.2013
Tornadoes
Michigan's tornado season runs from mid-March into September. Three tornadoes in April 1956 sent more than 200 to hospitals and left an estimated 2000 homeless.
02.27.2013
Club Indigo
Club Indigo was organized for the social, athletic and civic advancement of the African-American community. The members and their guests could enjoy meals, drinks, and dancing in a refined atmosphere.
02.27.2013
Camera Club
The 1899 Michigan Photographers convention, held in Grand Rapids, inspired the organizing of a local camera club. It's an organization still active in the city today.
02.13.2013
First Airplane Service
Roseswift Airplane Company began passenger service for West Michigan in 1919 using a Canadian model, Curtis JN-4 bi-plane, commonly known as a Jenny.
02.06.2013
Better Smiles
A worker for the Grand Rapids Water Department stepped up to an open hopper in January of 1945 and began pouring sodium fluoride into the city's drinking water. It was not an act of sabotage, but the result of several...
01.23.2013
Manhole Covers
Manhole covers are the ports of entry to the underground world of pipes and mains and cables that transport light, power, heat, and water, in addition to carrying messages and removing waste.
01.16.2013
City Newsboys
Many local citizens are familiar with the Press Newsboys Band, and some may be aware of the Newsboys School, probably the only one of its kind in the world. But other, lesser known activities and events became available to those...
01.09.2013
West Side Power Canal
William T. Powers built the West Side Power canal in 1866-67 to provide power to his factory, the Powers & Ball sash and door operation. The power canal was used until 1955.
01.02.2013
Traveler's Guide
The weekly Grand Rapids Saturday Evening Post, in addition to local happenings, provided schedules of the several railroads that serviced the city in its "Traveler's Guide" column.
12.26.2012
Michigan Oak School
The first school in Grand Rapids Township, District No. 4 was a small log cabin with ten pupils that opened in September 1844. The teacher, Miss Amelia Davis received $12 for the three-month term.
12.19.2012
Christmas Delicacies
Many holiday foods have early origins from England, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Germany to name just a few. Hot rum punch and eggnog, as well as apple pie are American additions.
12.12.2012
Weather School
In January of 1943 the Army Air Force Weather School was established in Grand Rapids. Four hundred cadets and thirty instructors began a nine month course in meteorology at the Civic Auditorium.
12.04.2012
Television vs. Movies
Television was viewed as the destroyer of movies during the 1950s. Was that really the case or were there other contributing causes?
11.28.2012
County Jail
For many years the Kent County jail, which stood on the east bank of the Grand River, was considered one of the prettiest blocks in the city.

What's Glance at the Past about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Glance at the Past episodes:

Roads and Streets

Mill Creek Bass Hatchery

The Irish

Blacksmiths and Carpenters

The Nelson Elms

Historic City Elections

Homemade Auto

Cosmetics Business

St. Cecilia Building

Jess Elster is Dead

Grand Rapids Hydraulic Company

Viva Flaherty

Wurzburg's Toyland

Grand Rapids Romance

Hoffman Apartments

Crossing Lake Michigan

White Flame Light

Saving the Fair

The Land of Make Believe

Artist, Alexander Flyn

One Man, Two Milestones

Fifty Years Ago

Rose's Beach

City Charter and Seal

Aquinas College

Ryerson Portrait

Ramona Theater

Brief History of Microfilm

One City Corner

Inventor, Bill Lear

Spring Floods

First Talking Picture

Early Elections

Railroad Race

Ty Cobb

Number 3's Engine House

Tornadoes

Club Indigo

Camera Club

First Airplane Service

Better Smiles

Manhole Covers

City Newsboys

West Side Power Canal

Traveler's Guide

Michigan Oak School

Christmas Delicacies

Weather School

Television vs. Movies

County Jail