THE HOLE OF THE ECO NOMIC-GEOGHAPHI0 FACTORS IN THE
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
DISSERTATION
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University
By
PERRY I& BAILEY, B. A., A. M.
****
The Ohio State University 1955
Approved hy:
Adviser Department of Geography ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Data for this study was obtained from various publications, and from interviews with many persons. A number of these contributions are acknowledged in the footnotes throughout the text. I wish, how ever, to make special acknowledgment to the following persons at Grand
Bapids, Michigan for valuable help while this study was in progress!
Mrs. Ruth Abrams, Librarian, Grand Rapids Public Library; Scott Bagby,
Director of the Grand Rapids Planning Commission; John R. Cassleman,
Industrial Commissioner of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce;
Charles Campbell, Secretary, Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers
Association; William Pierson, Grand Rapids Store Equipment; Miss
Tholis VanHboven, Assistant Director of the Grand Rapids Convention
Bureau; and E. G. Weir, Manager-Secretary of the Grand Rapids Furni ture Makers Guild. Many other persons contributed aid in lesser amount.
I am indebted to Andrew Perejda and William R. Pierson of East
Lansing, Michigan for their assistance on some of the maps.
Acknowledgment is given to Eugene VanCleef, Professor of Geog^* raphy, The Ohio State University, who contributed generously of his time in directing and guiding this study; to Guy^Harold Smith, Pro fessor of Geography and Chairman of the Department, The Ohio State
University, for constructive criticisms; and to Alfred J. Wright, Pro fessor of Geography, The Ohio State University, for many suggestions leading to the completion of this study.
ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Continued)
To my wife, Doris Bliss Bailey, I am especially indebted for lier help in editing and typing this dissertation, and for her patience in accepting the restrictions made necessary in our way of life during the period required for the completion of this study*
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF TABLES
CHAPTER
I. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
Site and Situation
The Early Indian Treaties
The Beginning of the Pioneer Settlement
The Coming of Louie Campau
The Plotting of the Town
The Early Settlers
The Canal
Boat Building and River Navigation
The Water Supply
The Effects of Soils and Climate on Early Settlement
Early Trade and Commerce
Conclusion
II. THE FIRST MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES WHICH HAVE DISAPPEARED
Introduction
Agriculture
Flour Milling
The Salt Industry TABLE OP CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
Saw Mills and Lumbering 28
Cooperage and Other Wood Products S3
The Wagon and Carriage Industry 33
Transportation and Power 34
Elver Transportation and Power Development 35
City Transportation and the Electric Hallway 36
III. THE GROWTH AND DECLINE OP THE HAILED ADS 41
Introduction 41
The Period of Sailroad Dominance 44
Development of Competition 44
Decrease in Hailroad Business 44
IV. THE RISE AND DECLINE OP THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY 46
Introduction 46
Early Growth as Related to Power and Raw Materials 46
The Early Period in Purniture Manufacturing 47
The Period of Dominance 1880-1930 49
The Grand Rapids Purniture Market 52
The Guild 52
The Purniture Manufacturers Association 55
The Wood Carvers and The Kendall Memorial School 55
Furniture Production Continued to Climb 56
The Drop in Production in the Early 30*s 56
v TABLE OF COMMENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
The Period of Adjustment and Attempted Stabilization 58
The Furniture Makers Guild 58
The Furniture Museum 59
The Furniture Village 59
V. MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES IN THE ASCENDANCY 62
Introduction 62
Office, School and Store Equipment 62
Mechanical Refrigeration and Carpet Sweeper Manufacturing 64
Refrigeration 64
Carpet Sweeper 65
The Metal Industries 68
VI. MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURING ANN MINING 73
Other Metal Products 73
The Mining Industry 75
Gypsum 75
Boat Building 79
Leather and Rubber Products 79
Leather Manufacturing 79
Rubber Products 80
Paper Box Board and Excelsior 81
Box Board 81
Excelsior Production 82
vi TABLE OP COM!ENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
Machine and Instrument Designing and Manufacturing 82
Office Machinery 82
Instrument Designing and Manufacturing 83
VII, MODERN TRANSPORTATION-AUTOMOTIVE AND AIR TBAPPIC 85
Introduction 85
Trucking 85
Motor Coach Service 89
Air Traffic 93
VIII. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE ACTIVITIES 95
Wholesaling 95
Retailing 97
IX. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN POWER AND UTILITIES 102
Electric Power 102
Gas Service 104
Water and Its Sources of Supply 104
X. MISCELLANEOUS ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES 109
Introduction 109
The Graphic Arts 109
The Early History 109
The Dutch Influence on Printing 110
Printing for the Furniture Industry 111
The Influence of the Wagon and Carriage Industry 111
vii TABLE OP CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
A Special Type of Printing 113
A Convention City 114
Introduction 114
The Convention Activities in Grand Rapids 115
XI. CONCLUSIONS 116
BIBLIOGRAPHY 121
AUTOBIOGRAPHY 125
viii LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
X* Drainage Map of Michigan 2
2. Surface Foimations of Grand Rapids 3
3. Contour Map of Grand Rapids 4
4* Grand Rapids1 Position in the Manufacturing Belt 5
5. Mission Reserve— Survey in 1838 6
6. The First City Map in 1831 11
7. A Map Showing the Central Business District of Grand Rapids 13
8. A Picture of the Voigt Milling Company 26
9. A Picture of the West Side Canal 26
10. Original Forests of Michigan 30
11. Lumber Production Graph 32
12. A Map of the Old and Present River Banks 37
13. The Horse Drawn Street Car 38
14. Railroads of Michigan 42
15. The Berkey & Gay Furniture Company 48
16. The Waters Furniture Exhibition Building 53
17. The Furniture Exhibition Building 54
18. The Grand Rapids Furniture Museum 60
19. The Grand Rapids Store Equipment Company 63
20. The American Seating Company 63
21. The Bissell and Sons Crockery Store 66
22. The Bissell Carpet Sweeper Manufacturing Plant 67
ix LISO? OP FIGURES (Continued.)
Figure Page
23. The Hayes Manufacturers Corporation 71
24. A Picture of the Rapid. Standard Company 74
25. Entrance to a Gypsum Mine 78
26. Trunkline Connections 86
27. Distribution of Principal Land Uses 87
28. The Outer Belt Around Grand Rapids 90
29. The Proposed Truck Routes 91
30. The Arterial Street Pattern 92
31. Looking west on upper Monroe Avenue 99
32. Looking east on upper Monroe Avenue 100
33. An Aerial View of the Central Business District 101
34. Rate of Population Growth 105
35. City Water Works 107
36. Filtration Plant 107
37. Annexation Map of Grand Rapids 108
38. Location of Business and Industry 112
39. Widdicomb Furniture Company 112
x LISO? OF TABLES
Table Page
I Elour Mill Industry 1890-1950 25
II Growth of Furniture in Grand Eapids 1850-1880 50
III Furniture Production for Leading Cities 51
IV Furniture Production in Grand Eapids 1890-1930 5?
V Furniture Production in Grand Eapids 1930-1950 5?
VI Comparison of the Leading Industries 1890 69
VII Make up of the Population in Kent County 69
VIII Make up of the Population in Kent County 69
IX Comparison of the Leading Industries in Grand Eapids in 1930 70
X A Comparison of the Three Major Groups of Employment 1930-1940 73
XI A Comparison of the Three Major Groups of Employment 1940-1950 75
XII A Comparison of the Three Major Groups of Employment 1955 75
XIII Baked Goods Produced in Grand Eapids 1890-1930 96
XIV Wholesale Trade for Five Michigan Cities 1948 97
XV Betail Trade for Five Michigan Cities 1948 98
XVI Printing and Publishing in Grand Eapids 1948 113
XVII Printing and Publishing for Five Cities 1946 114
xi CHAPTER I
ORIGIN AND DEVffiLOFMEET
Site and Situation
Grand Rapids lies in the lower part of the Grand River valley in the Great Lake Section of the Central Lowlands of the United States.^
The city of Grand Rapids is located about 30 miles from Lake Michigan into which the Grand River empties (Fig* l).
The Grand River rises in a group of lakes near the Jackson-Hills-
2 dale county boundary. The Grand flows through. Grand Rapids in a rather straight channel which is about 600 feet wide. The valley through which the river flows is located between the Valparaiso Mo raine on the west and the Charlotte Moraine on the east. This wide valley was cut by an ancient river that flowed across Michigan in the
Pleistocene era. The level valley is about one mile wide on the west side of the Grand, whereas on the east side the valley is from a few rods wide on the north to half a mile wide toward the south (Pig. 2),
Almost two miles east of the southern part of the city are Reeds and Fisk lakes. The lakes and the moraines provided sources of water for the first settlers (Pig. 3).
1 Nevin M. Fenneman, Physiography of Pastern United States, New York, 1938, p. 491.
2 Helen M. Martin, The River Systems of Michigan, The Michigan Geological Survey, Lansing, Michigan, 1933, p. 15.
3 J. Harlen Bretz, Glacial Grand River, Michigan, The Michigan Ac&d- emy of Science, Arts, and Letters, Vol. XXXIII, Ann Arbor, Michi gan, 1953, p. 359.
1 2
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MICHIGAN DRAINAGE
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HOLLAN LANSING
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Pig. 1 SURFACE FORMATIONS OF GRAND RAPIDS liiil O h“ O 5 CO < X Q. < z & z _i O i ■ 1 ' ' ' I 1 1 1 i i i i i i i i ^l| l | ! ! ! ! ! ! ! l ! ! ! ! ! 1 1 1 1 i! i! i! i! i! i! i! i! i i1 ■ ' 1 1 1 1 1 i i i i ! i ! i i 1 1 1 1 I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 I I I I I 1 1111 1 1 ‘l 1 1 ■ i !!!|!;!!!i!i I l i l l ! 1 , j l j ! 1 11. 111,111 1 Vi 11111 1'i1 1 i 1 1 1 i , I i111111 i i i!i!i I I I III ! ! ! ! I I . I I I o CD to 4 I • • • 40* 4lt ''uiuu. ISAkI »w miles lig, 3. Topographic Map of Grand Baplds. Tho orientation of the city with reference to tho level ▼alloy of tho Grand River nestled "between parallel aor- aines Is dearly shown. LEGEND AIR LINES 4 RAILROADS ONTARIO UGRAND MILWAUKEE RAPIDS BOSTON BUFFALO CHICAGO YORK PITTSBURGH CINCINNATI ST. LOUIS WASHINGTO SCALE IN MILES Fig. 4. Grand Hapins la The American Manufacturing Belt. Even though the city is located near the western edge of the belt, it enjoys many of the same advantages as cities nearer the center. 6 Blacksm ith * BRIDGE ST. 3APT 1ST SCHOOL f / m Residence* * Campon's ■ House and s. Shop UJ FULTON ST. Priest House / < ^CATHOLIC/ A CHAPEL BAPTIST V MEETING # HOUSE a 1320', 85? 40' MISSION RESERVE — SURVEY IN 1838 Pig. 5 7 Grand Eapids is 172 miles northeast of Chicago, and 147 miles west of Detroit (Pig, 4), The city received its name because of the rapids in the river. The rapids were caused by an outcropping of 4 Carboniferous rocks in the river bed. The opportunity for carrying on fur trade with the Indians brought to the rapids on the Grand River in 1826 the man who was to become the first permanent settler at Grand Rapids. Por the people who soon fol lowed him to the Grand River valley at the rapids, fur trading was of little importance. They were interested in acquiring some of the newly ceded land from the federal government which was being offered for sale at $1.25 per acre. The rich, wide valley was covered with a mantle of heavy forests which could be sawed into lumber for building homes, and soils of silt and sandy loams were adaptable for growing farm crops. As only Indian trails crossed the land, the river was an important route for travel and the transportation of goods. The beauty of the rapids and its potential for water power also drew settlers to the river valley. The forests, soils, and the outcropping of eroded gyp sum and limestone deposits furnished a basis for the economy of this pioneer settlement. The early industries, were primarily those basic to the settlers* home needs. Commodities were processed largely by hand tools. Power- driven machinery and the development of markets beyond the community's limits became important only after 1850. Still, the period from 1826 4 Prank Leverett and Prank B. Taylor, The Pleistocene of Michigan and Indiana, The United States Geological Survey, Monograph 53, Wash ington, D. 0., pp. 255-260. 8 to 1850 was significant for population growth, for water development, transportation, fanning, lumbering, mining, and the numerous small businesses that either precede or accompany such industrial growth. The Early Indian (Treaties By the Treaty of Chicago in 1821, the Indians ceded the land south 5 of the Grand River to the government of the United States. Prior to that time the land along the Grand River where Grand Rapids now stands was Indian country. Two Indian villages were located on the west side of the river along the rapids, where the Indians grew corn in the wide, level valley and caught fish in the shallow waters of the river, which had an 18 foot drop in one and a half miles (Fig. 5). Game was plenti ful and prime furs were traded by the Indians to the few fur traders who ventured up and down the river valley in quest of the prized pelts of beaver, mink, martin and muskrat. The lands north of the Grand River were subsequently ceded to the United States in 1836 by the Treaty of Washington, D. C. For the land, the federal government agreed to pay the Indians of western Michigan $18,000 annually for 20 years, money for supplies and their debts. Land offices were set up first at White Pigeon and then at Ionia. The land was to be rapidly taken by new settlers who were to come primarily from the east. 5 Franklin JJverett, The Grand River Valley, Chicago, Illinois, 1878, p. 293. 6 M. A. Leeson, The History of Kent County, Michigan, Chicago, Illi nois, 1881, p. 164. 9 The Beginning of the Pioneer Settlement The Coming of Louis Oampau There was little change along the rapids until 1825, when a Bap tist mission was established on the west side of the river at the Indian village. The following year a fur trader named Louis Oampau arrived at the Indian mission. Oampau was horn in Detroit in 1791, and at the age of 21 traded with the Indians north of Detroit in the Saginaw Hiver valley. During his early days at the Saginaw post, he heard tales from the Indians and other fur traders about the populous villages at the rapids on the Grand Eiver. Oampau decided to go to the rapids, and in 1826 he secured a license from the United States Superintendent of Indian Affairs to carry on trade there. He and his two companions spent the winter at the Indian village. In the spring of 1827 they prepared a piece of land on the east side of the river at the foot of modern Huron Street for a trading post. They built three log buildings, one for a dwelling, one for a fur trading post, and the third for a blacksmith shop. (Fig. 5) Oampau was to become the first permanent settler as well as the founder of Grand Eapids. The Plotting of the Town In 1831, the public land survey had reached the rapids from the south, and soon after the survey, Oampau purchased from the government 7 George N. Fuller, Historic Michigan, National Historical Association, Washington, D. 0., 1915, p. 32. 10 g a 72 acre tract for $90.00, The tract, which was to "become the heart of Grand Hapids, was bounded by Bridge Street (now Michigan) on the north, Pulton on the south, and extended from the river to Division Avenue on the east. The newly purchased tract was entered at the land office which was then located at White Pigeon. Lucius Lyon, one of the government surveyors of the land, seemed to believe that a settlement was certain to develop at the rapids. He had intended to purchase the land acquired by Campau, but wa3 too late. However, he persuaded Oampau to sell him the north half of the tract. Campau laid out his land by using the Indian trail for his main street (Canal Street which is now Monroe Avenue) leading to the Campau trad ing post, which was located near the site of the present Pantlind Hotel. Lyon laid out his tract in rectangular blocks. The southern terminus of the north and south streets was at Lyon Street (Pig. 6). She lots on the north side of Pearl Street were along the northern boundary of Campau's tract. Since Campau1 s lots were laid out from the river to Division Street without a break, there was no way of reaching Canal Street from Lyon's tract except by way of Division Avenue. This attempt to keep Lyon's streets to the north from running through and connecting Campau*s streets to the south was influenced by a dispute between the two men. However, Campau sold lot number one on the north side of Pearl Street which started at the river and ran across Canal Street to a Mr. Wadsworth, who wanted the west half of the lot along 8 Albert Baxter, The History of the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Hapids, Michigan, 1891, p. 19. 11 Si Sffi LildlOOPt wide 161 t» g 16 3 164 i6o i ja tsr 154 y 14 r >4fl I 4 t >J0_ 146 JA3 r44 l>»JLiail i A _bl4 Q2D _tAi l^oJ ,j7l B R O B T S O N 3 ? mWTAtK s» fOLrok Fig. 6. The First Map of Grand. Hap Ids— 1831. The Fast Side i>na1 and Boat Banin can he seen along the river. 12 the river for a mill site. On the same day of the purchase, against the expressed wishes of Campau, he sold the east half of the lot which ex tended across Canal Street, to Lyon, who promptly cut Canal Street g through to Pearl Street. In later years two of the north-south streets, Ottawa and Ionia, were extended to Monroe, but one of Lyon's streets (Pond) to this day has never been extended beyond Lyon Street. Both Ottawa and Ionia jog as a result of the dispute between those two early pioneers— Campau and Lyon, (Pig. 7) The differences between Campau and Iyon produced a conflict in naming the town. When Kalamazoo County was organized in 1829, it in cluded Kent County. In 1831, Kent County was set off from Kalamazoo County. The county seat was established at Grand Hapids, but the county was not organized until 1836. The first township organized was called Kent. It included the north half of Grand Hapids which was held by Lucius Lyon and several of his friends. In 1836, Lyon and his friends had the post office changed from 11 Grand Hapids" to "Kent", and it remained Kent until 1844 when it was changed back to Grand Hapids.^ The Early Settlers As land was ceded to the United States by the Indians, more people began moving westward; many of these early land lookers and settlers entered Michigan from the east. On travelling across Michigan they soon came to the Grand Hiver, and followed the valley westward as far as Grand Hapids. 9 William J. Etten, History of Grand Hapids. Michigan. Grand Hapids, Michigan, 1926, p. 50. 10 Ibid., pp. 53-54. 13 — !— 85*40* MP i n S n ^tLKNAP f uMi' lAU L l _ i - J ^ MAS D-TOtQ (Jot] i J M O fl □□OinDOQDGQ F&tXZI 1 1 1 O M M i d t l 42® man 5 8' B l u m p ic m >0000 OnDOSDDDB ■seaiDDQj JO tlH ST CTCL □LL obnn ClTSr □ fl pOO„ ^ ^ □D odoo #' i—| j-^-j f~Tri . WiLluW I .1 1 M**tt TT UhHBB' 3 Djb □ □ □ fTF Fig. 7. The Central Business District. The Jogs In Ottawa and Ionia Streets North of Monroe Avenue are the Seault of an Barly Dis pute when the Streets Were Laid Out In 1831. 14 In 1832 a Samuel Dexter of New York state followed Campau to the valley. He "bought land where Ionia is now located, and a tract 80 rods wide along the east side of Division Avenue, from Wealthy to what is now Leonard Streets (Fig. 7). After the purchase of the land, Dexter went back to New York, and in 1833 brought a company of 63 persons to Michigan to settle on the newly acquired lands. It was cheap land, and it offered an opportunity to the people to build new homes in the wil derness on land that had been purchased for $1.25 per acre."*"1 Joel Guild a member of the Dexter colony explored land down the Grand Kiver to the rapids. At the rapids, he met Campau from whom he purchased the first lot in the Campau addition for $25.00; on this lot Joel Guild built the first frame house erected in Grand Hapids— the site of the present Grand Hapids National Bank Building. From 1833 to 1835, the population of Grand Eapids was estimated to have grown to 12 nearly 100. After the first settlement, the hamlet^s growth for three or four years was slow but fairly steady. A few Irish came to Grand Rapids in 1835, to work at digging the canal or mill race. Again in 1841, or about the time of the enlargement of the canal, came more Irish workers, but aside from these, the accessions from foreign countries were not X3 very numerous during the first 10 or 12 years. Townspeople became 11 Blaine Clapp, The Grand Hapids Herald, Grand Hapids, Michigan, September 16, 1951, p. 14, col. 5, 6 and 7. 12 Werner Veit, The Grand Rapids Herald, Grand Hapids, Michigan, July 13, 1952, p. 2, col. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. 13 Baxter, op. cit., p. 191. 15 Interested in attracting more immigrants, and at a town meeting John Sail was appointed as an agent to promote immigration. In 1847, a Reverend A. C. VanRaalte, of the Netherlands, "became dissatisfied with the state control of the church in the Netherlands. He decided to sell his property and "bring a group of about 100 Hol landers to the United States. On reaching the United States, he and his colony received aid from the Evangelical Holland Emigrant Society of New York City.1^ In the east, Reverend VanRaalte was informed of the opportunity to "buy cheap land in Wisconsin. He and his group set out for the midwest. They reached Detroit about Christmas time in 1846. They were informed that the trip via the Great Lakes would be impossible until after the winter ice was gone in the spring. While waiting in Detroit, VanRaalte decided to explore western Michigan. He visited his old friend. Reverend George N. Smith of Allegan, Michigan. He and Smith plowed through the snow to Black Lake. Reverend VanRaalte selected a site for his colony and arranged for its purchase. This newly acquired land was 15 to become the site of the city of Holland, Michigan. By 1849, it was estimated that 5,000 Dutch settlers swelled the colony. Many of these settlers and relatives that followed from the Netherlands went to Grand Rapids where more business opportunities existed. The VanRaalte colony furnished the first Dutch settlers to Grand Rapids, a nationality which 14 Albert Hyma, Albertus C. VanRaalte and His Dutch Settlement in the United States, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1947, pp. 45, 57. 15 Ibid., p. 119. 16 "became a most important influence in the population and growth, of the city. From this humble beginning, Grand Rapids "by 1947 counted more 16 than 70,000 people of Dutch descent in a total population of 164,635. The Canal The principal avenue of travel to Grand Rapids was "by way of the Grand River. As early as 1834, "boats had come down the river from as far as Jackson. As the population grew, settlers clamored for the im provement of river navigation, and in 1835 an east side canal was started to make river transportation around the rapids possible. The canal was dug from the head of the rapids to 70 feet north of Huron Street (Ktg. 6). It was nearly a mile long, 80 feet wide and about five feet deep. At the upper end a breakwater, or wing-dow, was con structed to turn the current from the water above it into the canal. 17 At the foot of the canal a basin 200 feet square was constructed. The work created a valuable mill property for nearly its whole length along the river bank. To complete the work required state aid. In 1847 the legislature appropriated 25,000 acres of land to perfect the canal, and prepare the river channel for navigation. The new dam, canal and basin were com pleted in 1849. That year excavation was also made for the lock-pit. In 1850 the legislature granted an extension of time to complete the locks, but the contractor exhausted his funds and left it unfinished. 16 Hyma, op. clt., p. 201, 17 Iitten, op. cit., pp. 86, 87. 17 Boat Building and. Biver Navigation When these early pioneers came into the valley the most important means of communication was the Grand Biver, The people along the river "built row boats and flat-bottomed pole boats for their own use. Then Governor Case in 1837 initiated the operation of steamboats on regular schedule from Grand Bapids to Grand Haven, 35 miles away. The channel of the river from the rapids at Grand Bapids was navigable for boats of not over 30 inches draft. In 1838 the state appropriated $30,000 to improve the river channel for navigation. Most of the appropriation was used to remove boulders from the river. While boats were built by individuals for their own use, commer cial boat building sprang up at several points along the rapids. About 1842, boat building received an impetus from increased lake traffic from Buffalo to Chicago and other lake ports. This development af fected Grand Bapids, as goods were now received by boat from Hew York 15 days after shipment. Very soon after 1842 two boats were running daily to Grand Haven from Grand Bapids carrying passengers and freight, X8 Above the rapids also, two or three boats did a lively local business. The Water Supply Springs from the hills north of Bast Bridge Street (now Michigan) along with wells which were easy to dig furnished the water supply in pioneer days (Fig, 6). As the population increased there was a demand for a water system, and in consequence the Grand Bapids Hydraulic Com pany was organized in the spring of 1848, The company ran water from 18 Btten, op. clt,, pp. 85, 86. 18 the springe north of East Bridge Street through wooden pipes with a three inch "bore to give Grand Eapids its first water system. Pipe lay ing was completed that year from the spring down Fountain Street to Ionia, and on to Monroe Street. This system gave a fairly adequate supply of water for the residents of Grand Eapids, As the city con tinued to grow, the demand for water was almost as great as the quan tity of spring water available. Eventually the river, it seemed, would 19 have to he used as a source for an additional supply of water. The Effects of Soils and Climate on Early Settlement The Indians grew corn on the ground along the west hank of the river for a mile north and a mile south of present Bridge Street. Set tlers found the soil and climate favorable not only for corn hut also for wheat, potatoes, hay and other farm crops. Silt loam soils occur along the river, while hack from the river on either side are sandy loam soils. The fertility of these sandy soils was probably due in part to the presence of gypsum fragments and pulverized limestone which was disseminated through the glacial drift 20 and moraine deposited in glacial times,, The substratum of the moraines contains lenses of clay and boulders. In the vicinity of Grand Rapids the growing season is around 150 days, with the July and January average temperatures of 72° F. and 24° F., respectively. The annual rainfall is 36.55 inches, with the maximum 19 Etten, op. cit., pp. 122, 123. 20 Robert Wildermuth, Soil Survey of Kent County. Michigan, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. 0.^ 1926, pp. 10- 36. 19 rainfall of 17.71 inches daring the growing season, May through Septem- 21 her. Grand Bapids is located in the Humid Continental Climatic 23 Begion with short summers. In 1833 a number of settlers broke ground in Grand Bapids. By 1850, Kent County, in which Grand Bapids is located, had 885 farms which produced 3,742 bushels of potatoes, 2,921 bushels of corn, 1,629 bushels of wheat, and 12,604 pounds of butter. Grand Bapids, which had a population in 1850 of over 2,000 furnished a market for these farm products. The soils and climate supported mixed hardwoods interspersed with soft woods, the latter mainly along the northern tributaries of the 23 Grand Biver, which served to supply Grand Eapids with white pine. ' In the early days at the rapids the local market absorbed the timber. The early settlers used it for firewood, for making tools, roads, fences, furniture, houses and later the wagon industry. The canal made the water wheel feasible for power, the water wheel too was made of wood. Early Trade and Commerce In the absence of detailed reports and records of this early period of settlement, it is impossible to give with any accuracy and 21 This information was obtained in a personal interview with the East Lansing, Michigan Weather Bureau, East Lansing, Michigan. 22 Vernor C. Finch and Glenn T. Trewartha, Elements of Geography, Physical and Cultural, New York, 1949, pp. 186, 187. 23 H. T. Darlington, Taxonomic and Ecological Work on the Higher Plants of Michigan, Michigan State College, Agricultural Experi ment Station, East Lansing, Michigan, 1945, pp. 10-14. 20 in detail the volumes and values of the various types of businesses and trade. It is known, however, that in 1842 there were about a dozen stores of various kinds, of which two stores advertised dry goods and groceries at wholesale and retail. The growth of the wholesale trade was slow prior to the coming of the railroads, since there were but few villages with stores to be supplied. Some reports on exports from the Grand Eiver valley indicate that in 1841 the principal shipments were lumber, flour, and fur, which had a total value of $103,490. In April and March of 1844, there were 48 arrivals and 56 departures of lake vessels at Grand Haven, where goods were received for Grand Hapids. They carried out 1,914,260 feet of lumber, 8,900 bushels of wheat, 3,500 window sash, and 21 barrels of plaster. It is estimated that 24 three—fourths of the shipments may have originated in Grand Eapids. The first effort to establish banking in Grand Bapids was in 1838, when the Grand Eiver Bank was organized. It was capitalized for $50,000, with only $15,149 paid in, and had 27 depositors with a total deposit of $8,860. This bank lasted until 1841, when it went into receivership, leaving Grand Eapids without a bank from 1841 through 1850. Indian payments by the federal government, gold guilders of the Dutch, and investment money of the newly-arrived easterners helped provide the new settlement with cash to carry on its transac tions. Still, much of the early trade was of a barter nature, and even the laborer might receive part of his wages in pork, flour or wood. To relieve the shortage of currency, the city as well as some prominent 24 Baxter, op. cit., p. 652. 21 private citizens issued, notes that called for redemption at par in "bank notes. These early notes, referred to as shinplasters, were used for p«5 seven or eight years. Conclusion Prom a single Baptist Mission and a fur trading post in 1826, the pioneer village of Grand Bapids had grown, by 1850, into a community of 2,686 people. The river furnished an easy route for transportation, and the rapids provided potential for water power. The soils, forests, water and mineral resources supplied the material used in the early, home industries. 25 Baxter, op. cit., pp. 667-674. CHAPTER II THE FIRST MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES WHICH HAVE DISAPPEARED Introduction The population growth of Grand Rapids was quite slow during its first 25 years. After the railroads reached Grand Rapids, connecting it with other settlements, the city had an astounding growth in popu lation, manufacturing and trade. While processed agricultural products including flour milling held an inqsortant position in terms of value in the early "beginning, the products made from lumber, especially fur niture, gained first rank in the earlier years of industrial growth. Prior to the start of the twentieth century, Grand Rapids advanced from a pioneer settlement to a densely populated industrial city. When the city was first incorporated under a charter in 1850, the population X 2 was 2,686. By 1900, the population had grown to 60,278 people. Prom a very small "beginning crop production in the agricultural part of Kent County (which included Grand Rapids) grew to over . 3 $2,500,000 annually "by 1890. The lumbering industry rose quickly, "became an economic leader, and then almost as quickly vanished. Even so, furniture manufacturing became a permanent, major industry, al though later it was to experience a decline in production in relation- 1 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Population, Volume 3, p. 89, Table II, Number 16. 2 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, Population, Vol. 8, pp. 430, 431, Table 8. 3 Albert Baxter, The History of the City of Grand Rapids. Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1891, p. 505. 22 23 ship to other industries. In the wake of these major developments, mining, manufacturing of metal products, and wholesaling 'became important. Paralleling these industrial developments was the construc tion of a considerable network of railroads. A number of economic activities grew and prospered and then dis appeared. One of the purposes of this chapter is to explain why cer tain of these activities behaved in this manner. Agriculture There was much diversity in the soils, and they responded well in 4 the production of wheat, corn, potatoes, and garden products. In 1860, there were 69 farms within the city of Grand Eapids valued at $375,040.5 By the close of the nineteenth century farming within the city had come to an end, but the processing of farm products continued to be important— particularly wheat. Flour Milling Increased production on the farms was reflected in the growth of the flour milling industry. Prom a meager beginning, flour mill pro duction stood in first place in value in Grand Eapids until 1880, when the furniture industry succeeded to first place. In 1890, there were 10 flour mills in the city, three of them (Voigt, Crescent, and Brown) were producing over 200 barrels per day. 4 0. P. Barnes and F. J. Marschner, Natural Land Use Areas of the United States, The United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 1939. 5 Baxter, op. cit., p. 505. 24 The first grist mill was "built in 1834 at the Indian village "by- putting a run of stones in a saw mill to crack corn for the early pioneers (Fig. 5). This mill was short lived, having "been abandoned in 1836. But that same year the ’’Big Mill11 was erected on the east side of the river at the foot of Hastings Street, and in 1842, the Kent Mill was built. The machinery and millstones were brought- down the river in 6 a flat-bottomed boat from Jackson, While the number of mills decreased, the amount of flour milled increased. In 1880 flour milling led all industries. During the next decade flour milling gave way to furniture and lumber products, drop ping to third place. Both furniture and lumber products were ahead of flour milling in the value of production by the end of 1890. At this time the city was well on its way toward the development of diversified manufacturing. Nevertheless, production and employment were little changed in the flour milling industry until 1910. While the number of mills had decreased from 10 to 8 between 1900 and 1910, the value of production had more than doubled. By 1920 the value reached an all time high as a result of the demands created by the First World War. In 1950, the number of mills had decreased to one, and that production 7 was close to the 1890 level. 6 Baxter, op. cit., pp. 424, 425. 7 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, Manufacturing, Volume II, pp. 230-233, Table 3. 25 TABLE I MiOUR MILL INDUSTRY— 1890 TO 1950 (U. S. CENSUS) TEAR HUMBER OF MILLS EMPLOYMENT VALUE OF PRODUCT 1890 10 136 $1,558,845 1900 9 92 1,886,283 1910 8 184 3,781,000 1920 9 201 5,453,581 1930 5 52 1,664,826 1940 2 ? 1950 1 ? In 1954, there was only one flour mill left (Voigt Milling Com pany) in Grand Rapids. The Voigt plant was milling a maximum of 280,000 Q hushels per year, and employed 35 men. This mill was "built over the west side canal and was the last manufacturing plant on the canal to produce its own power (Pig. 8 and 9). It shut down operations in 9 1954. Labor troubles combined with declining demand were the main factors in the discontinuance of operations. The closing of this mill brings to an end an important chapter in the development of Grand Rapids. The flour milling industry had stood in first place in value of production during the first 60 years. 8 This information was recorded in a personal interview with Mr. Voigt in the summer of 1951. 9 The information on the final closing of the Voigt Milling Company was received in a personal interview with Mr. John Casselman of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce on December 27, 1954. 26 Fig, 8. The Voigt Milling Company, Located On Tne Vest Siae Canal, Was the Last Flour Mill to Operate in Grand Rapids. . flvl V,V ii vi Fig. 9. The West Stae Power Canal, anown in the Foreground Parallels the Grand River, shown here at a point where it flows tnrougn the Heart of Down town Grand Raptas. The Building at the Right of the Bridge Houses tne Furniture ifcxnibitions. 27 The Salt Industry Long "before white men came to the rapids on the Grand River, the Indians had knowledge of salt springs.'*'® Geologically salt was origi nally precipitated "by evaporation of shallow waters which covered the 11 Michigan area in the Mississippian period of the Paleozoic era. The early settlers in the state were much concerned with salt production. At the state constitutional convention in Detroit, 1835, it was proposed that all salt springs within the state, plus one sec tion of land for each spring, should be granted to the State of Michi- ip gan to be used as its Legislature might direct. After statehood, one of the first acts of the legislature was to make an appropriation 13 for the exploration of salt. In 1839 the legislature appropriated $3000 for salt exploration and directed the state geologist to commence boring at one or more of the springs."*’^ One site was selected three miles below Grand Rapids. While the state in 1840 was engaged in drilling a well, Lucius Lyons began a well on the river banks 75 feet above Bridge Street. Lyons* well went down 661 feet and was completed in 1841. The well produced 10 Baxter, op. cit., p. 414. 11 Bert Hudgins, Michigan Geographic Background in the Development of the Commonwealth, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1953, p. 9. 12 Sidu_, p. 51. 13 Leslie H. Wood, Physical and Industrial Geography of Michigan, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1914, p. 120. 14 Ibid.. pp. 120, 121. 28 brine one third saturated, and flowed at the rate of 10,000 gallons daily. In 1842, Lyons was making 50 bushels of salt per day, which sold for $1.50 per barrel.In 1850 an effort to remove the piping for repairs caused the well to cave in, and the work was temporarily stopped. ^ This well had a strong flow of water with a relatively low concentration of salt. Finally in 1859, the Legislature passed ^an act to encourage the manufacture of salt in the State of Michigan11. This act made pro visions for the exemption from taxation of all lands employed in the industry of salt manufacture and authorized the payment of a bounty of ten cents per bushel for salt obtained in the state by drilling. This was the stimulus needed to promote private enterprise in the salt industry. Twenty-five thousand dollars were expended to drill wells and to promote the salt industry in Grand Eapids, but because of the low content of salt in the brine the industry was finally abandoned in 17 1864. The salt industry was at an end at Grand Bapids. Saw Mills and Lumbering Around Grand Rapids and north of the city along the Grand River and its tributaries, the beech-maple-hemlock association predominated, 15 One barrel contains 3.21 bushels of salt— computed from informa tion in Webster*s Dictionary, combined with an interview with Mr. Ferrell of the Grand Rapids Plaster Conpany, December 27, 1954. 16 Baxter, op. cit., p. 414. 17 G. S. Bergquist, Michigan Today, Superintendent of Public In struction, Lansing, Michigan, 1937, p. 77. 29 although large tracts of white pine were interspersed (Fig. 10). In the early days at the rapids the local market absorbed the timber. The early settlers used it for firewood, for making tools, roads, fences, furniture, houses and later for the wagon industry. For operating their first saw mills, the settlers used primarily the water wheel. The first saw mill in Grand Bapids was built in 1832 at government expense at the Indian Mission (Fig. 5). It was located on the west side of the river near the north line of the city. This small mill could cut 500 to 800 board feet of lumber per day. It was used to saw lumber for the first dwellings. The second saw mill was built on the east channel of the river. Power was developed by building a low dam from the head of Island Number One to the east bank. This mill operated until 1838. Three mills were also built on Plaster Creek, but the first saw mill was not built on the east canal until 1837, followed by a second in 1842. The first shipment of lumber from Grand Bapids was made in 1838. About that time or soon after, Mr. George Dickinson brought down the river a raft of 30,000 feet of logs from the Flat Eiver to Grand Rapids. For 20 years from the commencement of the lumber trade, the only profitable avenue for shipment of logs was by floatage down the Grand Biver to Grand Rapids, and on to the lake Michigan port city of Grand Haven. Until 1850 the growth of the lumber business was moder ate, but as the western country became settled, increased demand for lumber stimulated the trade. 30 ORIGINAL FORESTS MICHIGAN C e r r p d t a I'O/r IflflS O ' f ' C I < • ! » f j w&RSCMhCR, »*««*rcn *•») , pilx* C c 9" 0*.ct, D***'**"*"* ®r Agncwir.r* iCGlhD u n iD H«no*OOOS a COMrtRS *•*«€ *1*15 Sputa,*■ ST [ | * |1 a 0«T l*MO MtJtD »0«tSt lAuagad lo«dl 'CLAIfi m Sim mf (C*«o>, Ban*™, i« iw *a ) N*n0»0003 fl«d Milts D«p't cf GaoJofly 0 G«eq'0p*'r # ^ , * \ MietMoen Slot* Coilsga M.<**go" S’ati Collar)* Pratt Pig. 10 31 Before 1850, very little lumbering or milling was carried on in and around Grand Eapids, From 1850 to 1890 more than two dozen mills were operated at one time or another in Grand Rapids along the canals of the Grand River,, Extensive stands of pine along the north tribu taries of the Grand River were the principal source of logs for the Grand Rapids' mills. After 1890 there were only one or two mills still operating. Since that time most of the pine in the Grand River valley has been exhausted. To handle the logs on the river, the Grand Rapids Boom Company was organized in 1870. From that date until 1893 this company handled all of the logs (3,500,000,000 board feet) that were floated down the Grand River to and below Grand Rapids. During their last year of operation in 1893 only 3,266,566 feet of logs were floated to Grand Rapids. During the period 1871-1894 there was notable fluctuation in pro- 19 duction (Fig. 11), 3he two great peaks occurred in 1873 and 1882. Ihe first reflected the vast opening of the western country after the close of the Civil War and the second peak was due to the growth in the lumbering industry in a virgin forest area adjacent to the rich agricultural lands and the expanding urban centers in the midst of in creasing plenty that demanded lumber. 18 Baxter, op. cit., p, 372. 19 George W. Hotchkiss, History of the Lumber and Forest Industry of the Northwest, Chicago, Illinois, 1898, pp. 168, 372. BOARD FEET WORKED (in millions) 60 40 50 20 30 10 Board Feet of Logs in the Grand Hirer Valley and Valley Hirer Grand the in Logs of Feet Board Fig. 11. ▲ line graph showing the Proauction in Proauction the showing graph line ▲ 11. Fig. at Grand Haplas. Grand at s § s & 00 rH f-t fH On O YEAR 32 00 oo 33 Cooperage and Other Wood Products The demand for barrels brought about by flour milling led to the 20 establishment of a cooperage industry as early as 1843* The barrel staves were cut from wood such as hemlock which was found along the Grand River* At least a dozen people were employed, at different times, in manufacturing various kinds of barrels, wood pails, tubs, bowls, clothespins, faucets, and even wooden shoes. During the period, 1860 to 1894, the demand for wood products was responsible for the growth of the cooperage and shingle industries* With the exhaustion of local lumber this industry came to an end around 1890* Because of the supply of lumber from the Grand Eiver valley, a shingle manufacturing industry developed* As early as 1855, the shingle mills of Grand Rapids produced $100,000 worth of shingles and $33,000 worth of lath. This industry prospered as long as the lumber was plentiful, but before the close of the nineteenth century as the 21 raw material grew scarce and costly, it disappeared. The Wagon and Carriage Industry In the beginning. Grand Rapid3 was a farming community. The forests supplied the wood for the wagons and sleighs needed for trans porting people and farm crops* The first cutters (sleighs) that were made and marketed in Grand Eapids were built by the cabinet maker, Haldane* The early pioneer, by himself or with the aid of his neigh- 20 Baxter, op* cit., pp. 496, 497. 21 Ibid., p. 427. 34 bors and the "blacksmith, would generally hew out a rough wagon or sleigh with hand tools,, Early wagon manufacturing which got its start about 1842 was small scale. By I860, the industry employed 42 persons. With an increase in the number of farmers and wealthy citizens, the wagon and carriage industry had a total production of $201,985 by 1870, By 1890 there were 18 manufacturers of carriages and wagons in Grand op Eapids, whose output was valued at $309,646, The peak year of pro- 23 duction was reached in 1900o Between 1900 and 1910 with the coming of the automobile industry wagon manufacturing in Grand Eapids de clined, and by 1920 had ceased production. Transportation and Power As farm lands were settled, roads were built extending from the village of Grand Eapids into the country-side. Many of these early roads were plank roads. In 1832, Congress appropriated $3,500 for a wagon road from Detroit through Shiawassee County, via Grand Eapids to the mouth of the Grand Eiver. In 1841, $9,729 and 500,000 acres of what was called internal improvement lands were appropriated to the state by Congress, This appropriation made possible the building of a road from Kalamazoo to Grand Eapids by the way of Grandville. State roads were authorized through Portland and Battle Creek and down the 22 TJ, S. Bureau of the Census, Eleventh Census of the United States. 1890, Manufacturing, Volume II, p. 230, Table 3, 23 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900, Manufacturing, Volume VIII, Part II, pp. 430, 431, Table 80 35 valley of the Grand River to Grand Rapids* Roads to Grand Haven and 24 Muskegon were laid out connecting Grand Rapids. In 1841 daily stage coaches began running over the road to Kala mazoo. Coach service was also established from Grand Rapids to Grand Haven, Pontiac, Battle Creek and Lansing. Most of the mail to Grand Rapids came by stage coach by way of Kalamazoo, which was on the new railroad line between Detroit and Chicago. This railroad called the Michigan Central Railroad reached Kalamazoo in 1845. In Grand Rapids the first real paving was done on Canal Street in 1847. The street was covered with sand and gravel obtained from the glacial outwash plains southwest of the town, and top-dressed with broken limestone taken from the river valley. The first bridge across the Grand River was built in 1845. This bridge which lasted only seven years was made of timber and planks and was financed by an 25 appropriation of 6,000 acres from the legislature. After the railroads reached Grand Rapids in 1858, the stage coach business virtually ceased. River Transportation and Power Development River transportation was important until 1858. After that date, the railroads carried most of the freight shipped from, and destined for Grand Rapids. Although the railroads brought to an end the use of the river for general transportation, and the running of the stage 24 Baxter, op. cit., p. 523. 25 Ibid., pp. 524-526. 36 coach, the river continued to "be important for floating logs and as a source of power for milling and manufacturing,, The east side canal (described in Chapter I) provided power for saw and flour mills, as well as other types of manufacturing. In 1866 a power canal three quarters of a mile long was dug on the west side of the river. This canal ran from Seventh Street south to beyond West Fulton Street. Saw mills, flour mills, and other industries were built along its entire length. While the east side canal was filled some years ago, the west side canal continued to be used until the fall of 1954, at which time the last industry using its power closed down (Referred to earlier in this Chapter). (Fig. 12) City Transportation and the Electric Railways As the city continued to grow, there was a need for a city trans portation system. In 1864, the city government issued a charter for the establishment of a street railway. In 1865 horsedrawn cars started to run on Monroe Avenue (Fig. 13). By 1883, the street railway system had expanded to 26 miles of track, employed 180 men and used 120 cars 26 and 500 horses. A cable railway was constructed in 1885. After the electric street car was invented in 1889, the city street railway transporta*- tion system was electrified and consolidated under one company— the 26 This information was received in a personal interview with Mr. John W. Collins of Grand Rapids Motor Coach Company, Grand Rapids in 1954. 37 e 5 o4 0 ‘20‘' Sl/JiV£y£:£> 4 rs(?. /&33 & y CStAS. j3A/i^/£S Jl VA/R.-f'S' £ l. 42°58' o X. Z ^ L fl/L TQM St. 71 g. 12. This Map Shows the Old and Present Banks of the Grand Hiver. Fig. 13. This was the Type of Horseear used in Grana Hapids froir 1865 to 1885. 39 Consolidated Street Eailway Company, Grand Eapids, in 1890, became one of the first cities in Michigan to he served by electric street cars. In 1922 buses were added as feeders for the street cars. In 1935, the electric street cars were discontinued, and buses took over on all of the city transportation routes. Grand Eapids became the 27 first city of its size to put buses in operation. The first electric interurban lines connecting Grand Eapids with Muskegon and Grand Haven started running in 1902 and 1903, respective ly. By 1915, Grand Eapids had interurban lines to Holland and Kalamaf- zoo. These lines operated successfully until the late 1920's, when the competition of automobiles began to affect operations. These interurban lines were run by the Michigan Electric Eailway Company. They ceased their operations in 1930, because of lack of patronage.^® The first major economic activities of Grand Bapids which were covered in this chapter disappeared. The cutting of the pine forest brought to a close a period in the rugged, pioneer life that was marked by plenty and waste. Other major economic activities such as the wagon and carriage industry were adversely affected. This, com bined with major transportation advancements in Michigan, brought the end to the wagon and carriage making industry in Grand Eapids. 27 John W. Collins, Grand Eapids Transportation. Grand Eapids Motor Coach Company, Grand Eapids, Michigan, 1954, p. 3. 28 This information was obtained on .August 10, 1954 from John W. Collins of the Grand Eapids Motor Coach Company, Grand Bapids, Michigan. 40 The salt Industry was doomed to die 'because of the thin layers of salt available, in comparison to the very thick bedB in other parts of 29 Michigan. Thousands of dollars were wasted in drilling salt wells, and in I860 when the industry was almost at a close, the United States Census reported the industry with a sale of only $600 worth of salt. She changes that took place in transportation and power are a part of the history of the economic evolution of our country. Grand Eapids, like other urban centers, evolved from the pioneer stage to a more advanced position, The river offered transportation and power during the settlement stage, while new inventions and improvements in the country brought in the new and caused the old to be abandoned. Improved roads and railroads replaced river transportation. Power from the west side canal, long utilized by the flour milling industry, has finally given way to modern progress, and no doubt the canal will soon be filled in for parks or the parking of automobiles, as it is located in the manufacturing area where space for parking is at a premium. 29 Hudgins, op. eit., p. 51. CHAPTER III THE GROWTH AND DECLINE OF THE RAILROAD Introduction Grand Rapids was only 12 years old, when its citizens began agi tation for a railroad. On June 25, 1845, they held a meeting and resolved to petition the legislature for a charter for a railroad from Battle Creek to Grand Rapids. December 1, following, at another meet ing, it was resolved that application be made for charter for a railroad from Port Huron, or some point on the St. Clair River. In 1846, the Legislature granted charters for railroads, severally, from Jackson, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo, to Grand Rapids,1 The Michigan Central Railroad from Detroit, reached Kalamazoo in 1847. In that year, a citizens committee held a meeting and discussed growth and prospects of the village, in order to keep the subject of a railroad to Grand Rapids alive. By 1890, railroads had largely replaced water transportation on the Grand River except in a few localities, and had practically elimi nated the stage coach business from Grand Rapids to the southern part of the state. The first railroad to reach Grand Rapids, connected with Pontiac in 1858 (Fig. 14). This railroad gave the city connections with all of the important cities in the eastern part of the country, and an opportunity for expanded markets. This was the Detroit and Milwaukee 1 Albert Baxter, The History of the City of Grand Rapids. Michigan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1891, p. 527. 41 42 85°40 RAILROADS OF MICHIGAN KEV TO ANN I H M RR ■ OTME C«TY » » CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO OR CMGMO AND NORTH WESTERN NT, CMtCASO, MH-WAU COPPER RAMS* RR OCTROIT, CARO AMO SAWOVfRY RY DETROIT AND MACKINAC RY OCTROI T AMD TOUOO SHORE LIMf RR DETROIT, TOLCDO AND MORTON RR DULUTH, SOUTH CHORE AND ATLANTIC RT CART JORDAN AND SOUTHERN RR E f CANADA AND LAKE SVPERttR RR AAAMO TRUNK WESTERN R.R LAKE SUPERIOR AND ISHPCHMS RR MANISTEE AMP NORTHEASTERN A MANISTIOVC AND LAKE SUPERIOR RR MMCRAL RANSC RR ttienEATCUC, ST PAUL ANO SAULT STC MARIE RT NEW YORK CENTRAL RR PCNNSTLVANIM RR PONT HURON AMD OETROIT MR RASASH RT (N VN M | M A H IN M ft-hfri URN i n M m CANADA 8 3°40 Fig. 14 43 Railroad which ran from Detroit to Pontiac and on. to Grand Rapids and Grand Haven, Following the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, in 1869, came the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern from Kalamazoo by way of Allegan. Grand Rapids now had rail connections to the south with Chicago, which meant further expansion of her markets. Less than a year later, in 1870, the citizens of Grand Rapids paid the Grand River Valley Railroad a bonus of $36,000 for linking the city with Jackson. Grand Rapids could now reach Detroit, its biggest market in Michigan, by two routes. It was not until September of the same year that the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad from Fort Wayne reached Grand Rapids by way of Kalamazoo. In the year of 1882 this railroad was completed to Mackinaw City, providing Grand Rapids with one of the longest north-south lines in Michigan (Fig. 14). After this railroad was established, most of the towns in northern Michigan along its route, 2 looked to Grand Rapids for supplies and manufactured goods. In 1872, the Grand Rapids, Holland and Chicago Railroad built a line from Grand Rapids to Holland. Since a line connecting Holland to Chicago already existed, this road tied Grand Rapids more closely to an extremely important market for furniture and lumber products. Ihree years later, in 1875, Grand Rapids was connected by rail to White Cloud. She last railroad built connected with Lansing, the capital, in 1888. By 1890, railroads tied Grand Rapids to all of the important cities in Michigan, as well as giving the city connections with a 2 Baxter, op. cit., pp. 528-536. 44 national market. The total railroad mileage in Michigan had increased enormously in slightly over 30 years, from 70S in 1858 to 7,050 miles in 1890.3 Today the following four railroadB serve Grand Sapids: Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, The Grand Trunk Railroad, The Pennsylvania Railroad, and The New York Central Railroad (Pig. 14). The Period of Railroad Dominance The railroads enjoyed a monopoly in the movement of freight from 1860 to about 1910. By the latter year, the automobile had made a dent in the railroad monopoly. However, the railroad continued to dominate the freight business until 1930. Development of Competition In 1910, there were only 10,133 trucks operating in the entire United States. However, by 1920, good roads gave Grand Rapids connec tions with both Detroit and Kalamazoo in both east-west and north-south directions. As Grand Rapids became the hub of improved roads, by 1930 the trucking industry was giving the railroads real competition.^ Decrease in Railroad Business The heaviest tonnage carried by the railroads to Grand Rapids is bulky freight such as coal, gravel, sand, and cement. The trucking 3 William J. Etten, History of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1926, pp. 135-137. 4 Michigan Trucking Association, Trucking News, Hastings, Michigan, June, 1949, pp. 3-9. 45 Industry on the other hand transports in and out of Grand Rapids an ever increasing tonnage of finished manufactured products. The rail roads handle a smaller percentage of the total freight than is handled "by the trucking industry. In 1945, there were 107,722 railroad cars in and out of the city. For the first seven months of 1954, the car 5 loadings were only 55,534. These were years of greatest growth in manufacturing in Grand Rapids, yet railroad business failed to advance. From 1945 to 1954, there was actually a lose in railroad car loadings, if we can use the seven months of 1954 as a basis for comparison. The trucking industry increased business by 150 percent between g 1941 and 1952. It can be assumed that part of this increase was at the expense of the railroads. The railroads charged less per hundred pounds than did the motor trucks, but the latter moved freight more quickly up to a distance of 300 miles. Thus, the great bulk of the short haul business has been lost by the railroads. The railroads, however, continue to hold their own on long hauls. 5 Charles S. Fierick, Commissioner of Traffic, Chamber of Commerce, Grand Rapids, Michigan furnished the author with this information during a personal interview on September 25, 1954. 6 This information was obtained by the' author from a personal inter view with Mr. Zwald (now deceased) of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. CHAPTER IT THE RISE AMD DECLINE OP THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY Introduction During the period of early settlement certain economic activities took root which later experienced some decline in relationship to other economic growth. Such was the case in the furniture industry. Al though the furniture industry gave ground in comparison to the growth of other economic activities, it has continued as an important factor in the economic life of the community. Early Growth as Related to Power and Raw Materials. A ‘beginning in furniture production was first made by William Haldane in 1837.^ Along with door and window sash, he fashioned bed room furniture and cabinet ware in his home. The presence of walnut, oak, and maple, the water power sites, and a local market in and around Grand Rapids, were the magnets that helped to draw William Haldane and other early craftsmen to Grand Rapids. Until about 1848, most of the furniture was made by hand. In Grand Rapids, William Powers and William Haldane were the first wood workers to introduce the use of woodworking machinery to the furniture industry. However, power-driven machinery was used almost entirely after 1850. This was due to the invention of the circular saw and the power-driven wood lathe, together with the development of power along the river, and the east side canal. Later, as described in Chapter II, power was added 1 William J. Etten, History of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1936, p. 171. 46 47 "by the development of a west side canal. The raw materials plus power placed Grand Eapid3 in a unique position to attract wood workers from the eastern part of the United States where furniture making was well under way. The Early Period in Furniture Manufacturing The period, between 1850 and 1860, was a time of slow growth. In 1859, one of Grand Bapids1 most famous furniture names was first intro duced— the Berkey and Gay Furniture Company. The first furniture by Julius Berkey, which introduced the Berkey name to furniture manufao* turers, was inexpensive walnut tables. In 1873, Julius Berkey was joined by Mr. Gay in organizing a corporation known as the Berkey and Gay Furniture Company. This firm continued until the depression years in the early 1930*s, when its collapse was recorded (Fig. 15). It had the most colorful history of the furniture concerns in Grand Bapids, 2 and will long be remembered for its fine craftsmanship in furniture. Furniture manufacturing in Grand Bapids is actually divided into three periods: 1. The pioneer period, 2. The machinery and organiza tion period, and 3. the modem period which runs from 1890 to the present day. Of the three periods, the organization period is un doubtedly the most important because it set the tempo of the furniture industry everywhere. During this period, craftsmen came from England, the Netherlands, Sweden, and other European countries bringing their 2 This information was received during a personal interview with Charles Campbell of the Furniture Manufacturers Association of Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1951. 46- Fig. 15. This building which at one time housed the Berkey-Gay Furniture Company, once the largest manu facturer of furniture in Grand Banids ana the Nation is now used as a general warehouse and a small amount of manufacturing. The Company succumbed during the denrfiEsion of 1930-40. 49 3 skill, tools and pride in fine workmanship to their new home. Sub sequent events have proved that these resources which were mostly in the character and enterprise of its people were adequate. While the furniture manufacturing was a minor industry in the middle of the nineteenth century, at the close of the organization period in 1890 4 the industry led all others. The Period of Dominance— >1880-1930 By 1880, Grand Bapids had 15 furniture manufacturing plants. In that year the value of furniture production for the first time gained 5 the top rank among all other industries. The Philadelphia Centennial Imposition of 1876 had much to do with this growth and leadership of furniture manufacturing in Grand Bapids, Heretofore, the Grand Bapids market had been confined primarily to Michigan and the midwest. How ever, three enterprising Grand Bapids manufacturers displayed furni ture at Philadelphia which met with sensational approval, and brought far-reaching results. Hot long afterwards. New York City furniture dealers were buying Grand Bapids furniture for their better class trade. Prom a humble beginning— a single shop in 1837— the furniture manufacturing industry had pushed the value of its output to more than 3 This information was obtained by an interview with E. G. Weir of the Furniture Guild, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1954. 4 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Manufacturing. Volume III, pp, 264, 265, Table No. 1, 5 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Tenth Census of the United States. 1880, Manufacturing. Volume III, pp, 403, 404, Table VI. 50 $2,000,000 by 1880. 6 Besides power and raw materials, the furniture industry could point to leadership in styling which had earned nation-wide approval at Philadelphia,, Because of the expansion of business on such a nation-wide scale, the number of factories manufacturing furniture in Grand Bapids increased more than one hundred percent— to 31 in 1890. (fable II) fhe city jumped from a seventh place producer in 1880 to third place in production among the furniture manufacturing centers of the nation. TABLE II GBPWTH OP SUBSETfUBB MANUFAQTUBIMG Iff GRAND BAPIDS. 1850-189Q7 YEAR BO. OP PLANTS SMPLOYED VALUE OP PBQDUCT 1850 5 (estimate) 5 (estimate) ? 1860 9 53 $ 32,255 1870 8 281 348,900 1880 15 2,279 2,015,764 1890 31 4,347 5,638,916 Grand Bapids had gained this high rank in furniture production just 14 years after the close of the Philadelphia Furniture Exposi tion. While Grand Bapids had the smallest number of plants among the nation1s seven leaders in furniture production in 1890, both the number employed and the value of production stood in third place, (fable III) 6 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Tenth Census of the United States, 1880, Manufacturing. Volume III, pp. 403, 404, fable VI. 7 U. S. Census. 51 TABLE III IUBNITUBE PBODUCTION FOB THE SEVEN Q LEAPING CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1890 POSITION CITY NO. OP PLANTS NO. OP WQBKERS VALUE OF PBODUCT 1 New York City 187 6491 $12,923,290 2 Chicago 149 7706 12,540,215 3 Grand Bapids 31 4347 5,638,916 4 Philadelphia 79 2589 4,812,913 5 Cincinnati 62 3134 4,208,974 6 Boston 88 2125 4,082,476 7 St. Louis 33 1563 2,961,404 The turn of the century brought hundreds of new furniture crafts- men to Grand Bapids— men who had been wood workers in their own coun tries. They were attracted to Grand Bapids because of the fertile Michigan lands and the sober, religious peoples that made up the popu lation of the city. These men and their descendants who have continued in the furniture work axe the backbone of the industry. The con scientiousness of these people who possess the greatly desired quality of being able to shoulder responsibility has contributed to the high standards of the furniture industry at Grand Bapids. Thus, the Ameri can public accepted the cityls style leadership, and the furniture trade of the country began to look to Grand Bapids as the outstanding source of good furniture design. Today, the city has the reputation of having more furniture designers than any other city in the United 9 States. 8 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Eleventh Census of Manufacturing Indus tries: 1890. Volume II, Part II, p. 661. 9 The Grand Bapids Furniture Manufacturers Association, The Furniture Career of Grand Bapids, Furniture Manufacturers Association, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1938, pp. 1—4. 52 The Grand Bapids Furniture Market As early as 1848, merchants went to Grand. Rapids to "buy furni ture— -but these merchants were largely from the surrounding area. How ever, two years after the Philadelphia Centennial, in 1878, an attempt was made to serve a larger area by starting a Furniture Market in Grand Rapids, During the first market, in 1880, a large number of eastern buyers visited the city. They were attracted here because the Grand Rapids furniture designs had created such a sensation among the na tion*a furniture representatives two years earlier at Philadelphia, As the furniture market idea developed, manufacturers from many parts of the country became interested in its success, and in 1883 they began sending furniture to Grand Rapids for display purposes. This marked the beginning of outside furniture exhibitors at the Grand Rapids Market— a practice which has continued to the present, January and July became Furniture Market months. The Waters Building was opened in 1898 as an exhibition building, and one of the largest buildings in the world for the exclusive exhibition of furni ture (Fig. 16), A second Furniture Exhibitors Building, a seven story structure immediately west of the Pantlind Hotel, was added in 1945 (Fig. 17), These two buildings, along with many factory showrooms, house the semi-annual furniture exhibitions. The Guild In 1907, several furniture manufacturers organized a cooperative association known as "The Guild", for the purpose of entertaining furniture buyers who came to Grand Rapids, The Guild maintained a Pig. 16. The Waters Building opened for Furniture Exhibit ions in 189B Fig. 17. The Furniture Exhitition Building was opened in 1945. 55 suite of rooms, in the heart of the city for entertaining buyers, fur nished with the test Grand Rapids* furniture. While the Guild published a Joint catalog for its members, its outstanding objective was to standardize furniture finishes. Furni ture finishes in the past had been dependent for their color and quality upon the whims of the finishing foremen in the various fac tories. The Guild succeeded in eliminating this confusion by standard— 10 izing finishes under given trade names for the furniture industry. The ihrniture Manufacturers Association In 1911, the Guild was dissolved and replaced by the Grand Eapids Furniture Manufacturers Association. In 1915, the Association organ ized the Grand Rapids Market Association to direct the affairs of the furniture market. It supervises and organizes the two furniture markets each year.3’3' The Wood Carvers and The Kendall Memorial School Sometime after 1890, an Italian wood carver by the name of Iommucci came to Grand Rapids from the east and started a carving and drawing school. A number of Italian carvers followed Mr. Iommucci to Grand Rapids. Later, the Kendall School of Arts and Resign was estab lished providing added training in furniture designing and interior decorating. Its alumni are leaders today in the furniture industry not 10 This information was obtained from E. G, Weir, head of the Grand Rapids Furniture Guild, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1954. 11 This information was obtained from Charles Campbell, head of the Grand Rapids Furniture Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1951. 56 12 only in Grand Bapids but throughout the nation. These furniture designing schools have emphasized quality which has assisted Grand Bapids in maintaining Its position as a quality furniture center**-a quality that is so well known that some furniture merchants have teen known to take a 11 free ride11 on the name 11 Grand 13 Bapids11, when in fact, they handled no Grand Bapids furniture. garniture Production Continued to Climb In spite of the exhaustion of much of the forests of Michigan as early as 1900, furniture production in Grand Bapids continued to rank third in value among the furniture manufacturing centers. By 1910, the industry had in its labor force more than one-third of the total employment in all manufacturing industries in Grand Bapids. The value of production of furniture in 1920 was triple that of 1910. In 1930, Grand Bapids had 72 furniture factories, and although in that year the value of production was the highest in its history, the industry was to experience serious setbacks in the years ahead (Table IV). The Drop in Production in The Early 30*s Grand Bapids, like other cities, was deeply affected by the de pression of the early 1930*s. It was a time of confusion in furniture production. The failure to modernize furniture plants hampered mass 12 This information was obtained through a personal interview with Henry K. Kronemeyer, head of Kay Carving Company, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1953. 13 Stephen JF. Dunn, Attorney for the Grand Bapids Burniture Associa tion, from a letter to furniture dealers. Grand Bapids, Michigan, November 12, 1948, pp. 1—3. 5? production in Orand Rapids. During this period Grand Rapids lost four of its biggest plants, and many smaller ones also closed (Table V). The furniture industry had become important in the south where lumber was close at hand, and labor costs were lower due to lower living costs. High Point, North Carolina gained first place in production by 1952, while Grand Rapids dropped from third place in 1930 to eighth place.n 1 4 TABLE IV FURNITURE PRODUCTION IN GBAUD RAPIDfr— 1890~1930 U. 5. Census YEAR NO. OP PLANTS NO. EMPLOYED VALUE OF PRODUCTION 1890 31 4,347 $ 5,638,916 1900 34 6,636 7,494,607 1910 54 7,854 12,630,000 1920 71 10,444 34,962,294 1930 72 12,036 57,851,118 TABLE V FURNITURE MANUFACTURING IE GRAND RAPIDS* 1930 to 1950 YEAR NO. OF PLANTS NO. EMPLOYED VALUE ADDED BY MANUFACTURING 1930 72 12,036 $36,213,310 1940 57 3,610 8,195,088 1950 88 5,026 19,400,000 1955 69 8,500 ? * U. S. Census 14 Frank E. Seidman, The Outlook For the Furniture Industry, an address delivered by Mr. Seidman before the Jamestown Area Fur niture Manufacturers Association, Jamestown, New York, April 22, 1952, pp. l-^. 58 The Period of Adjustment and Attempted Stabilization In 1930, the value of furniture production was at its highest level in Grand Eapids, "but a period of readjustment was to take place. The drastic effect of the depression which followed is revealed in the extremely low value in 1940. By modernizing its plants and plac ing emphasis upon the importance of skill in workmanship the industry Began at least a partial recovery. Nevertheless the industry has not recovered its former dominant position. The Grand Bapids Furniture Makers Guild No greater influence has contributed, in the past few years, toward the maintenance of Grand Bapids' reputation as the center of manufacture of furniture of quality than that of the Grand Bapids Furniture Makers Guild. It was incorporated under the laws of Michigan in January, 1932, and had almost one dozen members. While the Furniture Makers Guild was a depression-born organization, its coordinated efforts have become world famous. Today more than 250 leading home furnishing stores across the nation are dealer members of the Guild. The Guild was created for and dedicated to these merchandisers of good furni ture. This organization strives to respect and maintain the heritage of four generations of furniture artistry and craftsmanship, and in so doing pledges its initiative to the advancement of the furniture in dustry . The furniture made by members of the Guild bears an impressive bronze shield which is instantly recognized as standing for quality. 59 The Guild Galleries where their furniture is displayed, are located in the Grand Rapids Exhibitors Building. Here can be seen the quality furniture with a leadership in style which has kept Grand Rapids in 15 the forefront in furniture manufacturing. The Furniture Museum The Furniture Museum, one of the first of its kind in the nation, is one of Grand Rapids* prized possessions. Opened in 1928, the Museum is owned by the city, and operated under the direction of the Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association. The Museum is housed in one of the most impressive, old mansions in Grand Rapids (Fig. 18), and offers the general public an opportunity to see quality Grand 16 Rapids furniture first hand. The Furniture Village Grand Rapids has been selected by the National Association of Home Builders for the development of an experimental village of 50 houses. These houses will not be lived in, but will be open for inspection throughout the entire year. They will be furnished with the latest in Grand Rapids furniture and thus serve as another type of exhibition for the local manufacturers. The project will be located on an 80 acre tract of land l^ miles east of Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids was chosen for this project, because of the importance of its furniture manufac- 15 The Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild, a booklet on “Plan and Procedure of the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild11, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1954, pp. 1-5. 16 The Furniture Manufacturers Association, Grand Rapids Furniture, A Brief Story of Furniture, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1938, p. 18. n«.' 18. ' The Grand Sshiae itohlture Mueem. 61 17 turers, and. its location in the manufacturing belt, Ehis is another device which should help to further stabilize the furniture industry* 17 (The State Journal, Q-rand Bapids Named Test Village Site, Lansing, Michigan, February 20, 1955, p. 33, col. 5. CHAPTER V MANUFACTURING ACTIVITIES IN THE ASCENDANCY Introduction While the furniture industry declined in importance in Grand Rapids, other industries have continued to grow and prosper. Such has been the case in office and store equipment manufacturing, and for most of the important metal using industries. Office, School and Store Equipment Sack in 1886, three Grand Rapids citizens, Galus Perkins, William Hess, and Seymour Peregrine founded the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company. This company set high standards of value right from the start, and in less than two years after beginning operations, it was necessary to increase plant capacity in order to meet the increasing demands for seating. By 1890, Grand Rapids was selling more than 1 $400,000 in seating equipment to all parts of the country. At the same time, wood, office furniture production was well on its way in Grand Rapids. However, in 1912, wood office furniture acquired a competitor, namely, metal office furniture manufacturing. While wood office furniture continues, metal office furniture manufacturing has grown to twice the value of wood today. Between 1900 and 1910, the store equipment business was started in Grand Rapids. Specialization followed in adjustable shelving for 1 H. M. Taliaferro, Here at American Seating Company, Bulletin by American Seating, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1952, pp. 40, 41. 62 63 Fig. 19. The Grand Eapida Store Equipment Company. This plant is located on lower Monrce Avenue. S|lil| Fig. PC. The American Seating Coiroany of Graca Han ice is the biggest manufacturer of seating in the world. 64 self-serve stores, as well as luxurious fixtures for department stores and shopping centers (Fig, 19). While 1930 marked the peak of the furniture industry (Chapter IV), the growth of the seating and store equipment industry has "been steady. The American Seating Company, one of the "biggest manufacturers of school, theater, and church seats, employs more than 2,000 people in their factory. Some of the finest carved pulpits and pews have come from their factory. While much of the wood carving is done "by machin ery today, most of the pews and pulpits produced Toy the American Seat ing Company are "by hand carving (Fig. 20), In 1930, the value added by manufacturing was little more than one million dollars in this field of production but in 1947 it rose to over 11 million dollars in Grand 2 Bapids. Mechanical Refrigeration and Carpet Sweeper Manufacturing Befrigeration The first refrigerators were made largely of wood, and were manu factured in Grand Bapids in 1883 by H. Leonard & Sons. Mr. Leonard, before making refrigerators, operated a crockery and house furnishing store which he had purchased from Melville E. Bissell (The Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company). One day a lady customer inquired of Mr. Leonard as to the possi bilities of making a refrigerator with removable shelves, so that the shelves could be easily cleaned and food odors eliminated. Mr. 2 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Seventeenth Census of the United States. 1949, Manufacturing, Volume III, p. 308, Table 5. 65 Leonard worked on this idea, and finally perfected a refrigerator. By 1890, he had organized a company and produced upwards of 100 of this latest type of refrigerator daily, with an annual output of some 3 $200,000, The industry continued to grow and today under new manage- 4 ment employs nearly 2,600 persons. The company has continued to expand, and today produces about 619,000 units per year, of which 101,600 units are stoves, a new type production for Grand Bapids. Carpet Sweeper Melville B. Bissell settled in Grand Bapids in 1857, Soon after his arrival, he started a china and crockery store which he later sold to 3, Leonard & Sons, Mr. Bissell was an inventive genius (Fig. 21), He decided that a sweeper with a rotating brush could be made that would sweep the wooden floor of the store without raising a lot of dust, and thereby eliminate the repeated necessity of dusting the 5 china and crockery, Mr. Bissell started making hand sweepers in 1376, By 1890, his plant was reputed to be the largest of its kind in the world (Fig. 22). Althou^i the electric sweeper made its appearance in 1908, the Bissell Sweeper continued to be manufactured as a hand sweeper. Owing to the fact that this industry is the only one of its kind in Grand Bapids, no census data on production have been released. 3 The electric refrigerator was introduced in the early 1920*s. 4 The State Journal. Lansing, Michigan, January 24, 1955, page 18, column 1. 5 This information was obtained from Mr. I. J. Bissell, the son of the late Melville B„ Bissell, during the summer of 1952. 66 Fig:. 21. The Bissell ana Sons Crockery and. GIr b b - ware Store wnicn was opened in Grana Ranias hy Melville R. BisHell shortly after 1657. 67 Fig. 22. The Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, one of the largest manufacturers of hand sweepers. 68 Their faith in the future is backed, by a company directive to 6 spend $600,000 in advertising in 1955. The Metal Industries During the early economic growth of Grand Bapids, service indus tries were small in size much like the early blacksmith shop0 For example, a small furnace and foundry established in 183? based upon 7 bog ore from Ohio served a limited local demand. These early foun dries and sheet iron shops acted as service industries for saw mills, flour mills, and other general home needs. While the growth of the metal industries was very slow before 1850, the growth of furniture manufacturing increased the demands for brass hardware, ornaments, and casters. This early period used gas for illumination, which helped to stimulate a gas fitting business, and linked with plumbing, had an annual production of $326,000 in 1890. The rise of the metal industry was not only related to the development of furniture production, but also lumbering, agriculture 8 and the flour milling industries. By 1890, the metal industries in Grand Bapids had risen to a rather high level of production, and for the first time ranked among the top four producing industries in the 6 The State Journal. Lansing, Michigan, January 24, 1955, page 13, columns 2 and 3. 7 Albert Baxter, The History of the City of Grand Bapids, Michigan. Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1891, p. 438. 6 This information was obtained from Byron L. Ball, a great grandson of Daniel L. Ball who was one of the founders of Grand Bapids. Byron L. Ball, Vice-President in charge of purchasing, has been with the Leitelt Iron Works for 41 years. 69 city (Table VI). TABLE VI COMPARISON Off THE LEADING INDUSTRIES— 1890*— U. S. CENSUS NUMBER Off NUMBER VALUE INDUSTRIES ESTABLISHMENTS EMPLOYED PRODUCED Furniture 31 4,347 $ 5,638,916 Lumber and Mill Products 26 1,079 2,319,495 Flour and Grist Mills 10 136 1,558,845 Metal Products 60 861 1,216,039 Bread and Bakery Products 28 176 422,910 Carriages and Wagons 18 231 309. 646 173 6,830 $11,465,851 All other Industries 523 6.452 $ 8.385.330 Totals 696 13,282 $19,851,181 MAKE-UP Off THE POPULATION IN KENT COUNTY* TABLE VII TABLE VIII 1880 1890 Native born of Michigan— 34,368 Foreign born in Kent County Native of United States— 21,465 Foreign born—------17,430 Netherlander— >— — ■12,279 Canadians-— ■—— --- — - 5,265 Total 73,253 Germans— ------— ■ 4,270 Iri sh— — — --- *> 2,213 English— ------• 1,756 States of Native born outaide Michigan Norwegian & Swedish— > 513 Scotch— ------■ 421 New York------— 11,452 Swiss*------186 Ohio------3,102 Austrian*------137 Pennsylvania*— ------— 1,587 Belgians-- — — — 66 Vermont*------— 724 Others------— ■ 2.833 Other states* * 4,600 Total 29,939 Total 21,465 Native born- *77,796 * U. S. Census 70 Many people of foreign extraction came to Grand. Bapids (Tables VII and 71II). Among these early arrivals were a few people from Belgium. They were skilled in metal and foundry work, and were able to make an outstanding contribution to Grand Hep ids industry. Many of the early brass companies went into the stamping and die casting business, which probably was due to the Influence of an ex panded base of manufacturing in automotive parts. Many new firms were attracted to Grand Bapids, as the city became one of the biggest pro ducers in the stamping industry. Even before General Motors came to Grand Bapids, the automobile parts industry was well over a one million dollar enterprise. Hayes Body had been in production for independent automobile producers since 1920— -they, too, were a stamping plant (Fig. 23). TABLE IX 9 COMPARISON OF THE LEADING INDUSTRIES IN GBAUD BAPIDS IN 1930 VALUE OF TYPE OF INDUSTRY NO. OF PLANTS NO. EMPLOYED PRODUCTION Furniture 72 12,036 $ 57,851,118 Printing and Publishing 95 1,161 12,018,842 Metal Products 58 1,354 6,701,602 Bakery Products 64 858 6,329,218 Lumber and Wood Products 9 368 3,069,312 Leather 4 287 2,195,919 Flour Mill Products __5 52 1,664.826 Totals 307 16,116 $ 89,830,837 Others 209 11.968 $ 66.722.979 Grand Totals 516 28,084 $156,553,816 9 U. S. Bureau of the Census, Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930, Manufacturing. Volume III, p. 264, Table 14. 71 Fig. 23. The Hayes Manufacturing Corporation, a Producer of Stampings and Bye Castings. 72 When the depression came in the early 1930's, the metal industries had gained a rather high rank in production in Grand Rapids (Sable IX). She depression really had devastating effects on high priced furniture production, which left Grand Rapids with large unemployment. As Grand Rapids already had stamping plants. General Motors selected the city in 1935 for a body, stamping plant. She Grand Rapids labor pool was made up of stable folk, and General Motors was willing and ready to lay out $7,000,000 in new capital.*® Shis was an element which helped to off set the resulting decline in the economy of Grand Rapids, She new plant took up much of the slack in employment, and as a new metal in dustry added almost 2,400 employees to this field of production. By 1940, metal production employed almost three times that of 1930, and by 1950 metals commanded two-thirds of the total industrial employment in Grand Rapids, General Motors alone, had expanded to three plants employing a total of 9,300. SheBe General Motors plants have attracted other industries increasing to 99 the number of metal working plants, with a total employment of 35,600 in January of 1955. She city is an important center for industrial machinery. Several plants produce wood working as well as metal working machinery. Since 1930, the metal working industries have greatly outdistanced furniture and other miscellaneous production in Grand Rapids (Tables X, XI, and XII). 10 The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, Michigan, November 23, 1954, p. 35, column 8. CHAPTER VI MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURING AND MINING Other Metal Industries There are a few metal industries that are difficult to classify with the larger metals group. Such is the case of metal belt lacing, 1 gravity conveyors, and the aluminum extrusion producing industry. These aren't big industries, but together are important in employment in the city. The belt lacing production is almost a monopoly in Grand Rapids, as there ie only one other producer in the nation. While the belt lacing industry is an old one, both conveyor and aluminum extrusion production is comparatively new in Grand Rapids. The aluminum extru sion products are used in the building trade, while the conveyor equip ment is important in evexy type of manufacturing in the city, particu larly in furniture, where the finishing processes are rather slow (Fig. 24). TABLE X A COMPARISON OF THE THREE MAJOR GROUPS OF EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING IN GRAND RAPIDS 1930— 1940* CHANGE ACTIVITY 1930 1940 1930— 1940 l&MBEE OF TOTAt NUMBER $ OF TOTAi.' GAIN + EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT LOSS - £ Manufacturing 28,084 19,665 -8,419 -29.9 Furniture 12,036 42.1 3,610 18 -8,426 -70.0 Metals 1,354 5.6 3,753 19 +2,399 +177.1 Miscellaneous 14,694 52.3 12,302 63 -2,392 -16.1 * U. S. Census 1 Mr. Robert Gilfillan furnished the author with the information on the production of aluminum extrusions in Grand Rapids. Fig. 24. The Rapic. Standard Company, a Producer of Conveyors and Casters. 75 TABLE XI A COMPARISON OF THE THREE MAJOR SHOUTS OF EMPLOYMENT IK MANUFACTURING IN GRAND BAPIDS 1940— 1950* CHANGE ______1940______1950______1940— 1950 ' NUMBER % OF TOTAL NUMBER # OF TOTAL GAIK + ACTIVITY EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT LOSS - % Manufacturing 19,665 44,179 4-24,514 +124.6 Furniture 3,610 18 5,026 11.3 + 1,416 + 39.2 Metals 3,753 19 31,854 72.2 +28,101 +748.7 Miscellaneous 12,302 63 7,299 16.5 - 5,003 - 40.6 * U. S. Census TABLE XII A COMPARISON OF THE THREE MAJOB GROUPS OF EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING IK GBAMD BAPIDS 1955 (For Feb.)»» 1955 NUMBER OF TOTAL ACTIVITY EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT Manufacturing 55,400 Furniture 8,300 14.9 Metals 35,600 64.4 Miscellaneous 11,500 20.7 ** Michigan Employment Security Commission, Michigan's Labor Market, Detroit, Michigan, February, 1955, Vol. X, No. 11, p. 7* The Mining Industry Qypsum Fur traders and missionaries, as early as 1827, knew there was gypsum In and around Grand Rapids, but its extent was not known until the state geologist made a report in 1836 which led to the development of the Grand Rapids' gypsum beds. 76 Gypsum outcrops near the southern boundary of the city on the left bank of the Grand River* It underlies a large area extending several miles west to the Muskegon River on the north and to Tawas Bay on the east. On the right bank, a short distance from the river, the gypsum lies under drift and some 30 feet of rock composed of alternating layers of limestone, clay, shale and gypsum. There is a seven foot layer of gypsum at a depth of 63 feet, and a 13 foot layer at 74 feet, below which are several beds of gypsum. It is estimated that the aggregate thickness of all the gypsum beds is about 50 feet. The first gypsum mining was started in 1841. The amount of gypsum mined was about 40 tons per week, which sold for four dollars per ton at the mill. The first mill was located a little southwest of town on Plaster Creek. Although small amounts of gypsum were processed into calcined 2 plaster, the bulk of the output was used for land plaster. The demand for land plaster was so great in 1848 and 1849 that the mill could hardly supply it. The present gypsum mining company, the Grand Rapids Plaster Com pany, was organized in I860. Today, land plaster, calcined plaster and stucco (for the building trade) are important products. As early as 1859, shipments from the gypsum mines were being made over the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad. Up to 1880, about two-thirds of the total output continued to be land plaster (fertilizer), and the minor 2 The gypsum was ground and the early farmers used it as land plaster. They believed that it enriched the soil. 77 portion was calcined planter and stucco, which averaged about $7,50 per ton. In 1888, the sales of stucco and land plaster totalled almost $200,000, Calcined products, by 1890, were double that of land plas ter* One reason for thiB was the demand in Chicago for plaster due to the world* s fair in 1890, The top gypsum bed is about 30 feet from the surface. Although there is a second bed 50 feet further down, the top bed, which is 10 feet thick, is used in most instances in gypsum mining. The shaft method is employed. The Grand Bapids Plaster Company has more than 12 miles of track in its more than 400 acres of gypsum beds. These beds dip to the northeast by 26 feet to the mile. A problem in mining is excess water. Almost one-fourth of the total electric power employed is used in pumping water out of the mines. In order to make the mining Bafe, 50 per cent of the gypsum must be left in pillars to hold the mine roof* An entrance to a gyp sum mine may be seen in Grand Bapids (Fig. 25). The gypsum is manufactured into plaster and wallboard. Today Grand Bapids is one of the largest wallboard producing centers in the 3 4 United States. Plaster today is also an important product. The workers engaged in gypsum mining and processing number about 500. The industry will continue for years at Grand Rapids, as the supply of 3 The author received this information from Carl Absmeler of the United States Gypsum Company. 4 Mr. Art Ten Elsiiof of Certain-Teed Corporation gave the author the above information. Fif. 2b. The Entrance to a Gypsum Mine at Grnnu Rapids. 79 5 gypsum is said to toe unlimited. Boat Building Boat touilding as an industry had its beginning in Grand Bapids in 1689. Grand Bapids was a wood working center, and material from Michigan was available to produce boats. She state having been glaci ated, many lakes and streams attract summer visitors who demand boats 6 for pleasure and fishing. Leather and Bubber Products Leather Manufacturing Leather had a much earlier start than rubber. While the leather industry was never big, it has continued to grow in size and impor tance. In the early nineteenth century, leather was primarily used in the saddle and harness business in Grand Bapids. This early business was like that of the shoemaker business in the early American village—- he supplied the immediate needs of his friends and neighbors. With the coming of the twentieth century, the saddle and harness business diminished year by year in importance, until by 19S0, there were only 27 people engaged in it. Before the beginning of the twentieth century, Edgar S. Keifer 5 The above information was furnished to the author by Mr. Ferrell of the Grand Rapids Plaster Company. The United States Census has little information of a specific nature, because the gypsum produc tion in Grand Bapids and Michigan is so closely held. 6 This information was obtained from the Wagemakers. Because of the limited number of plants, the government Census does not release information on this limited economic activity. 80 came to Grand Rapids to engage In leather manufacturing,, He founded an Industry in 1885. The company went through a long history of development, and continues to produce leather from goat and pig skins. In 1947 the United States Census lists five firms, however the Heifer Tanning Company is the only producer of leather in Grand Rapids. The other four firms are buyers of hides. In 1930, the industry employed 287, while in the last census of manufacturing 572 were work ing in the leather industry. The Heifer Tanning Company is producing leather primarily for inner soles for the better grades of shoes. The leather is tanned from skins from the backs of pigs. The Heifer Tanning Company buys the total output of Swift and Company at Chicago. They produce nearly two million pounds of this kind of leather each year. Heifers are ever on the lookout for new uses of their product. The future may find it as a covering for the kitchen floor in natural flesh color, never before having been produced in plastic floor cover ings. If this type of production proves satisfactory, Heifer will convert from a poundage to a square foot production. An Interesting 7 advancement— our floor coverings from pig skins. Rubber Products The rubber industry is a comparatively new one in Grand Rapids. In 1919, a rubber tire factory was opened. It was a response to the beginning of automotive transportation. Rubber restrictions during 7 Mr. Orr, the son of Cora H. Heifer, gave the author the informa tion on Heifer Tanning Company, 81 World War II caused a shift In the nature of the Items produced. Due to this shift, the industry now produces many different items, such as 8 balloons, gaskets, and tires. Paper Box Board and Excelsior Box Board The manufacturing of paper was started in Grand Bapids by the American Box Board over a half century ago. In the beginning furni ture and other industries needed paper for packing and shipping their products. The company has continued to grow, stimulated by the increased demand for shipping paper for the growing industry in Grand Bapids. Today this company produces more than 3,300 tons of box board per month, with a labor force of 750. While some pulp is used, the supply of waste paper is important to this firm*a production. This company has set aside a building valued at $500,000, the earnings from said building to be used by the American Box Company*s Foundation for worthy community projects, or to be paid in scholarships to worthy Grand Bapids* students in pursuing higher education. Bach year the company adds to the yearly earnings of the Foundation by 9 giving five percent of the company*s profits before taxes. 8 Mr. B. A. Bullock, director of personnel, provided the author with the information on Corduroy Bubber Company*s growth and production. The date in the last census is deleted because of the limited number of plants in Grand Bapids producing rubber products. 9 Mr. Stolz, who is Vice-President and Treasurer, supplied the above information. He reports that the greatest growth of the American Box Board has come during peace times. 82 Excelsior Production At the start of the century, the American lumbering industry supplied packing material in the form of sawdust. The American Excel sior Corporation was organized to supply excelsior for packing and shipping manufactured goods, which would take the place of the waste product of the lumbering industry— sawdust. While the furniture industry brought this kind of industry to Grand Bapids in the beginning, today the American Excelsior Corpora tion supplies excelsior for almost every kind of manufactured product needing protection in shipping. Excelsior production is rather constant. The Grand Bapids indus try employs about 200 people, 10 Transportation for this product is primarily by rail. Machine and Instrument Designing and Manufacturing Office Machinery The R, C. Allen Business Machines Corporation was established in Grand Rapids in 1932, The plant was taken over by Allen from the American Can Company, Because the stamping and die casting industry was important in Grand Rapids, they were important supporting indus tries for the adding machine manufacturing business. The die castings could be obtained from Doehler-Jarvis (North American Lead Company), Except for the die castings of the governors used for their office 10 Mr. E. W. Habighast, personnel man, furnished the author with the information on excelsior production. 83 machines, the Allen Corporation makes all other parts in their own plant. They employ 1500 men, and produce ah out 3,500 adding machines in Grand Hap ids per year. Their market is nationwide.^ Instrument Designing and Manufacturing The Lear Corporation is a designer of electro-mechanical equip ment for airplanes. The firm was brought from Piqua, Ohio, to Grand Bapids by Dr. William P. Lear in 1945. Grand Bapids attracted this concern because of a stable labor market favorable to production, Prom a small beginning the Lear Corporation has grown and at present employs over 2,300 men. Of this total, more than 125 men are mechan ical and electronic engineers. This large number of technically trained men is necessary because of the nature of their manufacturing— the automatic pilots leading the list of scientific instruments pro duced. While Lear is trying to build a peace-time type of manufacturing, 12 they continue to produce 85 percent under government contract. The Lear Corporation produces the automatic pilot devices that are used successfully in "zero length" rocket launching of the United States Air Porce Jets. The autopilot is standard equipment in many of 11 L. E. Smith, Sales Manager of the Allen Machine Corporation, fur nished the author with the above information. 12 This information was obtained from Mr. Paul Moore of The Lear Corporation. 13 the United States Air Force's newer jet fighters. * The Lear Corpora tion of Grand Rapids also does some sub-contracting for North American Aviation. Columbus, Ohio, North American Aviation highly respects 14 their ability in designing and building electronic equipment. The Lear Corporation on March 7, 1955, received government contracts totalling more than $15,000,000 for aircraft instrument systems. The new products include automatic flight systems, and high latitude gyro compasses for the navy's new supersonic fighter, the Grumman F9F-9 Tiger.1 5 This concern recently purchased 80 acres from the Pennsylvania Railroad, just south of the city of Grand Rapids. As expansion takes place, this concern will no doubt build a new plant away from the con- 16 gested center of Grand Rapids. This move lends support to the thesis of continued faith and operation of the Lear Corporation in Grand Rapids. 13 The State Journal, Lansing, Michigan, February 1, 1955, p. 3, columns 6, 7 and 8. 14 This information was received from Mr. John Gallant, Vice-President and General Manager of North American Aviation. 15 The State Journal, Lansing, Michigan, March 9, 1955, p. 18, col. 4. 16 This information was obtained from Mr. Charles Fritzson of the Pennsylvania Railroad by the author. CHAPTER VII MODERN TRANSPORTATION— AUTOMOTIVE AND AIR TRAFFIC Introduction Tlie greater motility of goods, persons, and power produced "by our technological advances has operated to help concentrate industry and population in urban areas, The availability of trucks, buses and airplane services has become virtually Indispensable to urban life.1 The railroads effected the first revolution in transportation in Grand Bapids and the nation. It was between 1330 and 1860 that the Iron Horse successfully challenged the canals and the turnpikes. While the railroads had a slow start and many obstacles, they did grow, and with that growth came development and progress. Trucking Since 1920, the trucking industry, as already indicated, has gone ahead by leaps and bounds. Grand Rapids, like other cities, has benefitted by the new roads and by the growth of the trucking industry. The city is so located as to dominate in trucking for western Michigan (Pig. 26). Grand Rapids is Michigan's second largest trucking center after 2 Detroit. There are 59 trucking firms with trucking terminals located 1 Report of the Urbanism Committee of the National Resources Committee, Our Cities. Interior Department, Washington, D. C., 1937, p. 19. 2 Michigan Trucking Association, Trucking News, June, 1949, Volume 16, No. 6, pp. 37—39. 85 86 S*ULT Jit MftRif 8 5 ° . 4 0 ' ; BIG RAP I D S __ GRAND RAPIDS TRUNKLINE CONNECTIONS AND MARKET AREA FREMONT WHITEHALL i HOWARD CITY S T A N T O h MUSKEGON r" B ELDlNG ...— I ] GR A N D I H A V E N iND RAPIDS 'LOWELL *\ H O L L A N D W A Y L A N D : HASTINGS) ySAUGATUCK " D O U G L A S I] NASHVILl t2T 1 ALLEGAN \ PLAINWELL Tig. 26. Grand Bapids Trunkllne Connections and Market Area in Western Michigan. 5L I 85-40 : s s fig, 21. Distribution of Principal Land Uses in Grand Haoi-is 88 here (Fig. 37). Many of the trucking firms in Grand Bapids, in response to the demand of furniture manufacturers specialize in transporting uncrated furniture. This method of shipping saves money by eliminating the cost of materials and labor in crating. The average weight per truck load is 18,000 pounds, while the average valuation per load is from $35,000 to $30,000.3 The cost of trucking is about the same as that of the railroads, although trucking is much faster. As previously stated, trucks are largely used to haul goods within a radius of 300 miles. Of course they are employed for greater distances too, but in the longer haul they have keen railroad competition. Although furniture hauling has been an important source of in come, steel and steel products make up the highest percentage of all goods shipped by truck. In Grand Bapids, 8,300 people are engaged in transportation, communication, and utilities. The trucking industry employs more 4 than 50 per cent of that total. Between 1941 and 1952, the tluck ing industry of Grand Bapids had increased more than 150 per cent. In addition to the carriers there are organizations which lease equipment to private concerns. Many industrial and wholesale corpora^ 3 This information was received in an interview with Mr. Bylenga of Associated Truck Lines, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1952. 4 Michigan Employment Security Commission, Michigan^ Labor Market. Michigan Eaployment Security Commission, Detroit, Michigan, 1955, Volume X, No. 11, p. 7. 89 tions operate their own fleet of trucks. Because of the magnitude of motor trucking at Grand Bapids, manufacturers of trucks, tractors and trailers maintain local branch and service plants. To facilitate the flow of passenger and truck traffic. Grand Bapids has built an outer belt line into which run all east-west and north-south highways. This speeds up the flow of traffic around and into Grand Bapids (Pig. 28). In order to relieve the heavy traffic in the concentrated manu facturing area, and the commercial core, a new expressway has been planned and started from the south to the north up Century Avenue, where many of the truck terminals are located. This expressway will relieve the heavy north-south flow of highway traffic through Grand Bapids (Pig. 29). The expressway will cost $20,000,000, half of which will be paid by the Federal Government, one-fourth by the State 5 of Michigan and one-fourth by the city of Grand Bapids. Motor Coach Service Grand Bapids is served by three companies which together operate a network of interurban bus lines. For local service a fourth company provides a fleet of modern buses for moBt of the arterial streets (Fig. 30). 5 This information was received through an interview with Mr. J. C. McMonagle, Director of Planning and Traffic in the Michigan State Highway Department. Mr. McMonagle also furnished the author with the land utilisation maps used in this work on Grand Bapids. NOfft* BCLT IMl Tig. 28. The Outer Hoad Belt Facilitates the Flow of Traffic Around the City as well as in ana out of the City. THE PROPOSED HIGHWAY & TRUCK ROUTES m m m m »* « « « i WALKER A k f m i c h i s t o c k tnrr,,,?,,™*. mmr, ----- F® M W r ftO) M IW HALL ® \l IL IL C I t N !D W7/77777,. HIGHWAY iiOUTE HIGHWAY £. TRUCkS BUSINESS ROUTE r a m iPMii Fig. 30. This Arterial Street System of Grand Hapids Provides easy access to all parts of the city. 93 Air (Traffic Grand Bap ids is served, by two airlines, which together provide direct passenger service to more than 62 cities including such major centers as Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, Washing-* ton, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Louisville, The air port in Grand Rapids is located just south of the outer belt in south east Grand Rapids (Fig. 30). With respect to surface transportation facilities, Grand Rapids has heretofore been subject to the limitations set by its geographical position in the peninsula of Michigan (Fig. l). It is no longer accessible by water transportation, and the rail facilities do not include fast freight and passenger service in all directions. With the development of air transportation. Grand Rapids doesn't feel the limitations of a peninsula location, Sy air, freight and passenger services are not limited in any direction. She focus of all types of transportation in western Michigan on Grand Rapids, Including aeronautical, places the city in a position to service more counties than Michigan's largest city— Detroit. Grand Rapids services 40 counties of Michigan, while Detroit services 24 counties. Of course there is a natural overlap, but 40 counties in Michigan can be more economically serviced by Grand Rapids. Therefore Grand Rapids has become the most important airline center in western Michigan. The present airport was established in 1928 (Fig. 31), Twenty- nine regularly scheduled planes arrive and depart each day. 94 M r passengers inoreased in number from 3,251 in 1937 to 73,130 6 passengers in 1951, 6 Chester J. Clark, Airport Facility Study for Kent County, Chicago, Illinois, 1952, p, 13. CHAPTER VIII WHOLES ALU A HD RETAIL TRADE ACTIVITIES Wholesaling The first exclusive wholesale trade establishments appeared in 1864 after the railroads reached Grand Rapids* £ 7 1390 this trade area reached nation-wide proportions** Baked goods was one of the important wholesale products shipped from Grand Rapids in 1890. Al most one-half of a million dollars in "baked goods were wholesaled in that year from Grand Rapids as far north as Mackinaw City. There were only 176 people engaged in the wholesale baking industry in 1890? by 1950 the number employed in Grand Rapids had increased to 2 1,459. While the number of wholesale bake goods plants has decreased since the beginning of the twentieth century, the size of the plants and employment have increased. The reason for decrease in the number of plants engaged in this business is the increased amount of capital required for plant and trucks used in wholesaling the finished procb- ucts (Table XIII). The wholesale business has expanded into almost every field. In addition to baked goods, all types of goods from electric equipment to medicine are wholesaled from Grand Rapids. In 1948 there were 615 1 Albert Baxter, The History of the City of Grand Rapids. Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1891, pp. 655-658. 2 U. S. Census. 95 96 wholesale establishments employing 5,620 people. The total value of the wholesale business carried on in Grand Rapids was in excess of 350 3 million dollars. A recent wholesale survey in Michigan shows Grand 4 Hapids serving 45 of the 83 counties in Michigan. The location of Grand Rapids in relationship to western Michigan is partly responsible for this development, as well as a good railroad and trucking system connecting the city to its western Michigan hinterland. TABLF XIII BAKED GOODS PRODUCTION IN GRACED RAPIDS 1890— 1950'*' YEAR HO. OF PLANTS HO. EMPLOYED TALUS OF PRODUCT 1890 28 176 $ 422,910 1900 40 169 752,123 1910 66 477 1,476,000 1920 74 887 3,605,027 1930 64 858 6,329,218 1940 47 1,056 4,438,987 1950 25 1,459 ? * U. S. Census Outside of Detroit, the city of Grand Rapids steeds in first place in Michigan in its wholesale activities (Table XIV). 3 U. S. Department of Commerce, Census of Business, 1948, Volume V, p. 21.07, Table 102. 4 Milo G. DeVries, Chairman of the Wholesaling, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, A Bulletin on Wholesaling, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1952, pp. 1, 2. 97 Xt is estimated that Grand Rapids, due to her good location in western Michigan, serves more than one and one-half million people in wholesaling,5 TABLE XIV WHOLESALE TRADE FOR FIVE MICHIGAN CITIES 1948* NO. OF NUMBER SALES PLANTS EMPLOYED IN DOLLARS Grand Rapids 615 5,620 $353,156,000 Lansing 204 2,089 141,568,000 Saginaw 209 2,809 133,643,000 Flint 221 3,806 131,224,000 Kalamazoo 190 1,771 91,153,000 * U. S. Census Retailing The retail region for Grand Rapids contains 644,786 people accord ing to the Chamber of Commerce, the population of which is contained in as many as eight counties (Fig. 26), In comparison with the same five cities used in wholesaling, the following tahle shows the superi ority of Grand Rapids in retail trade outside of Detroit. Due to the conservative population in Grand Rapids, the retail trade doesn't stand out as is the case in wholesaling, whose sales cover a larger geograph ic area, although Grand Rapids is 50 million dollars ahead of its 5 R. L. Polk & Company, Directory of Grand Rapids. 1954. Detroit, Mich., Vol. LXXIII, p. 18. 98 nearest rival in population— Flint (Table XV), TABLE XV BET AIL TEADE FOB FIVE MICHIGAN CITIES 1948® BO. OF BOMBER SALES STOBES EMPLOYED IB DOLLARS Grand Bapids 3,061 17,161 $296,140,000 Flint 2,797 12,802 246,724,000 Lansing 1,585 10,430 184,141,000 Saginaw 1,525 7,041 132,435,000 Kalamazoo 1,249 6,569 122,824,000 While the entire central business district to a greater or leseer extent is engaged in retailing, the greatest concentration is located on upper Monroe Avenue (Fig, 31, 32), This concentration of the retail business on Monroe Avenue has produced the highest foot traffic in the city. Due to this concentration of business in the central business district, the front footage of valuation in real estate is the highest in the city of Grand Bapids (Fig, 33), 6 U, S. Department of Commerce, Census of Business, Volume III, 1948, p. 21.13, Table 103. Fig. 31. Looking West on Upper Monrce Avenue. 100 Fig, 32. Looking East on Upper Monroe Avenue, Fig. 33, An Aerial View of Grand Bapids1 Central Business District. Here is Located the Retail and Wholesale Business as well as some light industry. (Photograph courteBy Grand Rapids Herald) CHAPTER IX RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN POWER AND UTILITIES Electric Power Grand Rapids was practically the center of the pioneer engineer ing of the one man whose daring and vision opened the way for the great electric power industry which is one of the real foundations of domestic and industrial activities in Grand Rapids and throughout Michigan. W. A. Foote dreamed of one day developing water power re sources in northern Michigan and bringing the energy from those streams to Grand Rapids and the other cities of Michigan. Mr. Foote's plan at first seemed to he a fantastic dream, hut it developed into the reality of a superpower system. W. A. Foote and his brother J. B» Foote experimented on a small scale between Jackson. Battle Greek and Kalamazoo. The experiments convinced the brothers that, with electricity at sufficiently high pressures, the energy from the Muskegon River, 50 miles away, could be brought to Grand Rapids. In 1905, W. A. Foote organized the Grand Rapids-Muskegon Power Company, which soon began building a dam on the Muskegon River. They proceeded to startle the electrical wizards of that period with designs for a transmission line which would operate at a pressure of 110,000 volts. Some people in the electric industry said the Footes would not succeed— that insulators could not be made which would keep current from leaving the line at such a high pressure, and transform ers would not stand up under that pressure. Nevertheless, the Footes 102 103 built the dam and the transmission line between the dam and Grand Bapids, which continued in operation from that time to 1930« It was but a few years later when Grand Bapids was served by transmission lines carrying pressures of 150,,000 volts, which has become the standard voltage in the network of 1,600 miles of trans- mission lines spread over the large portion of the lower peninsula into which the Grand Bapids* lines are tied, A number of dams have been built on the streams of Michigan, and Grand Bapids is one of the centers of the Consumers Power Company's transmission system. One 140,000 volt line extends from Grand Bapids to Junction Bam, and one extension to Hodenpyl Bam, Another 140,000 volt line connects Grand Bapids with Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. Two other high tension lines connect Croton Bam and Grand Bapids, and a lower voltage line connects Grand Bapids with the Lowell plant on the Plat River, ^ The Consumers Power Company not only serves Grand Bapids with electricity, but it serves 1,455 other communities and townships in Michigan. She company has 10 other steam generating plants besides the one in Grand Rapids, and 54 hydro-electric plants of varying sizes. Cities like Grand Bapids benefit by the interchange arrange- 2 ment with the other big electric utility, She Detroit Edison. 1 William J. Etten, History of Grand Bapids, Michigan, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1926, pp. 158-160. 2 This information was obtained from official reports of the Con sumers Power Company, 1950. 104 gas Service gas is supplied by the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company. This company took over the Grand Bapids Gas and Light Company in 1938. The gas is no longer produced in Grand Bapids from coal, as was practiced for years. The Michigan-Wisconsin Pipe Line Company operates 24 inch gas pipelines from Texas to Joliet, Illinois, where a 22 inch line "brings gas into southwest Michigan at a lower price than can "be pro duced locally* This 22 inch line runs to near Big Bapids where it is stored in the old producing fields. This company serves 72,000 users 3 of gas in Grand Bapids. Water and Its Sources of Supply Before 1890, wells were the main source of water in Grand Bapids. For the following 50 years, until 1940, Grand Bapids used the water from the Grand Biver which flows through the center of the city. As the population grew, the water from the Grand was no longer adequate. Thus in 1940, the city of Grand Bapids "began the construction of a 46" pipeline to Lake Michigan to supply their growing population with adequate water (Pig. 34). This 46 inch pipeline runs from Grand Bapids west along the Michigan State Hi^iway Number 50 for almost 26 miles to the wet well on the shores of Lake Michigan. An intake 1 l/8 miles from the shore delivers the water through a pipe to the wet well. On the shore at the lake is a pumping station, which pumps the water 3 This information was obtained from an interview with Mr. Wallace M. Chamberlain, Manager of the Grand Bapids Division of the Michi gan Consolidated Gas Company. 105 RATE OF POPULATION CHANGE FOR Population FIVE CITIES OF MICHIGAN in thousands 200 -- 80 Grand Rapids^* 160 140 120 100 00 60 Saginaw Kalamazoo 40 20 1850 1870 1890 19301910 1950 U .S Census FIGURE 34 106 from the wet well. Along the pipeline, at out halfway between Lake Michigan and Grand Rapids is a booster station. These pumping stations can supply Grand Rapids with 59 million gallons of water daily through the pipeline from Late Michigan. This supply is more than adequate as the present average consumption is 28,174 million gallons daily. The total cost of this project was $4,500,000. When the water reaches Grand Rapids, it is pumped through the city's water mains from the Coldbrook Pumping Station, after it has passed through the filtration plant. There are approximately 450 miles of water mains in Grand Rapids, and 50 miles of mains in the suburban territory. The water running through the mains is purified by use of a sand filter process, and in 4 addition the water is treated with chlorine (Fig. 35, 36). As the population has grown, and industry has expanded into the continuous hinterland, there have been demands for increasing the water supply by another pipeline to Lake Michigan. The continued growth of Grand Rapids, will no doubt require more water from Lake Michigan than the present pipeline can supply. Its past growth down to the present time can best be seen in the annexes tion map of the city (Fig. 37). The city started with four square miles in 1850 and 2,000 people. Today Grand Rapids has 23.4 square miles and serves more than 200,000 people with water and other serv ices. 4 0. Sophus Johnson, Oity Manager, Lake Michigan Water Project, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1940, pp. 1-4. 1C7 Fig. 3t>. City Water v/o i k p in Grand Hap ids Fig. 36. The Filtration Plant :'or ti.e Cltv Water in Graml KnniaB. 108 85 40 ANNEXATION MAP OF GRAND RAPIDS Legend Original Town m m '925 MILE 1891 E3 * 9 2 7 a r e a : 23.4 Sq. Mi mm '924 EvT3 1952 GRAND WALKER TWP RAPIDS 43 TWP OO' 1952 cvi g o cn 954 927 ■ • ■■ ■ • ■ • • a M927-3 WYOMING TWP ■■•■ir ■ ■■■•■• ■ * PARIS 1925 TWP 8 ^ * 40 ' Pig. 37 CHAPTER X MISCELLANEOUS ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Introduction As the city grew in size, and in economic and cultural stature, there were many reasons for people to journey to Grand Rapids. The hotels, marketing and shopping facilities drew people to Grand Rapids, representing almost every kind of organization from every walk of life. Grand Rapids has long been the most important economic and cul tural center of western Michigan. The pride of the early pioneer in being informed made the press a necessity. This served as an impetus to the early weekly papers and the printing business which had an early start in this city. This business served to advertise Grand Rapids and its activities far and wide, and helped to attract more people to the city. The Graphic Arts The Early History The first weekly newspaper and printing shop was started in Grand Rapids in 1837, only four years after the first settlers had moved to the city. The printing of the first issue was witnessed by most of the citizens of the community, and the first number was printed on silk and presented to Louis Campau, the founder of the city. It was evidently difficult to conduct successfully a profitable newspaper and printing business in that early day. Many men with fresh 109 110 Ideas stayed only a short time and went away. The many men and the many newspapers, however, helped to "build this community.*- In 1856, the HEagle11, a weekly paper was changed to a morning, daily paper. It was not until 1859 that the first oscillating, power, 2 cylinder press was set up in the “Bagle11 office. While the newspaper office furnished the only source for printing, about 1855 a commercial, printing office was opened. It was a small plant with hand presses, run by a Mr. Dehart. Prom this small begin ning the printing industry continued to develop along with the total economic growth of the city. This economic growth was along the river valley (Pig. 38). The Dutch Influence on Printing Because Grand Rapids counts among her citizens such a large per centage of people of Dutch ancestry, it is fitting to mention the Dutch efforts in the graphic arts. Many Hollanders claim that the honor of the invention of the printing press belongs not to Johann 3 Gutenburg, but to Laurens J. Coster, a native of the Netherlands. Type printed books were widely circulated in the Netherlands be fore the close of the fifteenth century. Books printed from hand- carved plates were in existence prior to this time. Also, in the field 1 The Graphic Arts Association of Grand Rapids, One Hundred Years of Printing Progress in Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1937, p. 6. 2 Ibid.. p. 12. 3 (Phis information was received in an interview by the author with Arthur P. Onnsbee, historian of the Graphic Arts Association, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ill of journalism, the Dutch have been in front rank for centuries. In about the year 1846, the Dutch began their immigration to America. In 1849, Jacob Quintus started the first Holland newspaper to be published 4 in North America at Sheboygan, Wisconsin and in 1858 moved to Grand Bapids there to publish the first Holland paper in that city. Others followed him to Grand Bapids, and many Holland publications sprang into being, many of them continuing to the present day. A great number of these are religious publications. Printing for the Furniture Industry The Widdicomb Furniture Company is credited with being the first manufacturer in the city of Grand Bapids to issue a catalog (Fig. 39). This was a start in a special field, which was later to develop into an important business-— -a special type of printing for manufacturing firms. In 1880, the wMichigan Artisan1*, a monthly journal devoted to Grand Bhpids furniture, was established. The idea of good furniture was emphasized in an early day in a monthly furniture magazine called HFine Furniture11. The Influence of the Wagon and Carriage Industry By 1890 the wagon and carriage industry had grown to considerable size and importance in the economy of Grand Bapids. It contributed to the printing industry by using this medium for advertising its goods. After 1900, however, the wagon and carriage industries* influence began 4 Graphic Arts Association of Grand Bapids, One Hundred Years of Printing Progress, Grand Bapids, Michigan, April, 1937, p. 28. 11?! i Fig. 38. A view of the valley from the Charlotte Moraine. Location of Industry on both sines of the river is clearly shown, as well as the Valnaraiso Moraine in the distance. FI p. 39, The Wiadicomb Furniture Conrnany is one of trie oldest nroaucers of Furniture in Grand Raniuo, 113 to diminish, and automobile bodies and parts took over0 TABLE XVI PRINTING AND PUBLISHING 1948* NO. OF NUMBER VALUE FIRMS EMPLOYED ADDED Printing & Publishing 99 2000 $10,959 Books 6 185 1,068 Commercial printing 52 617 3,248 Printing Trades 12 150 917 Services Ind. * U. S. Census of Manufacturers, 1947: Michigan, U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, Washington, D. 0,, 1949, page 9, Table 5. A Special Type of Printing A segment of the graphic arts in Grand Rapids engaged in printing books and magazines. The book printing industry was first started by the Dutch Reform Church. These books were primarily of a religious nature. Today there are six book printing firms in Grand Rapids, and 52 commercial printers (Table XVI). Together there are 99 printing 6 and publishing firms who employ 1833 people. Grand Rapids stands very high in the graphic arts in comparison 5 In an interview with Mr. W. J. Johnson, Manager of The Cargill Printing Company, the author received the above information on the influence of the wagon and carriage industry on printing in Grand Rapids. Mr. Johnson informed the author that brass and metals as well as the automobile industry have played their part in the growl ing printing industry, 6 TJ. S. Bureau of the Census, Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1949, Manufacturing, Volume III, p. 308, Table 5. 114 to other Michigan cities (Table XVII). The reason for Grand Rapids* importance and leadership in the graphic arts was due to the early needs for printed material by the wagon and carriage and furniture 7 industries,, As commerce and trade grew, the printing industry also kept pace in its growth. TABLE X V II PRINTING AMD PUBLISHING 1946* NO. OF FIRMS NO. EMPLOYED Grand Rapids 99 1,833 Kalamazoo 34 792 Flint 31 556 Lansing 35 681 Saginaw 22 325 * Census of Manufacturing, 1947, Michigan, U. S. Department of Com merce, Washington, D. C., 1949, pp. 9-11, Table 5, 6. It is a far cry from George Pattison, 115 years ago when the printing industry started in Grand Rapids, to the present day when Q over 10,000 people in Grand Rapids are supported by the graphic arts. A Convention City Introduction Grand Rapids became a hub for railroads (Fig. 14) and the roads 7 The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 12, 1952, p. 23, column 1 & 2. 8 Ibid., p. 24, columns 5, 6 & 7. 115 of western Michigan, Air transportation followed and has eliminated the peninsular effect of the city*a location. These elements plus other advantages gave Grand Rapids first place as a convention city in western Michigan, The Convention Activities in Grand Rapids The convention industry is an industry without a smoke stack, hut it brought 76,995 persons to Grand Rapids in 1949, Each person attend ing conventions in Grand Rapids during that year spent an average of $21,00, for a total of $4,277,280, During 1949, there were 136 con- ventions of various kinds in Grand Rapids, In 1952, there were 74,820 who attended conventions in Grand Rapids, They spent $5,500,000 in Grand Rapids in that year. The Con- g vention Bureau is housed in a civic auditorium. 9 This information was received by the author from Fred J, Barr, Jr,, who is in charge of the Grand Rapids Civic Auditorium, According to Mr, Barr the bonded indebtedness of the Civic Auditorium will be paid up in 1961, CHAPTER XI OONOLUSIOKS The story of the rise of Grand Bapids in many respects is not unlike that of most cities. A site for comfortable settlement, avail ability of a combination of useful natural resources, and easy access ibility from most localities within an extended hinterland, all con tributed to the potentialities of a trade center of no mean importance. Like some cities, Grand Bapids, throughout much of its history, was a kind of "one-crop*1 community; that is, it focused its energies largely upon the conversion of abundant timber into commodities for the market and among them, as has been pointed out, furniture was primary. Again, like other centers, as competitive elements arose to challenge its supremacy in a single product and the distribution and character of its markets changed, it diversified its activities to insure its survival. This sequence of events reveals nothing new. However, certain phases of the life history of Grand Bapids suggest some criti cal cautions which geographers should note in their investigations of urban centers. Accidental circumstances such as played a role in Grand Bapids* development it seems to us must command a considerable amount of atten tion. The fact that the first settlers were Dutch under the leadership of an individual with high moral standards, magnetic personality and exceptional determination, was a matter of the greatest significance in shaping the destinies of the city. To be sure, had there been no timber, or had the timber been of poor quality; had there been no 116 117 potential water power, or water transportation; had soils teen poor and the climate discouraging for good agricultural development, no matter what the quality of the settlers, there may never have "been a Grand Bapids. The official seal of the City of Chicago has the words "I WillH emblazoned upon it. The local citizen frequently asserts that it was the MI Will1* spirit that made Chicago what it is. They forget that no matter how much spirit they possessed they could not have created a Chicago had the location not been favored by the geographic conditions round about. On the other hand, it is true that a given geographic setting in itself will yield nothing. People with a given order of intelligence are essential to the conversion of the geographic into an end product. And so it is, in the case of the rise of Grand Bapids, that we would point out the critical importance of man (possessed with that something we call intelligence) on the one hand and the geographic on the other. The spirit of those early Butch who believed in discipline and quality was transferred as it were to their handiwork. Out of this came the growth of a reputation, not only national but world-wide, for quality and finesse in the production of a single item. That spirit carried over into other aspects of the life of the community, until today, the entire city bears the stamp of dependability and an air of high character of which few others may boast. We concluded our study with the strong conviction that the type of people who settled Grand Bapids and became its leaders, so many of 118 whom were either Dutch, Belgian, Polish, or German, were quite as important as any geographic factors in the growth of the city® We begin to wonder whether, in the various investigations of cities by numerous geographers, the nature of the people has not been either overlooked or weighed too little. And then there are the many accidental circumstances other than the nature of the first settlers which call for consideration. Eco nomic depressions and wars are foremost among them. The depression of the decade 1930-40 as previously pointed out almost caused the collapse of the furniture industry. On the other hand. World War II and the Korean War with their aftermath, involving atomic and hydrogen bombs and other forms of destructive implements which led to the concept of decentralizing industry, contributed new industries, some of great size, to Grand Rapids. Inventive genius has long been a factor in either changing our mode of life or our facilities for living. The replacement of wood furniture by steel, of wood parts in many build ings, as well as transportation equipment, by metals of various kinds invited the growth of metal products industries. These and still other variations in man's behavior, economic or otherwise, we believe often have been underrated by geographers in their enthusiasm for their science. Our investigation of Grand Bapids which began as a study of the role of the economic-geographic elements in the rise of this community made quite clear to us that while the economic-geographic is fundamental in our understanding of urbanism, it is only a part of the background. 119 It is of the utmost importance for the geographer to recognize the non-geographic in order that he may assign to the geographic its proper share in the sum-total of all the factors involved. It is essential also in order that his intezpretations he seen in their proper perspective. Another aspect of this study which came into better focus was the difficulty of measuring situations with precision. Most of the elements in the evolution of the city, while orderly and rarely cata clysmic, could not he set apart by exact dates, specific events, or individual acts. She complex of the city consisted of variables and this left many matters of interpretation to personal judgment and opinion, either on our part or on the part of some Grand Bapids citizen. We felt the need of measurement devices, but were unsuccess ful in developing them ourselves. Here may be new frontiers for geographers to conquer if such conquest lies within the realm of possibility. Many efforts have been made by persons and organizations in a variety of fields to measure such things as shopping habits, to shed light on urban areal expansion, to delimit the periphery of down town business districts, to devise a more exact way to distribute industries in the urban fringe, to solve the problems of traffic flow, parking, and street patterns. These efforts and many others point in the right direction, but none of the results thus far have yielded mathematical reliability and as for revealing anything precise with reference to the past growth of an urban center there seems to be nothing of promise at the moment. After all, cities consist of people 120 and as long as people are variables the hope of interpreting their behavior on a mathematical basis does not give much promise» bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHY Barnes, C, P, and Marschner, F. J, Natural Land Use Areas of the United States, The United States Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, 1939. Baxter, Albert, The History of the City of Grand Bapids, Michigan, Munsell and Company, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 18910 Bergquist, S, G., Michigan Today, Superintendent of Public Instruc tion, Lansing, Michigan, 1937. Bretz, J, Harlen, Glacial Grand Biver. Michigan, The Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, Vol. XXXIII, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1953. Clapp, Blaine, The Grand Bapids Herald, Grand Bapids, Michigan, Sep tember 16, 1951. Clark, Chester J., Airport Facility Study for Kent County, Chester J. Clark and Associates, Chicago, Illinois, 1949. Darlington, H, T., Taxonomic and Ecological Vork on the Higher Plants of Michigan. Michigan State College, Agricultural Experiment Station, Bast Lansing, Michigan, 1945. DeVries, Milo G., Wholesaling at Grand Bapids. Grand Bapids Chamber of Commerce, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1952. Dunn, Stephen P., Letter to Furniture Dealers, Grand Bapids Furniture Association, Grand Bapids, Michigan, November 12, 1948. Stten, William J., History of Grand Bapids. Michigan, A. P. Johnson Company, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1926. Everett, Franklin, The Grand Biver Valley. The Chicago Legal News Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1878. Fenneman, Nevin M., Physiography of Eastern United States, McGraw- Hill Company, New York, 1938. Finch, Vernor 0. and Trewartha, Glenn T., Elements of Geography, Physical and Cultural. McGraw-Hill Company, New York, 1949. Fuller, George N., Historic Michigan, National Historical Association, Washington, D. C., 1915. Hotchkiss, George W., History of the Lumber and Forest Industry of the Northwest, Chicago Printing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1898. 122 BIBLIOGRAPHY (Continued) Hudgins* Bert, Michigan Geographic Background in the Development of the Commonwealth. Edward Brothers, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 19537 Hyma, Albert, Altertue 0. VanRaalte and His Patch Settlement in the United States, William B, Erdxnans Publishing Company, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1947. Johnson, C. Sophus, Lake Michigan Water Project, City Commission, Grand Bapids, Michigan, 1940. Lesson, M. A., The History of Kent County, Michigan, Charles 0. Chap man and Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1881. Leverett, Prank and Taylor, Prank B., The Pleistocene of Michigan and Indiana, The United States Geological Survey, Monograph 53, Washington, D. C. Martin, Helen M., The River Systems of Michigan. The Michigan Geologi cal Survey, Lansing, Michigan, 1933. Michigan Employment Security Commission, Michigan^ Labor Market. Detroit, Michigan, December 1954, Vol. IX, No. 12, February 1955, Vol. X. No. 11. Michigan Trucking Association, Tracking News, Hastings, Michigan, June, 1949. National Bailway Publication Company, The Official Bailways Guide, National Bailways Publication Company, New York City, New York, 1952. National Resources Committee, Our Cities, Interior Department, Wash ington, D. C., 1937. Polk, R. L. and Company, Pol^s Grand Bapids City Directory, R. L. Polk & Company, Detroit, Michigan, 1954, Volume LXXIII; 1948, Volume LXIX. Seidman, Frank E., The Outlook For the Furniture Industry, Jamestown Area Furniture Manufacturers Association, Jamestown, New York, April 22, 1952. Taliaferro, H. M., Here at American Seating Company. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1952. The Furniture Manufacturers Association, Grand Rapids Furniture, A Brief Story of Furniture. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1938. 123 BIBLIOGRAPHY (Continued) The Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers Association, The Furniture Career of Grand Rapids, The Furniture Manufacturers Association, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1938. ? The Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild, Plan and Procedure of the Grand Rapids Furniture Makers Guild. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1954. The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, January 12, 1952; November 23, 1954. The Graphic Arts Association of Grand Rapids, One Hundred Years of Printing Progress in Grand Rapids, The Graphic Arts Association, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1937. The State Journal, Lansing, Michigan, January 24, 1955; February 1, 1955; February 20, 1955; March 9, 1955. The United States Census Reports, The United States Bureau of the Census, Washington, D. C., Reports were used from the 1840 Census up to and including the 1950 Census. U. S. Department of Commerce, Census of Business, 1948, Volume V, Table 102; 1948, Volume III, Table 103. U. S. Geological Survey, The Pleistocene of Michigan and Indiana. Monograph 53, Washington Government Printing Office, Washington, D. 0., 1912. Van Cleef, Eugene, Trade Routes and Trade Centers, Appleton-Century- Croft, Inc., Mew York, 1937. Van Cleef, Eugene, uMust Geographers Apologize1*. Annals of the Associa tion of American Geographers, March, 1955. Veit, Werner, The Grand Rapids Herald, Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 13, 1952. Wildermuth, Robert, Soil Survey of Kent County, Michigan, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., 1926. Wood, Leslie H., Physical and Industrial Geography of Michigan, Horton- Beider Press, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1914. Wright, Alfred J., United States and Canada, An Economic Geography. Appleton-Century— Croft, Inc., New York, 1948. 124 AUTOBIO&RAFHY 125 AUTOBIOGRAPHY I, Perry L, Bailey, was torn at McBrides, Michigan, on February 27, 1904, I received my secondary school education in the public schools of McBrides and Carson City, Michigan, My undergraduate training was obtained from Western Michigan College, Kalamazoo, Michi gan, from which I received the degree Bachelor of Arts in 1934. Prom 1929 to 1944 I served as an instructor of geography in the public schools in Jackson, Michigan, In 1941, I received the degree Master of Arts from Columbia University, New York City. In 1945 I received an appointment as an instructor in the Department of Geology and Geography at Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan, I entered The Ohio State University in 1946 to pursue the work leading to the Ph. D. degree. While at The Ohio State University in 1948, 1949, and 1955, I taught part-time in the Department of Geography, I have held the position as assistant professor in the Department of Geology and Geography, Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan, while completing the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy. 126