This year marks the 82nd anniversary of Repeal Day. Can you imagine going 13 years without a legal drop of alcohol? I don’t know anybody who can. Well, wait. I can. But I’m a lightweight and also a wet blanket, so you won’t see me getting invited to many parties. Which is why I live with cats.
From 1920, the start of Prohibition, to 1933 when Amendment XXI was ratified (to repeal Amendment XVIII), Americans either had to abstain or become very creative. Creativity ruled. But why Prohibition in the first place? There are a few theories floating around as to why Prohibition was instituted (one of which has to do with nefarious oil dude, John D. Rockefeller, but I leave that for you to explore here).
As Amendment XVIII went into effect on January 17, 1920, Americans could no longer manufacture, sell, or transport intoxicating beverages. Picture this: One day, you’re having a beer with your friends, and the very next day–poof!–you’re no longer allowed to consume alcohol. What a blow to the American psyche it must have been when Prohibition became part of the Constitution, holding the same status as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the abolition of slavery.
Maybe some people alive today remember Prohibition, but I sure don’t. Still, you can get a taste of that era at American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, a world exhibition created by the National Constitution Center. At the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) now through January 17, 2016, this exhibition explores the tumultuous years of 1920 to 1933, and why the country went dry in the first place. Prohibition’s advocates said that they wanted to improve the nation’s moral and physical health, and in some ways they succeeded. But the nation also endured a huge rise in corruption, crime and cynicism. By the time Prohibition ended with the ratification of Amendment XXI in 1933, America had become a very different country. Personally, I don’t think the collective psyche ever recovered.
But let’s not worry about that right now. The whole idea here is to have fun and celebrate. There are plenty of engaging community and educational programs to round out the exhibition, so go here to find out what’s happening. The GRPM is hosting special Repeal Day activities: For example, you’ll get to meet the characters who were important in passing the first and only amendment to repeal another amendment ever. (Uh, never say “ever.”) Adults and children are invited to join in on some hands-on activities in the Museum’s Galleria to learn about this “milestone” in our country’s history.
Repeal is a huge deal, folks, so huge that other venues are joining in the celebration. That includes the SpeakEZLounge (600 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503). Beginning at 7 pm on December 5, 2015, you’ll time-travel back to the day Prohibition ended. Savor special appetizers and cocktails as you listen to the River City Jazz Ensemble. They’ll be playing vocal jazz hits and classical instrumental music that was popular during Prohibition. Be sure to wear your favorite 1920s and 1930s attire to immerse yourself in the experience. Cover is $10 and includes snacks.
Repeal Day at the GRPM is Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9 am-5 pm, 272 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Call 616.929.1700 for more information, or visit the website.
If you’ve not heard of Reynold Weidenaar, perhaps you can be forgiven, but if you miss this retrospective exhibition of the Grand Rapids native’s oil paintings, prints, and watercolors, you’re only cheating yourself.
Three local cultural organizations–Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), Calvin College, and Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD)–have joined forces to orchestrate this extensive exhibition that celebrates the 100th anniversary of Weidenaar’s birth. Along with GRAM’s retrospective are exhibitions at KCAD at Ferris State University and Calvin College’s Center Art Gallery. KCAD provides an overview of the artist’s work in drawing and watercolor. Calvin’s exhibition investigates the artist’s working methods, including several states of individual prints.
The 100th birthday celebration began in spring of 2015 withThrough the Eyes of Weidenaar, an exhibition at the Grand Rapids Public Museum which focused on his self-styled role of community chronicler. Nationally recognized, Weidenaar (1915-1985) had a noteworthy career, and he is one of West Michigan’s most talented and renowned artists. He studied at the Kendall School of Design, Grand Rapids and the Kansas City Art Institute. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1944 and traveled through Mexico creating gorgeous images in mezzotint.
With roots in 20th-century American Regionalism–a movement dedicated to representing rural and small town life–Weidenaar’s work is timeless, depicting West Michigan through a historical context and singularly personal perspective. His deep familiarity with the region’s places and people allowed him to mine a wealth of subject matter.
Restlessly creative and ambitious, Weidenaar continually worked to hone his skills and master new artistic techniques. Known for his technical virtuosity as draftsman and printmaker, he became successful in the 1940s exhibiting and selling his etchings. He began creating mezzotint prints in the 1950s, even though the technique was not widely practiced at the time. Especially well received, his work in mezzotint fostered a resurgence of awareness and appreciation of this distinctive method of printmaking.
In 1954 he took up watercolor painting, and in only ten years, he had created 1,300 watercolors of West Michigan subjects–enchanting landscapes and industrial scenes that pulsed with life. After mastering etching, mezzotint, and watercolor, Weidenaar began to paint in oil and explored the processes of the Flemish and Dutch Old Masters.
When scrutinizing Weidenaar’s work, take notice of the intricate detail with which he created his works. His works can be very dramatic, at times satirical–or eerie with a mystical quality–but they are always intriguing and never dull. There’s much more than meets the eye: Familiar West Michigan cityscapes and landscapes will be apparent, and you’ll want to get up close to appreciate the idiosyncratic and sometimes off-color (so to speak) sense of humor depicted in his work.
Don’t just take our word for it; experience it for yourself. Go forth, and discover the wonders of Weidenaar.
I’ve been fascinated Michigan lighthouses since 1997, when I started working at the West Michigan Tourist Association (1997-2004). Did you know Michigan has more lighthouses than any state? And, that a fair number of those are rumored to be haunted? Although I’ve never experienced any of these ghostly encounters myself, I’m happy to share the stories that have been passed along to me by others. If you’d like to learn more about “Michigan’s Ghostly Beacons,” I invite you to attend one of my upcoming presentations on the topic. The schedule can be found here.
What is it about lighthouses that seem to attract spirits – most often than naught, the ghosts of former keepers? Maybe it’s a never-ending passion for what was more of a lifestyle than a job. These keepers often lost their lives during their service, protecting the sailors on the inland seas from the dangerous and rocky shores of the Great Lakes. Many served twenty, thirty, even forty years and beyond, raising their families along these freshwater coastlines, because it was the only life they knew.
Here in Michigan, we’re proud to claim more lighthouses than any other state – with 117. The first light was built here in the 1820s; the latest in 2006. Nearly two dozen of these lights are rumored to be haunted – in most cases, by former keepers or their families. Their spirits live on, dedication unfaltering – even after the lights, and their lives, have been extinguished.
White River Light Station, Whitehall (Lake Michigan)
William Robinson
When William Robinson and his wife, Sarah, first came to the Whitehall area in the 1860s, there was no lighthouse at the end of the White River to guide the many boats coming and going due to the area’s rich lumbering industry.
Robinson took it upon himself to walk the riverbank nightly and hang a lantern on a pole, marking the entrance to the river for those vessels coming in after dark. He also began the drawn-out process of commissioning the Lighthouse Service to have an actual lighthouse built at the site.
After several years, Robinson’s attempts were rewarded and in 1875, the White River Light Station was first lit. The ships captains, who had been coming in and out of Whitehall for those years under Robinson’s safe guidance, petitioned the service to have him appointed the first keeper. It was a position he held for 44 years, until 1919 when age forced him into retirement. The day before he vacated the light, Robinson passed away in his sleep.
Rumor has it that neither he, nor his beloved wife – who had died many years prior – have ever really left White River Light Station.
The current resident keeper, Karen McDonnell, has reported multiple ghostly occurrences in her 20+ years of service. Content that it is the Robinsons, she simply shares the stories with visitors to the museum. Captain Robinson is frequently heard walking around upstairs in the former bedrooms and lantern room.
It’s Sarah’s spirit that is a bit more interesting. Karen says one day, she’d been upstairs dusting the museum display case when the phone rang. She set her dusting supplies down and went down to answer the phone. When she returned a short time later, she was startled to find her dusting supplies had moved and the display case was void of dust. Knowing of Sarah’s reputation as a meticulous housekeeper, Karen was amused. Over the years, Karen reports that attempts to recreate that incident have only succeeded on that original display case in an upstairs room which once was the nursery. A place Karen believes Sarah holds dear to her heart.
Seul Choix Point Lighthouse, Gulliver (Lake Michigan)
Captain Joseph Willy Townshend
Captain Joseph Willy Townshend was an avid cigar smoker, and it is widely believed that his death in 1910 was the result of lung cancer. The fact that his body was embalmed in the basement of the keeper’s home and that his body lay in state for an extended period of time awaiting family from far away to pay their last respects, probably didn’t do much to help ease his mind as he left this world. So much so, that he opted to stay and keep watch on his majestic beacon.
The Gulliver History Society, which maintains this lighthouse, has kept detailed records of each ghostly occurrence at the lighthouse. Whether it be sight, sound, smell or just an eerie feeling, each is recorded in a log book which has more than 300 entries thus far. Faces in mirrors, the pungent odor of cigar smoke, rocking chairs moving on their own, pictures with hazy figures, images in windows – these are all common at Seul Choix (Shish-Shwa).
One of the most commonly told stories begins when the alarm at the lighthouse goes off in the middle of the night, sending an emergency call to both local law enforcement and the head of the historical society. The officers arrived first, and access the situation by walking around the lighthouse checking for any foul play.
One officer reportedly heard the sound of a chair moving across the floor and a man’s voice coming from the kitchen. When this account is shared with the museum administrator, it is met with a chuckle and a brief history of the resident ghost. Inside the house, no one is found – however, one of the kitchen chairs is pulled away from the table. The lighthouse is locked up and all parties depart.
A few weeks later, the scene repeats itself. The same two officers, the same museum staffer. Again, no one is found inside. The lighthouse is locked up tight and everyone heads out.
As the squad car makes its way down the long, dark, narrow roadway, it is approached by an oncoming car. Curious as to why anyone would be headed to the lighthouse at such a late hour, the police turn on their lights and exit their car to investigate. The oncoming vehicle is full of drunken teenagers, who are subsequently believed to be responsible for a series of break-ins and vandalizing acts in the area (one on the night of the original tripping of the alarm).
Turns out Captain Townshend was watching out for his lighthouse, making sure authorities were there to prevent any damage from occurring.
Saginaw River Range Light, Saginaw (Lake Huron)
When Peter Brawn was appointed the eighth lighthouse keeper at Saginaw River Range light in March, 1866, little did he know that his tenure would be short-lived. The next year, Peter suffered an unrecorded injury or disease and became incapacitated as a result.
His wife, Julia, took over the duties on an unofficial basis. In March 1873, Peter finally succumbed to his illness and passed way. Ultimately, Julia was finally appointed the official keeper after serving seven years in an interim position.
In 1875, Julie remarried – a man named George Way, who in addition to the title of her husband was appointed head keeper, with Julia demoted to serving as assistant. By 1882, the assistant position was abolished all together and Julia was left with no official title or duty. The following year, George himself passed away. However, before Julia was able to resume her duties as head keeper, she disappeared from lighthouse service – never to serve again.
While there is no proof that Julia actually had anything to do with the deaths of her two husbands, it is quite a coincidence that any time she lost her position as head lighthouse keeper the husband lost his life. Rumors of ghostly occurrences at this light are attributed to the two former keepers who died there, whether of natural causes or at the hands of their wife, Julia Brawn Way.
For more about Michigan’s lighthouses – haunted or otherwise – visit the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association at www.gllka.com.
Beaver Head Island Light
Ghostly Beacons
St. Joseph Keeper’s Residence
South Haven Keeper’s Residence
White River Light Station*
South Manitou Island*
Grand Traverse Lighthouse*
Beaver Head Island Light*
Squaw Island Light
St. Helena Island Light*
Waugoshance Shoal Light
Seul Choix Point Light*
Sand Pointe Lighthouse*
Eagle Harbor Light
Rock of Ages
Big Bay Point Lighthouse B&B
Crisp Pointe Lighthouse
Point Iroquois*
Old Presque Isle*
New Presque Isle*
Thunder Bay Island Light
Sturgeon Bay Light
Tawas Point Light
Saginaw River Range Light
Point aux Barques
*Open for tours
This article was republished with permission from Dianna at Promote Michigan. We do our best to help with the promotion of the great State of Michigan!
“The best summers of my life were spent in the cottage Pop had built on Lake Muskegon in 1908.” Buster Keaton in his autobiography, “My Wonderful World of Slapstick”
How did actors survive hot summers a 100 years ago, when theaters without air conditioning shut down for the season? About 200 of those performers chose to head to Muskegon where an artist colony of vaudeville performers flourished in the 1900s. Buster Keaton and his performing parents joined their fellow artists in card-playing, fun in the sun and the bracing waters of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan.
Those glory days are celebrated this weekend with the return of the International Buster Keaton Society to the city Buster Keaton claimed as his hometown. The group numbers between 400 to 500 members, some from as far away as the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Annual attendance for the convention is usually between 50-100. 88 people are registered for the convention this year!
Society member Ron Pesch, who lives in Muskegon, will conduct a private tour for convention-goers to explore the neighborhood where Keaton lived, and other areas in the Bluffton community where the big names of the vaudeville circuit partied and sunbathed during their off-season.
1924: American comedian Buster Keaton (1895-1966) sitting in the funnel of a ship in a scene from the film ‘The Navigator’.
If you’re inclined to ask, “Who’s that?” when you hear Buster Keaton’s name, you can probably be forgiven. His star shone most brightly after vaudeville waned in the 1920’s. As a major star of silent film, Keaton’s comic routines and deadpan expression landed him equal billing with comic geniuses such as Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd–and if you’re still saying, “Who?” you probably like video games more than movies.
But Pesch says Keaton’s influence is cited by a number of major stars including Johnny Depp, Jackie Chan, and even Drew Barrymore. Pesch added, “The first ten minutes of the Pixar classic ‘Wall-E’ are filled with references to Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.”
On Saturday night, October 3, 2015, at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30), two Buster Keaton films will be screened for fans, “The Railrodder” and “Battling Butler” at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts. Director Gerald Potterton will attend, who actually directed Keaton in his film “The Railrodder.” Potterton is best known for directing the cult classic, “Heavy Metal.” Dennis Scott will perform on the Barton Theater Organ, and Pesch notes, “Anyone who experiences a silent film in that theater with the organ accompaniment will be a Keaton fan forever.” Tickets are $8 per person or $21 for the whole family. For more information, visit www.frauenthal.org .
In honor of those who sacrificed their lives during the terrorist events of Sept. 11, 2001, the exhibit 9/11: A Day That Changed America, on loan from the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City, and a rescue vehicle used following the attacks, on loan from the Henry Ford Museum, will be on display at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum (GRFPM) in downtown Grand Rapids. The exhibits will be on display as part of the 14th annual Community Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute on Sept. 11, 2015.
In addition, Wounded Warriors from the West Michigan region, and the flag that will be flown at the museum during the commemoration, will be escorted into Grand Rapids by fire and police personnel, and more than 200 motorcyclists. Several other events are scheduled during the commemoration.
For the 14th year, the President Ford Council, Boy Scouts of America will lead the West Michigan community in a day-long “Scout Salute” at the GRFPM on Sept. 11 to pay respect to all those who died during the terrorist attacks. The day of remembrance has been held annually from sunrise to sunset since Sept. 11, 2002, at the GRFPM and has been supported by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation each year.
“Each year the Community Day of Remembrance and Scout Salute are commemorated here in Grand Rapids so children and their families have the opportunity to learn about the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001,” Joe Calvaruso, executive director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation said. “This year’s events and exhibits allow the West Michigan community to honor and remember all those who gave their lives because of the terrorist attacks 14-years-ago.”
To honor the arrival of the flag that will be flown during the Scout Salute, during the afternoon of Sept. 10, Wounded Warriors, members of various police and fire departments, the Patriot Guard Riders, members of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group and the Boy Scouts of America will escort the flag to the GRFPM from the National Guard Armory located in Belmont, Mich. Upon the flag’s arrival to the museum at 5 p.m., it will be raised during a ceremony which is open to the public.
During evening ceremonies on Sept. 11, SpartanNash will present a personalized Honor and Remember flag to the parents of Army Specialist 4th Class Brian K. Derks, who was killed in action August 13, 2005, in Baghdad, Iraq.
“SpartanNash cares deeply for those who protect our families and defend our freedoms, and we are committed to ensuring that these brave men and women’s sacrifices and stories are not forgotten,” said Meredith Gremel, SpartanNash vice president, corporate affairs and communications. “The Honor and Remember flag pays tribute to all our soldiers who gave their lives in service to their country, paying the ultimate price for our freedoms.”
While the exhibits are on display in Grand Rapids, the GRFPM, located at 303 Pearl Street N.W., is free and open to the public to visit. The museum and exhibit will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sept. 11.
The schedule of events for the day includes:
7:18 a.m. (sunrise) Scout Salute begins – the community is encouraged to participate at any time during the day
8:40 a.m. Honor Guard lowers flag from full- to half-staff
8:45 a.m. Moment of Silence and Remembrance
8:46 a.m. The Salute Bell will be rung one time for Tower 1 (the time the first plane hit the first tower)
8:50 a.m. Introduction of speaker Mayor George Heartwell
9:03 a.m. The Salute Bell will be rung one time for Tower 2
9:37 a.m. The Salute Bell will be rung one time for the Pentagon
10:03 a.m. The Salute Bell will be rung one time for United Airlines Flight 93
Noon Ceremony to honor Police, Fire, EMS and Military members
12:30-2 p.m. Canine unit demonstration, meet and greet at Ah-Nab-Awen Park
7 p.m. Evening ceremonies begin
· Performance by The Salvation Army Brass Band
· SpartanNash Honor and Remember flag presentation
· Remarks from keynote speaker Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley
· Remarks from Boy Scout Council President Wayman Britt
· The final salute and the flag being raised to full-staff
When it comes to family names in Kent County, Rogers is as recognizable as it gets. From Rogers Plaza – Michigan’s first indoor shopping mall – to Rogers Lane Elementary, the Rogers family name is a staple to the Wyoming community.
Along with that name comes the ‘Rogers Mansion,’ a home which has stood in Wyoming since 1836 and is now up for sale.
According to Bill Branz of the Wyoming Historical Commission, Justice Rogers came to Grand Rapids from Vermont in 1835. When he arrived, the city was still in its infancy with the only developments in the area being a Native American settlement and the Campeau Trading Post.
The 2,600 square-foot house originally sat on 160 acres of land granted to Justice Rogers from President Martin Van Buren. That location, 1144 Rogers Plaza Drive, would be the house’s home until 1960 when the house moved to make way for Rogers Plaza. When the house was moved to its current home at 1141 Colrain Ave. SW, it received a facelift to its foundation, electrical and plumping work.
Although a 4 bedroom 2 bath house doesn’t seem like a “mansion” now, consider the house is 179 years old! What’s even more impressive is how much of the original house still exists after all these years later. The original skeleton key to the front door is still used and the windows, latch handles, and turned railings are organic to the home.
The home is the oldest in Wyoming and believed to be the oldest in Kent County.
Melanie Rogers, the great-great-granddaughter to Justice Rogers, currently resides in the ‘Rogers Mansion.’ Both of her children have moved out of Michigan and Melanie wants to be able to spend more time with them in Chicago and California.
Selling the house will be an emotional experience, but now another family will be able to enjoy the beauty and history of a home approaching its second century!
Floriza Genautis was a new college graduate and thought she had the world by the tail. Then her mother said, “You’re coming to America.” It was months of adjustment, countless hours of practicing English, and years of hard work in her attempt to belong. Today, she is a soccer mom, business owner, and community volunteer in West Michigan. Does she fit in now? Check out her interview to see!
Before reporting on the update of the historical Dewey-Wedgewood Home at Beckmaze, I need to acknowledge the citizen journalist , Dorothy Simon-Tibbe who told us about Wyoming’s oldest residence. Thank you Dorothy!
Here’s a brief recap: The 180 year old residence and its three-acre property are the focus of preservation by a group of local historians known as the Beckmaze Historical Society. They are a non-profit group that is passionate about seeing the grounds along Buck Creek preserved as a community learning center through the City of Wyoming. The reason Beckmaze Historical Society is seeking jurisdiction as a community center is because the city of Wyoming does not recognize historical or museum status for properties under city ordinances. I asked the head of the city’s planning, Tom Cochran, why there is no historic status under the city planning commission ordinances and he honestly replied, “I don’t know.”
The foundation of the original 1830s sawmill is still visible today.
It would seem to this citizen journalist that if there were a historical or museum status in the city ordinances, the Dewey-Wedgewood Home at Beckmaze would be deemed a historical museum – hands down! After all, records of the property predate Michigan becoming a state! Native American artifacts have been found around the home as well as pre-Civil War coins. So to put it in layman’s terms: This property is a historical no-brainer.
Unfortunately however, it is not that simple due to the city’s current ordinances. Wyoming city officials say they have more questions than answers to the group’s request. After hearing the Beckmaze proposal at last month’s public meeting, Wyoming’s planning and development committee shared concerns about emergency access to the site, the availability of public parking, and the potential response from neighboring residents.
Kelly Hogan of the Beckmaze Historical Society tells us that while all the neighbors are supportive of the property’s special use, details for emergency access and parking at the site are being worked out.
The front porch in 1906.
She added that once all the city’s concerns are addressed, the group will resubmit their proposal to the city. White is also considering having the state of Michigan do a historical evaluation of the property to present its findings to the city planning commission. Perhaps then the city council will be motivated to sign a new ordinance to govern historical properties in Wyoming. Currently the city Wyoming does not have a designated museum. There is a historical room at the Wyoming branch of the Kent District Library.
If you are interested in joining the Beckmaze Historical Society to help protect this property, call 616-258-8617 or visit Beckmaze Historical-Society on Facebook for the latest updates.
Find out how you can help save the 1834 property for future generations!
“If the planning commission refuses our request to be sanctioned a community center, we are done,” says Simon-Tibbe. “All the hard work of volunteers, board members and our benefactor will be a missed opportunity to preserve a piece of Wyoming’s history. We could lose it forever.”
by Dorothy Simon-Tibbe and Janice Limbaugh
The original log house from 1834 remains a part of the house after several renovations and additions through the years.
It is perhaps the oldest secret in the city of Wyoming. Hidden in the woods near busy Byron Center Avenue, a gem of local history sits quietly in the shadows of aging hardwoods. The two-story home on three acres along Buck Creek goes back to the 1830’s, when it was the site of a sawmill that provided lumber used to build the village at Grandville, the area’s first homes, and the city of Chicago. The Dewey-Wedgwood Home at Beckmaze holds over 180 years of forgotten stories and undiscovered treasures that one local woman is bound and determined to bring to light.
“I was born to do this,” says Kelly Hogan, a life-time Wyoming resident. “There’s more than what is in plain view around you. There’s rich history here that you wouldn’t see if you didn’t know what to look for.”
Between the house and Buck Creek is a clearing where deer like to visit on a regular basis.
Ever since Hogan stumbled across the property, she’s grown more and more passionate about preserving it and establishing the house as a local landmark and educational center. It is not an easy task. Working alongside her is Wyoming historian Dorothy Simon-Tibbe who wrote the following narrative describing the uniqueness and importance of this endeavor:
Adjacent to the house is Buck Creek where remnants of a bridge are still visible. The road over the stone bridge was the original Byron Center Avenue.
Imagine standing in a dense forest of virgin white pine towering over the clear flowing waters of Buck Creek in 1832! You have followed a survey just completed by Lucius Lyon and Sylvester Sibley in 1831, and will claim this land in the Michigan Territory by registering with the U.S. government to gain patent at White Pigeon.
In 2014, the Dewey-Wedgewood Home at Beckmaze (2551 Oaklane S.W. in Wyoming) stands proud on this very spot 180 years later. Beckmaze Historical Society has been given this beautiful historic home on three acres of land contiguous to Buck Creek. The original log cabin, built in 1834, is within the walls of the existing building, albeit many additions have been made.
Beckmaze Historical Society was established purposely to preserve what remains of a historic estate that once contained over 1100 acres of land and played a significant role in local history from the very beginning of settlement in the Grand River Valley. The Society claims that this is the oldest surviving residence on an original foundation, and no other is as important to preserve as this one.
A side view of the home in 1970.A side view of the home today.
The effort to preserve the property began in 2008 when Hogan and Simon-Tibbe first inspected the property and since then the two have been joined by several others. Now that the home has been secured, the community has the opportunity of a lifetime!
The Beckmaze Historical Society is a 501-c-3 designated non-profit and needs volunteers and donations to sustain the restoration. The first order of business is to restore the home to its former glory so that it will survive into the future. The plan is to use it to educate the public about Wyoming’s true place in history and to one day host classes for crafts that hearken back to the age before electronics. The Society is at a crucial point right now. The full support of the surrounding community is essential to the success of the cause.
Here are a few of the key points regarding the property’s history:
1834: One of the first 3 sawmills was built on the site, as well as the Jenison cabin and several other buildings
1835: From this mill, the first ever load of white pine lumber was shipped to Chicago that April
1840-1865: Known as “Dewey’s Station”, it is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad
The foundation of the original sawmill is still visible today.
1855: The original mill was replaced by a steam saw mill capable of cutting 2-million board feet of lumber each year. The foundation of this mill and the dam is still visible today. Also visible is the original stone base for the bridge that was once a part of the original route of Byron Center Avenue.
1869: Dewey negotiated with The Lake Shore and Southern Michigan Railroad to have that line directed across the original estate in exchange for a station being built nearby, which was especially significant at the turn of the century.
The front porch in 1906.
1890: The home was discovered by an artist named George H. Ford, who soon turned it into a showcase and then used it as the main “lodge” of his artist colony. The famed Grand Rapids artist Mathias Alten frequented the colony while others such as photographer Fedora E.D. Brown and English artist Octar Copson commissioned homes of Ford’s design to be built adjacent to the property. He donned the colony with the name “Beckmaze” which meaning is interpreted to be “sweeter than the sweetest thing”. Current plans are to restore the home to its appearance under Ford’s ownership when it represented the best that Grand Rapids had to offer in the way of design and decoration.
Ford added architectural renovations that were state-of-the-art for the day.
1925: Dr. Llewelyn Wedgwood purchased the property and maintained its beauty until his death in 1949. After several years, it passed into the hands of the Braun family who spent three years restoring the property again.
The home in the winter of 1940.
1959: Wedgwood Christian Acres Home for Boys was organized by members of LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Over the next 49 years the home underwent many necessary changes as the organization strove to continue its function as a residence for trouble youth.
2008: The property was sold into private ownership and suffered severely due to lack of maintenance. In the meantime, efforts had begun to bring attention to its historic value resulting in the formation of the Beckmaze Historical Society in 2010.
2011: The home was purchased by the society’s main benefactor andheld in trust until it was able to receive it as a donation.
Thankfully now in 2014, the title has been transferred to the Society but still it faces uncertainty as it must appeal to the Wyoming Planning Commission for special use of the property as a community center in order to move forward. This meeting is set to take place October 21st at 7 p.m. at Wyoming’s City Hall.
“If the planning commission refuses our request to be sanctioned a community center, we are done,” says Simon-Tibbe. “All the hard work of volunteers, board members and our benefactor will be a missed opportunity to preserve a piece of Wyoming’s history. We could lose it forever.”
This approval and the funds to carry out the preservation effort are sorely needed. The Society is hoping that the entire community will recognize the importance of this site and lend whatever support they can to the cause. To make a tax deductible contribution or to find out how you can help, contact the Beckmaze Historical Society at 616-258-8617 or find us on Facebook. Donations and inquiries can also be made by addressing correspondence to Beckmaze Historical Society at 2551 Oaklane S.W., Wyoming, Michigan, 49519.
Studio 28 demolition is a loss for some; a relief for others.
by Janice Limbaugh
It’s one last showtime for Studio 28 as cars line up to watch daily demolition process.
As the demolition of Studio 28 began on Tuesday morning, cars filled with curious onlookers and sentimental locals paraded through the parking lot all day long. A line up of parked cars watching the demolition was reminiscent of an old drive-in theater – but on this day, the demolition of the world’s former largest movie theater was the main feature. Be advised that should you go, bring your own refreshments. This show is going to last about two-weeks and have plenty of intermissions. But it’s at the end this show when 20 acres of prime business property sit open and available that the suspense really begins. What will fill the void?
With her mouth still frozen from a dental appointment, a longtime Wyoming resident goes out of her way to pick up a piece of Studio 28 while her husband waits in the car.A demolition worker says the debris from the theater has been a hot commodity. He’s keeps a pile of bricks available for public pickins.
Here’s a preview of coming attractions or rather a long term vision for this area by the Wyoming Downtown Development Authority. Picture this: 28th Street as a walkable town center in the heart of Wyoming, economically vibrant and sustainable with businesses and shops, green space and landscaping, detailed building facades, town homes, condos, and convenient parking. This community effort is called 28 West! Click here to see what Wyoming’s future neighborhood may look like.
The Richard L. Root Kentwood Branch Library stands prominently at 4950 Breton Road, next door to the Kentwood City Center. Its stunning architectural design and the outstanding sculpture in the foyer attracts visitors from not only Kentwood, but also surrounding areas. Completed in 2010, the library contains multiple amenities, including (but not limited to) a large community room for programs and events, an expanded computer area, conference rooms, study rooms, and the Cora Bowen Stauffer Kentwood Heritage Room. Usage of the library facilities has increased with the expanded space and available technology. Curiosity, however, asks “Where did it all begin?”
In the early 1830’s a number of families came from New York to settle in the part of the county known as Paris Township. They carried with them the family Bible and perhaps one or two other books. Settlements such as Bowen Station, Home Acres, and East Paris Road slowly developed while the rest of the township remained essentially rural with large farm properties until after World War II. Following the war, Grand Rapids residents and industry began moving southeast beyond the city limits into Paris Township. With no library, Paris Township residents borrowed books from the Kent County Library’s bookmobiles. In an oral history, a former student from one of Paris Township’s one-room schoolhouses described the services of the bookmobiles and told her interviewer that adults could borrow as many books as they wanted, but children were limited to four books each. The Kent County Library named the bookmobiles Hither, Thither, and Yon. In the early 1950’s the county bookmobile began stopping at Home acres, one of its most popular stops.
In February 1955, an official request for a permanent Paris branch was forwarded to Kent County Library officials by Fred Darling, the Paris Township clerk. By November at that year, the Paris Library opened in a new building on 44th Street near Jefferson Avenue. The Paris Library flourished under Mrs. Edel Torngren who helped the numerous patrons who crowded into the library during its first full year of operation. It quickly became the most heavily used branch of the county library system. When Mrs. Torngren died unexpectedly in 1962 the branch was renamed in her honor. Although the library has since moved several times, the small brick building remains and serves the community as a veterinary clinic.
By 1967, the library’s collection of books had grown and it could no longer be housed in the small building on 44th street. In the same year, Paris Township became the City of Kentwood and elected officials occupied themselves setting up a new city government and all its many services—including a library. In mid-1968 the City Commission started exploring an expansion of the existing library. In 1969, the library relocated on 52nd Street in a rented building which had been St. Mary Magdalen Church. Initially, Commissioners budgeted $30,000 for the expansion project.
When a renovation estimate from the architect was more than double what they had planned to spend, Commissioners discussed selling the library site and relocating to a new site.
In 1975 Kentwood finally built a new library thanks to an earlier donation of four acres of land to the city for a library site by Mrs. Cora Bowen Stauffer. She stipulated that the new library must be built on the site within five years or the land would revert back to her. Finally, in September 1975, the new $715,000 Kentwood Branch Library opened on a site which a hundred years previously had been the Bowen family’s cornfield. By 1990 time, traffic, and a leaky roof had begun to take a toll on the library, so city officials allocated money from the general fund for redecorating. In 1991, a ten-year-old Kentwood resident, Jillaine Burmeister, won an Earth Day contest sponsored by the Amway Corporation. Her prize was a 12-foot tall flowering crab tree which she planted at the library. “The library will be here forever, and people will always come here,” she explained.
Jillaine’s statement, however, faded into history when the library once again outgrew the available space and the building developed structural problems. Kentwood officials began to consider a new site—one more centrally located in the developing city. The new Kentwood Branch Library, opened in August 2010 speaks for itself. The library was renamed the Richard L. Root Kentwood Branch Library in 2012 in honor of the former mayor’s dedication to the community and to the completion of the library project.
y next day–poof!–you’re no longer allowed to consume alcohol. What a blow to the American psyche it must have been when Prohibition became part of the Constitution, holding the same status as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the abolition of slavery.
ay Prohibition ended. Savor special appetizers and cocktails as you listen to the River City Jazz Ensemble. They’ll be playing vocal jazz hits and classical instrumental music that was popular during Prohibition. Be sure to wear your favorite 1920s and 1930s attire to immerse yourself in the experience. Cover is $10 and includes snacks.
