Historic Photos of Grand Rapids

What began as a fur-trading post grew into the second-largest city in Michigan a center for industry and the arts. As “Furniture Capital of the World” and an All-American City three times Grand Rapids has a fascinating past. Historic Photos of Grand Rapids explores that past in images depicting a range of subjects including the furniture industry the Flood of 1904 recreational activities the Pantlind Hotel the original Ada Covered Bridge spanning the Thornapple River civic celebrations a 1941 Monroe Avenue the 1889 County Building and countless others. These striking black-and-white images are the pride of the Grand Rapids Public Library’s History and Special Collections Department. Come take a tour through the pages of Historic Photos of Grand Rapids and discover the charm of bygone eras the fortitude of the city’s pioneers and the richness of the old city.