Grand Times in Grand Rapids

by Beld, Gordon G.; Rademacher, Tom

• ISBN13: 9781609496296
• ISBN10: 1609496299
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-12
• Publisher: History Pr

Summary

Join longtime journalist Gordon Beld on a history Gleaned from the best of Beld's work for Grand Rapids Magazine, this collection weaves together intriguing vignettes Get a glimpse into the lives of famous leaders Gerald Ford and Arthur Vandenberg and marvel at Harry "Human Fly" Gardiner, who scaled the buildings of downtown Grand Rapids. Take a nostalgic trip down to Reed's Lake, where the streetcars will drop you off at Ramona Gardens to dance the night away. Find the grand in Grand Rapids-just don't get lost in Saddlebag Swamp on the way. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 9
Gratitude for Grand People	p. 11
Pieces of Furniture City History
Reminders of Our First Residents	p. 17
The Lady and the Sword	p. 19
Persistent Paddlers	p. 21
Our First Businesswoman	p. 23
GR's Road Feud	p. 25
When the Curtain Went Up	p. 27
Like Father, Like Son	p. 30
The Pride of Wyoming	p. 32
A Place to Hang Your Hat	p. 35
Road to the White House	p. 37
From Defeat to Delight	p. 39
Steamin' Along on the Grand	p. 41
Bridging the Grand	p. 43
Fighting the First Fires	p. 46
Women Started It all	p. 48
Winters of Yesterday	p. 50
The Branded Hand	p. 52
Keepers of the Peace	p. 54
Saddlebag Swamp	p. 56
Kissing Bridges	p. 59
Our Women's Role in the Civil War	p. 61
Saluting the Monitor's Commander	p. 63
Been There, Done that?	p. 66
Just Happy Memories Remain	p. 68
A Lucky Lard Spill	p. 70
When the Army Arrived	p. 72
Gone but Not Forgotten	p. 74
Frank Knox Delivered	p. 76
GR's Other Congressman Ford	p. 79
GR Goes to the Beach	p. 80
The Wizard and Tamawaca	p. 84
Newsman to Newsmaker	p. 86
When the Roosevelt Women Visited	p. 88
What a Wingding!	p. 90
Christmas a Century Ago	p. 93
Steaming Over the Lakes	p. 95
Moving up the Hard Way	p. 97
Grand Rapids up in the Air	p. 99
A Plant that Bombed	p. 101
A Close-Knit Group	p. 103
Tower at City Center	p. 105
From Celebration to Calamity	p. 107
When Downtown Was the Place	p. 109
Hatching Whirlybirds	p. 112
Girls and Diamonds	p. 114
GR's Circle-C Cowboys	p. 117
Riding the Pere Marquette	p. 119
Fishing Wasn't GreatùJust Okay	p. 121
Finding a Home for GVSU	p. 123
A Refuge from Vietnam	p. 126
Catastrophe at the Cape	p. 129
Index	p. 133
About the Author	p. 141
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Join longtime journalist Gordon Beld on a historical tour of the Furniture City. Gleaned from the best of Beld's work for Grand Rapids Magazine, this collection weaves together intriguing vignettes highlighting the unique character of the Grand Rapids people and their community. Get a glimpse into the lives of famous leaders Gerald Ford and Arthur Vandenberg and marvel at Harry "Human Fly" Gardiner, who scaled the buildings of downtown Grand Rapids. Take a nostalgic trip down to Reed's Lake, where the streetcars will drop you off at Ramona Gardens to dance the night away. Find the grand in Grand Rapids—just don't get lost in Saddlebag Swamp on the way.