Glance at the Past

This episode of Glance at the Past shares the history of Grand Rapids first women doctors. Frances Armstrong Rutherford was the first to achieve "regular" medical training. She was the first in Grand Rapids and in the United States to be elected a City Physician.      

In this episode of Glance at the Past, Grab Corners, now known as Campau Square, was the first S-Curve of Grand Rapids. A steep grade difference forced the Common Council to raise Canal Street four feet. A hotel downtown remained open while being raised to be level with the new street.      

Mr. Weston, a well digger, claimed a river ran under the city of Grand Rapids, It contained a stream of filtered water and surfaced at Bailey Springs, which could produce 5 million gallons of fresh water daily.      

Like the streets of San Fransisco, Grand Rapids invested time and money towards using cable cars, along with all ready established horse drawn street cars, to climb the steep streets of the city. Eventually cable and horse drawn cars were replaced with their electric counterparts.      

This episode of Glance at the Past may not be for the faint of heart. It is about dogs, cats, and a crematorium.      

Wealthy Theater was first opened in 1911. It has seen it's share of ups and downs over the last 100 years. This episode of Glance at the Past takes you through it's history of closures, imminent demolition, and its glorious renovation and reopening in 1997.      

In 1885, Grand Rapids installed 40 towers topped with arc lights, to the citizens eventual dismay. Cherry Street was one of the most traveled roads and was densely populated with enough trees to render the tower light there useless. 1898 saw many of the tower lights switched out with drop lights.      

West of the Grand River was home of the Peach Ridge Growers Association formed in 1928. Farmers found the peachy soil to be just right for growing apples. The first apple smorgasbord was held in 1951 to build community through a growers picnic where attendees could enjoy apple fritters and apple butter.      

In this episode of Glance at the Past, take a gander at Grand Rapids under glass: the beginnings of greenhouses and forced seed propagation. Eugene Davis was the father of forced lettuce. These seeds became the standard of lettuce throughout the nation's markets.      

Leonard A Versluis puts WLAV-TV on the air as Grand Rapids' first television station.   

In this episode of Glance at the Past, learn about the Electric Light Baths used to make people feel frisky and tan. John H. Kellogg first developed this idea to be used in his sanitarium.      

A brief history of the types of diseases and number of deaths, is told from Secretary Wilson's 1898 Board of Health report.      

This episode shares the story of Chan Hoy and his quest to bring Chinese food to Grand Rapids for the first time ever in 1902.      

Located at the corner of Ottawa and Pearl, this building was the tallest in the city/state and the first in Grand Rapids to be solely used for offices. It was completed in 1892, in the style of H. H. Richardson.      

1904, the Ryerson Library opened to give Grand Rapidians a place for books. A renovation in 2003 made the Ryerson Library what it is today: the Grand Rapids Public Library.