Rapido Grandes

I hail from the thriving metropolis of Grand Rapids, Michigan and knew there was a Grand Rapids, Minnesota as well. Until I started making frequent jaunts to the Buckeye State, however, I had no idea there was also a Grand Rapids, Ohio.

Then I got to wonderin’ … how many other locales shared the name? So I jumped online (what did we used to do before the internet?), conducted a few searches, and discovered there are actually six cities/towns/villages in North America called Grand Rapids. In addition to Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota, they are also found in Wisconsin, North Dakota and Manitoba. Of course, all derive their name from the waterways on which they are located … though the rapids of the northern-most port of steamboat travel on the Mighty Mississippi were eradicated when a local paper mill damned the river.

How cool would it be to make a Grand Rapids pilgrimage through all six locales, starting in Ohio and ending on the northwestern shore of Lake Winnipeg? Because I was already searching the worldwide web (and, simply, because I could!), I took my curiosity a step further. Such a roadtrip would take 32 hours and 49 minutes and cover an incredible 1,861.79 miles. I’ve filed that idea away for someday when I’ve got nothing else to do … and don’t have children in tow who inquire of me every ten minutes, “Are we there yet?!?!?” This time around I was content to explore the Ohioan village nestled along the southern bank of the Maumee River.

Located just southwest of Toledo and adjacent to Providence Metropark, the restored canal town of Grand Rapids, Ohio had been a major river crossing for centuries. Before there were bridges, ferries resembling flat barges carried horse-drawn wagons and passengers across the Maumee. Amusingly, village lore relays this mode of transportation was unreliable since the ferryman weren’t always on duty thanks to their love of strong drink. Cheers!

The village was platted in 1833 as Gilead, but overshadowed by rival Providence during the canal era. In 1868 the name Grand Rapids was adopted and the town prospered with the arrival of the railroad in 1877. As I mentioned in my previous post, this actually led to the demise of the canal system.

Noteworthy sites in town include the Howard Cemetery, where members of the Howard family are buried. They were the first white settlers of this area in 1820. Also interred here is Tee-Na-Beek, believed to be the last Ottawa Indian left in the Maumee Valley. After his land was lost to the White Man, his widow had no place to bury him, and his friend Dresden Howard allowed his body to be placed among Howard relatives; Tee-Na-Beek’s grave is located outside the iron fence.

Unfortunately, spring floods have been and continue to be a threat to the village. A marker in the downtown area tracks flood records. Check out the water level in 1904 … keeping in mind that Mark stands at 6’3”!

In addition, as is the case with most turn-of-the-century villages, fires ravished Grand Rapids in the late 1890s. Major renovation of the shopping district began in 1975, and it again underwent an overhaul in 2002. The downtown area and its surrounding residences today are amazing restorations of the Victorian architecture of days gone by with fancy brickwork, elaborate moldings and transom windows.  Many of them have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Of special interest was a gorgeous Italianate residence located at 24055 Front Street. Built in 1883 by Richard Housely, the first president of the Grand Rapids Banking Company, he constructed the home for his second wife, a southern belle from Savannah. It served as a private residence until the 1950s when it was converted into apartments.

In 1987 the property was purchased by Don and Audry Entenman and lavishly refurbished. After they decided to simplify, the home was sold to current owners Don and Teresa Marie Williams, who converted it to a quaint B&B. As I was roaming the grounds and taking pictures, I ran into Teresa Marie.

As much as I would have loved to sit on her porch and chat all day, remember I was keeping company with young’uns. We went on to lunch at LaRoe’s restaurant and tavern and headed to City Park.

Once home to commercial establishments such as general and hardware stores, the buildings were eventually destroyed and the land presented to the town for a park. It was the perfect place to entertain kids … and kids at heart!

The Town Hall adjacent to City Park was built in 1898 to house government offices, a jail and an opera house. In fact, the Grand Rapids structure became known as one of the finest facilities on the theatrical circuit.

Though we didn’t have time to properly tour all the amazing residences or peruse the quaint shops, we enjoyed our afternoon in Grand Rapids.  A return trip the next time I’m in the area—sans tired children, of course—is definitely in order!