History of the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Source: This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 without a copyright notice. Found at wikipedia commons images.

One of the hotels for the upcoming National Genealogical Society "Paths to Your Past" family history conference is the Amway Grand Plaza hotel.  It has a rich Grand Rapids history.  You may hear people referring to it as the Pantlind hotel, which it was known as for years.

The Amway Grand Plaza (Pantlind) hotel is the best of both worlds. Modern conveniences are combined with old world charm.  The hotel is comprised of two sections: the original hotel section known first as Sweet's Hotel (1900), then the Pantlind (1913) and now Amway Grand Plaza.  The original section of the Pantlind and the newer Glass towers, which were added in 1983, make up the Amway Grand Plaza.

You enter the lobby and immediately see the architectural charm. The Pantlind was created by the same designers as the New York City Grand Central Station and Biltmore Hotel.  It was named "one of the ten finest hotels in America" in 1925.

The Amway Corporation purchased it in 1981.  Amway restored the Pantlind to its original opulence and added the luxurious Glass Tower.  If you are lucky to get a room with a view, you will overlook the Grand River.

Many architectural details should not be missed.  Three Czechoslovakian chandeliers grace the lobby, made of Austrian crystals and weighing 4000 pounds each.  The domed gold leaf ceiling is a sight to see.  Arched windows, brass molding, wired electric gaslight torches complete the ambiance of the place.

If you want to know more about the historical details of the hotel, check the tour brochure available at the hotel's website. The Amway Grand Plaza is part of the Historic Hotels of America, a program of National Trust for Architecture History Preservation.

Fun Things to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids was listed as number 20 of 52 places to go worldwide by the New York Times.  See the article here.  It is a great place to have a conference and a great place to visit. There are wonderful museums, gardens, shopping venues, restaurants, neighborhoods and more. If you have the time to come early or stay late you will have lots to see and do in Grand Rapids.  Here are my favorite things to do in Grand Rapids.

1. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.  This is one of my favorite places to go when I am in Grand Rapids.  The Marketplace is a great place to grab lunch, a snack, or a simple dinner.  A variety of food options are available including sushi, thai, tacos, barbecue, ice cream, coffee and three bakeries!  It is located about a mile from the DeVos Place.  Hours are Sunday-Thursday 10-7; Friday 10-8; and Saturday 9-8.
2. Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525.  If you have a few hours to explore this beautiful area, I highly recommend it, but wear your walking shoes!  It is early for flowers to be blooming in Michigan, but you may see tulips and daffodils in bloom.  The sculpture garden is home to the famous 24 foot "American Horse" inspired by Leonardo da Vinci and many other sculptures. There is an indoor viewing area with a caterpillar room and tropical plants and more.  Other things to see include a farmhouse, kids garden, plants, and much more.  It is about 5 1/2 miles from the DeVos Place, but public transportation is available. Hours are Sunday 11-5; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9-5; Tuesday 9-9.
3. Beer City USA.  There are over 80 craft breweries in the area for you to explore, many of them with great food.  I am not a beer drinker so I can't attest to the quality of the beer, but if this is of interest to you, you won't be disappointed.
4. Grand Rapids Children's Museum, 11 Sheldon Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.  This is a wonderful museum for children and adults.  There are many hands on exhibit to explore including bubbles, music, farm and a fort.  The museum is .8 mile from the DeVos Place.  Hours are Sunday 12-5; Monday Closed; Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 9:30-5 and Thursday 9:30-8.
5. Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. This museum is a wonderful place to visit.  A carousel, wurlitzer organ, exhibits, habitats, and my favorite, The Streets of Old Grand Rapids are a few of the highlights of this museum.  It is a quick walk, .3 mile, from DeVos Place.  Hours are Monday-Friday 9-5; Saturday 10-5; and Sunday 10-5.
6. Fish Ladder Although the salmon won't be running this time of year, this is a relaxing spot in the city.  
7. Heritage Hill Neighborhood One of the oldest neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, this well kept area is rich in beautiful homes with architectural features.  There is a self guided walking tour available here.
8. Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, 300 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504.  NGS will be having an event here Thursday night of the conference, but if you want to explore the museum on your own it is rich in history.  It is within walking distance of the DeVos Place.  Hours are Monday-Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 12-5.

These are just of a few of the attraction available for your visit to Grand Rapids.  To see attractions near the DeVos Place check here.  Experience Grand Rapids is the tourism website to check out.

Talk Like a Michigander

No matter what part of the world you are from there are words that only locals know.  The same is true for Michigan.  If you are visiting Michigan for the upcoming NGS Conference, in Grand Rapids Michigan these terms will help you speak like a Michigander, the word for those living in Michigan.

The Mitten: Lower Michigan is shaped like a mitten.  If you ask someone where they are from and they point to a place on their hand, that is why!  We use our hand as a map.

U-P: If you hear the word U.P. (You Pea) it means the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The Thumb:  A part of Michigan that looks like a thumb in the mitten.  I grew up in the thumb.

Yooper: Someone who lives in the U.P.

Trolls: What Yoopers call those who live under the bridge, or in the lower peninsula.

The Bridge: Refers to the Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac: Pronounced Mack-i- naw!

Fudgies: Tourists are called this by Northern Michigan residents.

Party Store: It is a place that sells all things alcoholic.

Michigan Left: It is a U-turn when left turns are not permitted.

Pop/Soda: We drink pop and bake with soda.

Great Michigan Food Items:

Faygo: A brand of pop popular in Michigan.

Superman Ice Cream: A fruity creation of red, yellow, and blue swirls, well know throughout Michigan and the Midwest.

Better Made Chips: A Michigan made potato chip.

Traverse City Cherry Coffee: Traverse City is known for its cherry growing and this flavored coffee is one of the best.  Also, Traverse City Cherry is made into ice cream

Mackinac Island Fudge Ice Cream: Deliciousness you must try. It is vanilla ice cream with chunks of fudge.

Coney Dogs: A hot dog in a bun with a special sauce and other condiments.  If it is a Koegel hot dog, all the better.

Other Tips:

1. If you don't like the weather, just wait, it will change.  Michigan has been known to be warm one day and snow the next.  Hopefully, we won't have to worry about snow in May.
2. We have a tendency to chop letters off words.  Example: Grand Rapids=GranRapids
3. We add 's' to words.  Example: Meijer (a local grocery store)= Meijers
4. We have two seasons: Winter and Construction!

I hope you have a great time in Grand Rapids and get to see a little of our wonderful state.  

Archives of the Archdiocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan

Archives of the Archdiocese of Grand Rapids is the place to contact for Catholic records in the eleven county area in west Michigan.

Map of Diocese of Michigan

The Archives of the Archdiocese of Grand Rapids, MI, 300 Division Ave, S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616 459-4509. The diocese was established in 1883.  Currently, it consists of 81 parishes in the Michigan counties of Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa.  

I contacted Fr. Dennis W. Morrow, Archivist of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, and he was very helpful and answered my many questions.  The number one thing I would like to iterate is that the Archives doesn't have staff to accommodate on site research.  Fr. Morrow stated, "We are happy to answer any reasonable requests from researchers. These are best received by U.S. Mail, or by phone at (616) 459-4509, or at this e-mail address, ssppbulletin@gmail.com." Notice the use of the word "reasonable". The archives is willing to do look ups, but doesn't have the staff to do your research for you." A well written query that includes names, dates and places will make your request more successful.  A query that states I would like all the information on the Smith family won't.

Fr. Morrow wrote about the condition of the records.  He writes, "The sacramental records that are in the possession of the Archives are some of the oldest records from some of our oldest parishes.  We do not allow researchers to peruse these records due to our lack of staffing, but also because the records themselves are very fragile. Many of them are difficult to read and interpret, written in Latin and in nearly illegible script.  So it is generally far more fruitful for us to receive the requests and then search the records for results."

If you have Catholic records research to do while you are in Grand Rapids, you can view pre-1900 sacramental records on microfiche at the Grand Rapids Public Library. Sacramental records include baptisms, confirmation, first Communions, marriages, and deaths.  Fr. Morrow states, "The drawback is that the fiche can be difficult to use, and can only show what is in the original register, which is often hard to read.  We are happy to assist researchers in making sense of what they find."

Other records that the Archives holds include all the student records of St, Joseph's Seminary in Grand Rapids from its opening in 1909 to its closure in 1981.  Extensive historical materials on all the parishes and institutions of the Diocese are available, too.

Fr. Morrow also shared, "Researchers are often happy to find that we have begun to transcribe, translate, and index some of our oldest sacramental records for the benefit of all.  We also have scanned the records from a number of our parishes.  This not infrequently makes it possible to look up a family name and provide an immediate "Yes" or "No" as to whether a family name might be found among some of the oldest parish records."

The Archives is near St. Andrew's Cathedral and Catholic Central School.  The piazza area around the cathedral is a beautiful, peaceful setting. If you get a chance to visit while in Grand Rapids, it is a place to see and within walking distance of the National Genealogical Society's conference center, DeVos Place.

Church records can be some of the richest resources a genealogist can find and the Archives at the Archdiocese of Grand Rapids can be a repository you want to use for your Catholic church records in West Michigan.  

Christian Reformed Church Research, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Heritage Hall in the Hekman Library on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan is the place to go for Christian Reformed Church in North America records and Dutch Migration records.

The website is a treasure trove of information and may take a few minutes to acclimate yourself to it.  Heritage Hall is open to the public for onsite research, but you will want to plan your visit.  Their holding are vast.

What will you find at Heritage Hall?

1. The Archives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The archives online pages will guide you through a lot of information:
1. Finding Aids
2. Links to Information about the Christian Reformed Church (CRC)
3. Banner , a publication of the CRC, card file index for deaths, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries published from 1870-1999.
4. Membership records from six closed CRC churches.
5. Young Calvinist obituaries from 1941-1973.
6. Emigrants from the Netherlands to North America, 1946-1963, mostly to Canada.
7. Emigrants from Drenthe, Netherlands to West Michigan, 1845-1870.
8. Wedding Databases
9. Dutch and German Immigrant Letters
10. Family Histories
11. Holland-America Line Passengers, 1900-1940.
12. Web based resources for Family History
13. and more.
2. Heritage Hall Finding Aids will guide you to resources available at the library.  A few simple searches led me to manuscript sources at Heritage Hall.
1. Genealogy led me to 31 resources, many of them manuscript collections to explore further.
2. Family History led me to 15 resources.
3. Luijendijk, the dutch spelling, led me to 0 resources, but Luyendyk, the American spelling, led me 1 resource.
4. Dutch in Michigan had 16 hits.

Even though it states the number of resources or hits, these are manuscript collections and can contain many boxes and linear feet of resources. 

     3.  Research Guides are available at the Hekman Library website. These guides help you to understand what is available at the Library. The library supports the language and culture of the Dutch and four research guides are available:

          a. Dutch Language

          b. Dutch Literature

          c. Dutch History and Culture

          d. Frisian Studies

If you have Christian Reformed research to conduct while you are in Grand Rapids, Calvin College is the place to do it. Use the Hekman Library Catalog to find resources at Heritage Hall.  The Archives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, Hekman Library, Heritage Hall, Calvin College, 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 526-7197.  

Research Facilities in Grand Rapids Michigan

I am preparing for the upcoming National Genealogical Council's "Paths to Your Past" conference which will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 2-5 May, 2018.  One of the things I do before I go to a conference is to check into research facilities in the area of the conference, especially if I have ancestors in the area.

My husband, Kirk, was born and raised in Grand Rapids and we have researched there for years.  I have visited numerous cemeteries, the library, city clerk's office, St. Andrew's Cathedral, neighborhoods and more.

If you have family history research to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan or Kent county, Michigan here are a few places you need to know about.


1.  Grand Rapids Public Library, History and Special Collections, Level 4 of the Main Library, 111 Library Street, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Their hours are:

• Sunday, 1-5 pm Labor Day to Memorial Day
• Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 9 pm
• Friday and Saturday-9 am to 6 pm

The library is about a ten to fifteen minute walk, .7 mile, from the DeVos Convention Center and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and .5 mile from the Courtyard Marriot hotel.  Parking is available at the library.  The first hour is free and each hour after that is $1.10.  Weekend parking is free.

The History and Special Collections department offers the researcher a lot.  

• Books and Periodicals. There are more than 30,000 local and state history books, the complete run of Grand Rapids city directories, county histories, atlases, business histories, government documents, and more.  There are over 5,000 volumes of periodicals for Grand Rapids and Michigan history. Genealogy periodicals, some national in scope, are available for use.
• Maps. 1,800 or more maps of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Old Northwest Territory are available in addition to plat maps showing early settlers and property holders.
• Newspapers. Available on microfilm are the daily and weekly Grand Rapids newspapers from 1841 to the present.  A full run of The Grand Rapids Press (1893-Present) and The Grand Rapids Herald (1891-1959) is available.
• Family Histories. The department collects and maintains a large number of family histories.
• Genealogy Books. Over 5,000 books pertaining to genealogy from general research to standard references are available.
• Research Materials. The collection includes obituary files and vital records indexes.
• Archival Materials. The Archive collections number over 500 and include photographs, oral histories, sound recordings, sheet music, manuscripts, postcard, scrapbooks, and ephemera.  The popular real estate listing cards are images and listing information on many properties in Grand Rapids from 1955 to 1995.
• Furniture Design Collection. Grand Rapids and Furniture Design has a rich history.  This collection contains over 4,000 items.  Books, periodicals, catalogs are all located in the History and Special Collections department on the fourth floor.
• Online Collections.  GRPL website has access to indexes for clipping files, subject files, newspapaer articles, magazine articles, photographs, and maps.  Their digital collections include over 7,000 archival images (1850-1990's); Robinson Studio Collection, almost a million negatives and photo's from 1930's-1960's; The Grand Rapids Herald from 1894-1916, is fully digitized and searchable; and Women's Defense Cards, 1918, contains over 23,000 cards that were filled out by women offering to help in the war effort.

Plan your trip using the library's website, www.grpl.org/history and set aside some time to browse the wonderful collections of the library.

2. Grand Rapids City Archives and Records Center, 223 Washington St., SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616 456-4127 or 616 456-3114. email: mellis@grcity.us or awright@grcity.us  Open to the public by appointment only. Hours are Monday – Friday from 8 am until 5 pm.

It is a .7 mile from the Courtyard by Marriott hotel and 1 mile from the DeVos Place Convention Center and Amway Plaza Hotel.

Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan and it has its own city archives.  The archives is the holder of all city governmental records, many that would be of interest to genealogists with Grand Rapids family history.

Genealogical Resources Include:

1. Board of Trustees, Common Council, and City Commission records (1838-2010)
2. Polk Directories (1865-2007) but missing 1866,01867,01869-1874,1877, 1880, 1889, 1890, 1893, 1894, 1906, 1908, 1915, 1947, 1952, 1989, 1999, 2004-2006.
3. Court Records-a variety of records, some from early Grand Rapids.
1. Mayor's Court (1850-1857)
2. Police Court Felonies (1874-1979, some gaps in those years.)
3. Justice Courts (1886-1889)
4. Police Court State Records
4. Cemetery Records-the city's six cemeteries records (Greenwood, Fulton, Oak Hill, Oak Grove, Woodlawn and Fairplains are available at the Archives. The information may be found online now.  For more information on the cemeteries check  https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Cemeteries  One of my favorite cemeteries in Grand Rapids is Oak Hill.  The history and architecture is lovely. A couple of articles were printed and are interesting to read. http://www.therapidian.org/oak-hill-cemetery and http://www.therapidian.org/oak-hill-cemetery-ii  Although the city is relatively safe, please use caution when visiting city cemeteries and don't go alone.
5. Police Records-includes the police department fingerprint cards from 1913-1974.
6. Personnel Records-are available with a FOIA(Freedom of Information Act) request. They are not open to the public.
7. Tax and Assessment Rolls-Grand Rapids Tax Records (1860-1971) are available.  Various cities, townships and villages in Kent county records (1876-1944) can be found here as well.
8. Assessor's Cards-a 1936 Works Progress Administration (WPA) project created cards for homes in the city, complete with a picture.
9. Grand Rapids Public School Archives-class pictures, yearbooks, attendance records and more are housed at the Archives.

This is just a few of the records one will find at the City Archives, please check their website for others.  Remember, research is by appointment only.

3.  Kent County Clerk's Office, Administration Building, 300 Monroe Ave., NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. 616 632-7640.  Open to the public, Monday-Friday 8 am-4:45 pm.

County research is central to finding your Michigan ancestors.  Each of the 83 Michigan counties have a county clerk.  The county clerk's office is where you will find vital records-birth, marriage, and death.

If you are attending the 2018 NGS " Paths to Your Past" conference at the DeVos Place and have Kent county research to do, you won't have far to go to the county clerk's office.  It is across the street from the DeVos Place!

A few things you will need to know about researching at the clerk's office.  They do allow genealogists to research in their office.

1. There is a two hour research limit if others are waiting to research.
2. Two researchers at a time are allowed research privileges.
3. No young children allowed.
4. Only pencils are allowed for writing.
5. Certified copies cost $10 for the first copy and $3 for second copies.
6. Birth records, less than 100 years old, are closed to the public.  An heir may see a birth record with a copy of a death certificate for those less than 100 years old.  Birth Indexes are closed and limited help is available.

If you find yourself with an hour or two and need to look up Kent county births, marriages and deaths, you won't have far to travel to do it at the conference.

4. Western Michigan Genealogical Society, one cannot forget the host society for the NGS conference, the Western Michigan Genealogical Society (WMGS).  The WMGS website has repeatedly earned the Family Tree Magazine Best State Websites award.  The gem of the website is their online databases.  http://data.wmgs.org/  Currently, the website has over three million records online.  The newspaper database has over one million records.  All database are of interest to those researching in Kent county.  A complete list is available on their website.  Look for school census records, church records for churches in existence before 1876, Grand Rapids Home for Veterans Index, WWI Veterans Census, Black Monument Company records, death indexes, marriage indexes, Latzek Funeral Home records, and more.  Check the website out for your ancestors names.

Pure Michigan Genealogy-The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy

This is my ninth and final post on researching in Michigan, my home state. I tried to give you an overview of what is available when researching ancestors in Michigan.  The eight posts on Pure Michigan Genealogy is in no way a complete list of everything in Michigan.  That would take a book, and there is a good one-Michigan Genealogy, 2nd edition by Carol McGinnis.  I could never top what she has written.  If you think I could help you with your Michigan research, please email me or leave a comment.  I hope you have enjoyed my Pure Michigan Genealogy as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. 

I have a few general comments about researching Michigan ancestors.

• Don't underestimate the importance of county level records and repositories.  County government is central to Michigan genealogy research.  Vital records, land, property, probate, etc. are kept at the county level.  Many Michigan counties have genweb websites.  Check out the Kent County one, to see the variety of records one may find in their research
• Check in the area you are researching for local genealogical societies, historical societies and libraries.  Put google to work for you!  Many genealogical societies have an online presence and accept queries for their newsletter, some have volunteers to look up information. Historical societies know what is available and where to find it for their locality or can guide you where to go next.  Many libraries have a local history section.  Check the library's online catalog, if available.  Tap into this valuable resource.
• Come to Michigan.  Visit our state library and archives, all in one building. Roam our cemeteries, explore our courthouses, and check out our local libraries.  After a day of rewarding research, Michigan has even more to offer.  Beautiful sunsets, sandy beaches, clear blue lakes, historic islands, rocky cliffs, and great people are yours to explore in Pure Michigan!    

I used a variety of sources for the nine Pure Michigan Genealogy posts.  A bibliography is listed here for your use.

Bentley Historical Library, "Religion Subject Guide", University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library 

http://bentley.umich.edu/research/guides/religion/index.php : (accessed 1 May 2013 and no longer available online).

DeBoer, Shirley, M, NGS Research in the States Series:  Michigan, Arlington, Virginia:  National Genealogical Society, 2008. 

Eichholz, Alice, Editor, Red Book, Provo, Utah:  Ancestry, 2004.

Family Search, "Research Outline:  Michigan", Harold B. Lee Library Brigham Young University.  BYU Family History Library 

http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/US/Michigan.pdf: (accessed 26 April 2013 and no longer available online).

Holick, Jennifer, Legacy QuickGuide Michigan Genealogy, Surprise, Arizona:  Millenia Corportation, 2013.

McGinnis, Carol, Michigan Genealogy:  Sources and Resources, Baltimore, Maryland:  Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005.

"Michigan Land and Property", Family Search Research Wiki, 

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Michigan_Land_and_Property:  (accessed 1 Mar 2018).

"Scandinavian  Immigration", Harvard University Library, Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930.  

http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/scandinavian.html:  (accessed 1 March 2018).

"Using Maps in Genealogy", United States GeographicalSurvey,

 https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/0099/report.pdf:  (accessed 1 March 2018).

VanderHill,  Warren C.  Settling the Great Lakes Frontier:  Immigration To Michigan, 1837-1924.  Lansing, Michigan:  Michigan Historical Commission, 1970. 

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. The End concludes the series on Michigan Genealogy.  See below for the full list of posts.

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End