Historian Interview

GRPM Historian (Gina Bivens)

Is historical Fiction OK?
What are some of the diverse historical facts or stories (color, gender, ethnicity)? We would like students playing the game to be able to see historical figures that look like them?
Who are the must-have people?
What are the must-have places?
What are the must-have events?
What was pricing like in the 1890s (% inflation)?
What are the 5-10 take-aways that we would want student/game players to leave with?
What is the main narrative(s) surrounding Grand Rapids in the 1890s
Should we stick to the 1890s or reference other periods as well. (if yes, which periods?)
What else do you think we should know?

Take-Aways (Aiden Wysocki)

(notes by Bill Fischer, Christian Jackson, Emily Grush, Jill Salem, Sean Fuller)

Historical Fiction

The exhibition is meant to convey truth, but assumptions can be made about historical figures, places, and events. Assumptions can be made about trivial information that is not available about figure.

Significant People of Old Grand Rapids

The large diversity of historical figures in Grand Rapids include names such as CC Comstock, JC Craig, Julius Houseman, Anna Bissell, Durfee Letterworth, Eva Laraway, the Thum brothers James Winslow, William Powers,, and Ezra Holmes. The Streets of Old Grand Rapids currently does not display information on all of these figures because of a lack of space in the exhibit. However, there is enough information collected on each person to share their impact on the history of Grand Rapids.

Diversity

Several ethnic groups settled in Grand Rapids, the first of which being African-Americans. In 1883, approximately 500 to 600 people celebrated emancipation day at the fairgrounds. CC Comstock housed the first African-Americans in Comstock Row on the North-West side of Grand Rapids. Another African-American resident of Grand Rapids, J.C. Craig, was a civil war veteran that later opened the first electrified barbershop. Julius Houseman became the first Jewish mayor of Grand Rapids and later joined the U.S. House of Representatives in 1883.

Economy

The furniture industry is bringing in most of the workforce to Grand Rapids. The addition of the railroad increased Grand Rapids population by 25% in only 10 years. There were also shoe making jobs and plenty of construction jobs. The lumber industry was big in Grand Rapids and was a big export for a long time second only to furniture.

Must-Have Figures

Anna Bissell, co-founder of Bissell, became America's first female CEO after patenting the Bissell sweeper in 1876 with her husband. Anna Bissell also was the first one to offer workers compensation, had pension plans for employees, and started a settlement house for immigrants and poor women. She did all of this while raising five children.

Must-Have Places

The GRPM currently has storefronts such as Herpelshimer's, Lindbergh Gun Shop, and Ruddell's Drug Store, but there are several places and storefronts not mentioned in the Old Grand Rapids exhibit. Among these not mentioned are the Power's Opera House, St.Mark's, and C.C. Comstock.

Must-Have Events

A few must-have events in Old GR include the 1883 emancipation day celebration. Just about any shows or plays at the Powers Opera house, which was started by James R. Winslow. Sears catalogues reached Grand Rapids in 1897 which started the mail-order industry.

Things Students Should Take-Away

Students should gain a sense of the economic situation in Grand Rapids at the time as well as the presence of diverse communities. The communities of different cultures gravitated towards churches and different places of worship settled in Grand Rapids at the time. Students should also learn about the Odawa and Ojibwa tribes that were settled in Grand Rapids area before the city was founded. The furniture industry and the many emerging furniture companies in Grand Rapids should be a large takeaway for the students.

Anything Else We Should Know?

The marketplaces were organized very well in the city so people from each neighborhood could walk to, or ride the railcar to, in a matter of minutes. Ice companies delivered ice to houses. Better train and Allen Market is a good market to research on.

Bill's Notes

What are some of the diverse historical facts or stories (color, gender, ethnicity)? We would like students playing the game to be able to see historical figures that look like them?

CC Comstock - brought in African Americans- housed in Comstock row - worked at comstock pail company
JC Craig - Af. Am - barber - 1st barbershop to be electrified.. located in a hotel by the river. business at 66 Canal st, lived at 43 Jackson - 1891
Polk: made cities directories (find directories by searching "city directories)... Search directories: col'd
Julius Houseman - 1st Jewish mayor and wealthy businessman
Anna Bissell - after running company alongside her husband, she took over the carpet sweeper business shortly before 1890 after husband died... one of the 1st female CEO in the country - took company national, then international. - first to have workmen's comp and started a pension plan. She also started women's training program.
Eva laraway
Donovan's brooms (female)
Women ran boarding houses
Ezra Holmes - Dentist

Who are the must-have people?

Durfee invented an embalming fluid used nationwide
Tanglefoot fly paper - Thumb brothers - invented flypaper
Lindbergh gun shop - 125063 pic no.
William Powers - entrepreneur

What are the must-have places?

St Marks Church
Factories on the river - driven with hydroelectric
Powers Opera House
Water's Building - built in 1898
Fire House: Fire Insurance was sold through the firehouse: "For you history buffs, back in the day of Benjamin Franklin, insurance companies in larger cities formed fire brigades to protect their insured structures. Since there were several fire insurance companies, it was common for more than one fire brigade to exist in the city. On arrival at a fire, the first action taken was to check for a fire insurance marker.¹ If one did not exist, or if it belonged to a competitor’s company, the fire brigade simply went home, leaving the structure to burn. Fire insurance has more than 200 years of history in America. The early fire marks can still be seen on many older buildings in many American cities. Subscribers paid firefighting companies in advance for fire protection and received in exchange a fire mark to attach to their building. Those payments for the fire marks supported the firefighting companies." Source: https://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2010/10/fire-subscription-service.html

What are the 5-10 take-aways that we would want student/game players to leave with?

Compare it to GR today
Inflation and stretching money (check old Sears and Wards catalogs)
Diversity: Yankees, Europeans (Dutch, German, Latvian, Lithuanians, Irish, Italian carvers, Lebanese, Polish), Some Ottawa and Ojibwa, African Americans, - See the newcomers exhibit at the GRPM. 1st African Americans were farmers in Byron Center. See book - Gathered At The River (about churches and people who attended them). People are grouped by walking distance.

What is the main narrative(s) surrounding Grand Rapids in the 1890s

Price of goods and services is interesting because it provides a tangible lesson on inflation when we compare those to today's standards.
Furniture design and manufacturing was the main industry
Migration: Factory and farm Labor from the south after Civil War, Land speculators from the east (Yankees), Europeans looking for economic opportunity in a part of the world where one can improve their 'station' in life. Europeans looking for to escape oppression. Dutch looking for religious freedom.
Rapid population growth

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