DeVos Place & Grand Rapids: 10 Years Strong-Part 3

Before DeVos Place was built, the land was home to the Kent

 County Courthouse, Hall of Justice and the Grand Rapid Police Department.

#TBT: A "Grand A-Fair"

DeVos Place® wasn’t always the grand convention center in the heart of Grand Rapids that it is now. The ground upon which it was built was once treaded on by Native Americans, ironmongers, factory workers, retailers and shoppers. With such an important part in Grand Rapids history, the land and area that DeVos Place is built upon has a vibrant history all its own.

A Home for the Performing Arts

When the Great Depression hit Grand Rapids, it hit hard. With a decline in industry, jobs and residents, Grand Rapids was in need of relief, and that is what then City Manager, George Welsh, set out to bring to the city. The Civic Auditorium was constructed in 1932 as a relief project for the city and the people. It created jobs, cultural influence and more importantly, a home for the performing arts. The Civic Auditorium housed dances, films, theater and the Grand Rapids Symphony. It would later be renamed the George Welsh Civic Auditorium (name shortened to Welsh Auditorium over time) in 1974, in memory of George Welsh. In 2003, it would be demolished to make way for the ballroom in the newly expanded DeVos Place convention center, keeping its exterior face intact.

A Home for Justice

In 1962, the land beside the Welsh Auditorium was cleared for a new kind of facility. No longer in the land of factories and retail buildings, the cleared ground would be the home for the Hall of Justice, Kent County Courthouse, and the Grand Rapids Police Department. These structures were ultimately demolished in 2002 after the facilities were relocated.

A Grand Reprise

After much planning and fundraising, the convention center was built alongside the Welsh Auditorium, and was named the Grand Center. With fundraising efforts led by the DeVos and Blodgett families and the Grand Rapids community, the convention center was completed in the fall of 1980. The first annual “Celebration on the Grand” welcomed the opening of the Grand Center with a week full of events. An expansion of the facility would come years later.

Celebrating 10 Years

Celebrate Grand Rapids’ history and DeVos Place at the DeVos Place 10th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, June 13th from 10AM-5PM! It’s free and open to the public. Join us for fun, family-friendly activities, entertainment, prizes, food, and more!

This is the third of a four part series celebrating the 10th Anniversary of DeVos Place. The series will focus on the history of Grand Rapids and DeVos Place, as well as its impact on the community. Check back next Thursday for Part 4.

DeVos Place & Grand Rapids: 10 Years Strong-Part 2

Monroe St. was once the home to banks, 

retail stores and factory buildings. 

#TBT: Factories along the Grand River

DeVos Place® wasn't always the grand convention center in the heart of Grand Rapids that it is now. The ground upon which it was built was once treaded on by Native Americans, ironmongers, factory workers, retailers and shoppers. With such an important part in Grand Rapids history, the land and area that DeVos Place is built upon has a vibrant history all its own.

Furniture City, U.S.A.

At the turn of the century, a variety of industries existed in the river city. If you were to stand in DeVos Place today, you could be standing in what used to be the Bissell Inc. factory. The land was full of diverse factories and businesses. From the ever-growing lumber industry to powerhouse carpet cleaning company Bissell, another market emerged in Grand Rapids, one that would continue to make strides even today… furniture. After a rough period post World Wars I and II, the furniture industry blossomed and Grand Rapids was the center of it all. Factories once surrounded the land that would eventually become the home for DeVos Place. Through Grand Rapids’ rich history in a variety of industries, the river city became the pinnacle for economic and social growth.

Along the Grand

The Grand River would prove to be a useful natural feature of Grand Rapids for a variety of reasons. Louis Campau settled his village alongside the Grand River due to the versatile waterway and promising transportation of the river. With a beautiful view from the DeVos Place convention center, it’s no wonder that the area was home to so many previous businesses and factories. When visiting DeVos Place, you can step outside and overlook the river and admire the beauty of Grand Rapids!

A Change in the Currents

What was once the grounds for factories and production eventually yielded to a more cultural focus. Through a variety of theaters, retail shops, and office buildings, the location next to the Grand River over the years has become a prime location that has been influential to the city of Grand Rapids. 

Celebrating 10 Years

Celebrate Grand Rapids’ history and DeVos Place at the DeVos Place 10th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, June 13th from 10AM-5PM! It’s free and open to the public. Join us for fun, family-friendly activities, entertainment, prizes, food, and more!

This is the second of a four part series celebrating the 10th Anniversary of DeVos Place. The series will focus on the history of Grand Rapids and DeVos Place, as well as its impact on the community. Check back next Thursday for Part 3.

DeVos Place & Grand Rapids: 10 Years Strong-Part 1

The grounds on which DeVos Place and DeVos Performance Hall are currently

located was the home of an assortment of Grand Rapids factories. 

#TBT: the 1800’s

DeVos Place® wasn’t always the grand convention center in the heart of Grand Rapids like it is now. The ground upon which it was built was once treaded on by Native Americans, ironmongers, factory workers, retailers, and shoppers. The land and area in which DeVos Place currently stands had a crucial role in the beginnings of the city of Grand Rapids and has a vibrant history all its own.

Grand Rapids roots

When French fur trader Louis Campau, nicknamed “the Fox” by the natives living in the area, bought his land on what is now the grounds for DeVos Place, he would become the “father of Grand Rapids.” The Campau trading post would be the pinnacle for city development. Campau laid out his village streets in the spoke style, an imitation of the ones used in France. The boundaries of his village were along the Grand River, Fulton Street, Division Avenue, and what is now Michigan Street, the heart of city today. Campau named his main street after President James Monroe, who had died in 1831.

The Fox vs. the Lyon

When Lucius Lyon, a land surveyor from New York, saw the value of the land next to the Grand River, he bought a large chunk of land just north of Campau’s. Lyon set his land with streets in the standard grid format, using compass directions instead of the radial setting that Campau used. The two settlers feuded over the name of the city, Campau insisting on keeping the name “Grand Rapids” versus Lyon, who wanted to rename the city “Kent.” With settlers attracted to the land, Lyon wanted to reconcile with Campau and connect their two settlements through Pearl Street.

Grand Rapids Business District

Canal Street through Pearl created an intricate intersection, with Monroe and Canal not meeting perfectly due to a variety of buildings that stood in the way. Ultimately, the buildings either burned down or were demolished, creating a public square that would be known as Campau Square, and today is known as Rosa Parks Circle.

Celebrating 10 Years

Celebrate Grand Rapids history and DeVos Place at the DeVos Place 10th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, June 13th from 10AM-5PM! It’s free and open to the public. Join us for fun, family-friendly activities, entertainment, prizes, food, and more!

This is the first of a four part series celebrating the 10th Anniversary of DeVos Place. The series will focus on the history of Grand Rapids and DeVos Place, as well its impact on the community. Check back next Thursday for Part 2.