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Grand River Valley EntrepreneursThe Grand Rapids LegacyBy Linda Aksomitis
There are numerous things that make Heritage Hill unique, the most significant being the large number of properties—1300 to exact. Another significant factor is that unlike many historic areas, Heritage Hill does not contain street after street of similar homes which you can watch move forward through time. Instead, the houses date from 1848 and represent over 60 architectural styles! It’s easy to understand how this rare community grew up if you turn back the pages of time to the 1800s and visit Grand Rapids. It was always a center for entrepreneurship and innovative ideas, starting with John Ball who bypassed Detroit with New York investment money in 1836. He declared the Grand River Valley “the promised land, or at least the most promising one for my operations.” Over the next hundred years many lumbermen and furniture builders made their fortunes in Grand Rapids, building home after home that surpassed those of their neighbors. Anna Sutherland Bissell took over the Bissell Corporation when her husband died in 1889, and introduced worker’s compensation and pension, long before they became industry standards. In1902 a conglomeration of Grand Rapids furniture manufacturers adopted a trademark giving the Furniture City a unified national presence. Grand Rapids was a center for development!
Much more traditional to the era, the Voigt house, built in 1895, is a Chateauesque style, built as a retirement home for Adoph Voigt. Most of the contents on display in this period house are original to the home. I thoroughly enjoyed my walk through this mansion, seeing evidence of the day-to-day activities of the people who spent their lives within its walls. Frederik Meijer is a more modern entrepreneur in Grand Rapids, and has produced a legacy that would make the original settlers of the area proud. With over 150 grocery and general merchandise stores across the Midwest, the Meijer name is well-known. In addition to the local work of every Meijer store, there is also the Meijer Foundation and Meirjer Kidney Walks, whose donations support nonprofit organizations and kidney research. But for Grand Rapids, the legacy is even more visual in the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, along with the newly opened Lena Meijer Children’s Garden (named for Frederik’s wife Lena). Both are cultural centers for the community and state, while the children’s garden is one of the largest in the nation. I began my tour of the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden stooping under the kid-sized entrance to the gardens to step back into my childhood. With the help of the Kid-Sense garden I was soon immersed in those moments of discovery as I felt and smelt the unique plants. At the Great Lakes Garden I resisted the urge to race sailboats with a young brother and sister through the long, winding waterways.
I whispered a secret into the yellow and purple talking tubes in the Butterfly Maze, and watched as children followed my lead. In the Sculpture Walk I talked to a dragon, while I helped some kids build him a sand sculpture castle to fly into at the Rock Quarry. I also stopped to admire the giant prehistoric beaver that lived in Michigan—it was made out of moss. The afternoon disappeared quickly with all there was to do. Of course there was lots to see in the grown-up part of the park too! I enjoyed wandering through the 15,000 square foot tropical conservatory where 5000 imported butterflies flutter for nine weeks between March 1st and April 30th in this annual event. Always a lover of the desert I found that part of the exhibit almost as exciting as the carnivorous plant garden.
As evening neared, I discovered it was my lucky day since the Keller Cooler Music Series had an event scheduled in the Park Amphitheater. Featuring some of the World’s greatest duets, the Romance at the Gardens program provided the perfect closure for my grand day in Grand Rapids. Indeed, I highly recommend a visit to Grand Rapids to enjoy the legacy of a century and a half of its entrepreneurs! Photo credits to Linda Aksomitis Contact information for the city of Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids Convention & Visitors
Bureau Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture
Park Heritage Hill State Historical Park -- http://www.heritagehillgb.org/ Voigt House Victorian Museum -- http://www.grmuseum.org/voigt/index.shtml Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum – Grand Rapids -- http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/ Public Museum of Grand Rapids – Grand Rapids – http://www.grmuseum.org/ |
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Historic districts are one of my
favorite destinations when I travel—I just love wandering through streets
that take me back in time to another era and bygone centuries. I never
expected that Grand Rapids, Michigan, would have one of largest and most
astonishing historic neighborhoods in the country: Heritage Hill. 
The Meyer May house is one of the
most well-known of these homes, since it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
I found it hard to believe this fascinating piece of architecture was nearly
a century old, instead of a new design. Built to suit its prairie setting,
it does indeed take on unique shapes and includes things from hand-painted
wall murals and leaded glass windows, to brass fittings and central vac in
the main hallway. The house has been completely restored to the original
plans, even to carpets created from the designer’s samples. 
Like the kids, I soon picked out my
favorite spots: the Treehouse Village and the Labyrinth. Lots of hands on
activities, from feeling the aspen tree bark to using pulleys to lift a
pail, had kids squealing with laughter. The Labyrinth, with its unique gate
design, changes from week to week, so it’s always exciting for young
visitors. 
I also boarded the trolley for the
tour of the 30-acre outdoor sculpture park with its 25 permanent sculptures
from such artists as Rodin, Henry Moore and Claes Oldenburg. The 24-foot
American horse (which pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci’s horse), by Nina
Akamu, was certainly my favorite in that area!