Collin Hunt: REO Speedwagon
The band REO Speedwagon is one of my favorite bands, and I’ve always known it was named after a car. So when I saw an old car with an REO nameplate on it in the Public Museum archives, well, naturally...
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Tommy Allen: Simplex Clock
Give Pause. It has been many years since I was invited to the archives at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. I cannot recall why but I do recall I had the same overwhelming sense of awe at what was in...
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Nancy Goodman: 54 Jefferson – The building
A recent quick walk through the old public museum at 54 Jefferson Street was such an amazing and delightful tease. Housing the museums archives, the back section of the building is becoming an...
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Sarah Nagy: Merchant Marine Uniform
“The Merchant Marine has the largest ratio of casualties of any branch of the services….” stares back at me from the page of a New York Times article dated June 10, 1944. “MERCHANT SEAMEN ARE D-DAY...
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Evan Hunt: Are you the King of Pop?
Are you the King of Pop? Hiya, ladies and gentlemen! King Kernel here with a “pop” quiz for ya. Let’s find out how much ya know about one of my favorite subjects: popcorn! You’ll find the answers at...
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William DeBruyn: Steelcase Metal Office Furniture Co. , Victor Waste Baskets
I love wood – from a walk in the woods under tree canopies – to the furniture and architecture they become. I also love the rhythm of a factory – it hums, it is predictable, constant, and true. At...
View ArticleThank you Grand Rapids Public Museum and Staff!
Our great thanks to the staff at the Public Museum Archive! Thank you Andrea Melvin, Alex Forist, Tim Priest and Jared Yax (left to right, in photo above) for letting us poke about and get under foot,...
View ArticleJanice Propst: Paragon Cutter
In our current world of brutally hard-edged, utilitarian machine design this Paragon Cutter captures one’s aesthetic sense and reminds us of a time when machines were extravagant in appearance. The...
View ArticleTom T. Simmons: A basket
Way in the back of the third room in on the second floor of the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives, sitting on the floor is a huge woven basket with a dimpled floor. I don’t know what is would have...
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Wall Wasilewski: Detroit Jewel
The Detroit Jewel captures an automotive guy’s heart Born and raised in Detroit in a very automotive-focused family, Wally is a tinkerer of mechanical things and a dabbler in cooking. Having just...
View ArticleTommy Fitzgerald: Roder stove and oven
Old Fashioned Pot Roast 1 5lb Chuck 1 Large Red onion, wedged into 8s 2 Cups chopped (into 1 inch pieces) celery 1lb baby carrots 6 turnips peeled left whole 6 parsnips, peeled left whole 6 beets...
View ArticlePamela Patton: 1960′s Tablet Desk
1960’s Tablet Desk Accession Number: 2009.2.5 Manufacturer: Irwin Seating I was thrilled and honored when Gayle DeBruyn asked me to write an Artifact blog. I wandered the rows of archives, seeking an...
View ArticleRickey Ainsworth: Lumen Martin Winter’s Fra Mauro
During my time as an eight-year-old supernerd, I never felt more in my element than during my frequent visits to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. The local astronomy club held meetings there, and on...
View ArticleMayor George Heartwell: Birch Bark Canoe
Come back with me. Way back. European settlers had discovered the New World but had only begun to push into its interior, through the Great Lakes, up the mighty rivers. There were a few trading posts...
View ArticleBill Hill: Rudell Pharmacy objects
Items from Rudell Drugstore, in the Grand Rapids Public Museum Archives You know how it is. Sometimes it’s a slant of light in a dusty barn, sometimes it’s the first notes of a song, sometimes a curl...
View ArticleAmy and Steve Ruis: Table
Artifact: Table 82.1.3. Author: Amy and Steve Ruis Remember setting the table as a child? A chore, right? Most of the time I didn’t think so. Odd, right? As a child my family ate together around our...
View ArticleAndrea Melvin: Blue Wedding Dress / Bridesmaid Dress
Artifact: Blue Wedding dress / bridesmaid dress Accession Numbers: Blue wedding dress – to follow tomorrow Bridesmaid Dress, c.1957 #147100 Author: Andrea Melvin Here Comes the Wedding Gown Blue,...
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Eric Kuhn: 1913 Indian Motorcycle
Motorcycles terrify me. Well, not motorcycles themselves, but its the idea of riding one out on the open road, surrounded by people in cars that do not pay attention, that terrifies me. I have ridden...
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New Images Search
Many new images are being added daily to the online database. These are searchable and available to everyone, just enter a search query below to try it out! Keywords are still of a limited vocabulary...
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Grand Rapids Magazine article
The latest issue issue of Grand Rapids magazine has an article about the project . Find them on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/grmag Books can be purchased at LaFontsee Galleries, The Grand Rapids...
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