I found an aerial showing the area near Ottawa. I could maybe see it being the building at the end of Ottawa in the first image, with the smokestack behind it.
That was helpful....it is the building behind the old LSJ building. Not positive what it originally was used for. Found another view which is almost the exact angle that "Hood" posted.
The fire map was found while searching online. I think it came from a Tumblr or Flicker page that had Michigan history as a theme. This one came from there also.... It is very hard to read, but helps with the changes to the streets due to "progress". I have a large amount of negatives that I think are from the River, Grand, and Kalamazoo Street area and with some heading south to where I-496 is now located.
I took another look at the drawing on google and I missed the second story arched windows. There it sits right behind the LSJ, maybe it was part of the power plant.
I would like to see photos of the neighborhoods where 496 is now. Thank you for posting these interesting photos.
Finally can positively identify the building above, more scans and I realized this is the building from the edge of the river looking north. REO town and the sign for "The Speedwagon" are visible on the right. It is the old steam heat plant where Ottawa Station sits now.
Nice content. I think that current regional and downtown development efforts are great but they don't incorporate the history of Lansing and the region in creating a sense of place. Exposing the history and background of a place and its people is as important as any other element in attracting amd retaining more residents. In EL one rarely hears about the history of Lansing. Is there even a museum dedicated to local history. I would like to see LEAP and local econ dev authorities at least establish some sort of event dedicated to local history. There could be a monthly event in a different area of the city dedicated to talking and showing artifacts about that area's history.
Exactly, the stacks in the second picture could not have been south of the building. If you have the book "Through The Years" Greater Lansing Pictorial History on page 51 they show the buildings in the correct order.
My project phase one is complete, please look up at East Arbor Architecture in East Lansing on Facebook.
They will be showing 13 of the images I had high resolution scans made into metal plate photos. They take you from where we have been discussing on Ottawa and Grand down to the 500 block south Grand Ave. They include what have to have been the best and last photos of The Hotel Kerns taken 5 months before the fire. There are many more to be done and they will be shown in Lansing as I can afford to do more for a bigger venue.
It is a very small gallery and I had a very small budget.....but, I'm getting them out there for people to see.
@gomsu It'd really be nice to see a local history museum someday. One option might be to have CADL incorporate a small local history museum into a new downtown library if they go for their millage again. If not that then perhaps something run by a non profit in a house or small building.
Anyone know if there's ever been any serious talk of a local history museum? How would something like that even get started? I ask because maybe we could be part of a push for a local history museum, it's sure to be a long process and if we want to see it happen someone has to get the ball rolling.
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I would like to see photos of the neighborhoods where 496 is now. Thank you for posting these interesting photos.
My project phase one is complete, please look up at East Arbor Architecture in East Lansing on Facebook.
They will be showing 13 of the images I had high resolution scans made into metal plate photos. They take you from where we have been discussing on Ottawa and Grand down to the 500 block south Grand Ave. They include what have to have been the best and last photos of The Hotel Kerns taken 5 months before the fire. There are many more to be done and they will be shown in Lansing as I can afford to do more for a bigger venue.
It is a very small gallery and I had a very small budget.....but, I'm getting them out there for people to see.
Anyone know if there's ever been any serious talk of a local history museum? How would something like that even get started? I ask because maybe we could be part of a push for a local history museum, it's sure to be a long process and if we want to see it happen someone has to get the ball rolling.