Thank you for posting these interesting photos that I have not seen before. It may have been just an over look typo, but you said REOtown in your description, which is a recent place name for the S. Washington Ave neighborhood. I may be wrong but we never called a neighborhood by a name except for maybe Colonial Village. It was mainly directional references like North Lansing, or the local school or church or park that we called a neighborhood. For instance we never called our neighborhood Oldsdale, or Sagamore if anything it was Quentin Park. Not picking just a note of interest!
It is kind of sad we do not really have a history museum for Lansing, we are a town of such great import to the state and the world really. We could have a very interesting story to present.
Strange you would say that about museums. I drove to Lansing last Saturday to get some photos.
After which, we headed to 831 N Washington to the Lansing Historical society to see the displays. The signs said we were in the right place. It was locked up tight with no cars in the lot, on a Saturday at 2:00 pm while a festival was going on downtown....nothing. It is the Creyts house and was nice to walk around and admire. Ended up at the REO museum, but couldn't believe the local history society wasn't open.
I don't know where to even start to bring all the scattered remains of Lansing's history together, Lansing didn't really care about its past until most was lost.
According to the website: http://lansinghistory.blogspot.com/ That is where they are located, the page shows there should be rotating displays and special events.
I have e-mailed them with no response, I met with one of the trustees and never heard back from them. Not really sure if it has gone under or they just cannot staff the building.
By the link posted above, it looks like there is a Historical Society of Greater Lansing. They also have a facebook page under the same name. The organization seens current and updated. Apparently they have walking tours in different neighborhoods during the summer. Maybe with a little more support that can do more things or maintain a facility with exhibits. I don't know about their current location, but it would be nice to have them in a more visible location downtown or on Michigan Ave.
Also, they have a twitter account https://twitter.com/LansingHistory with pictures and the hashtag #LansingHistory on twitter has good relevant content too.
Very Interesting. I never knew there was a Y there. This is the first photo I have seen of this old one. City Hall was so cool and massive. I have wondered if the used all that stone for another propose.
There was a YWCA somewhere downtown as well. I had LCC P.E. courses there before they opened the Gannon Building. It was a nice old building with a very nice ball room where they held many events. It was on the west side of downtown near the Post Office, I think. It was there until the 70's anyway.
Yes it must have been right where the ramp is now. I went to my first catered event there as the safety patrol member from Barnes Ave. The principal came and got me out of class, I was freaking out until he told me that I was going to this banquet, and I would be getting a safety award for the school. I was impressed with what I thought was a fancy ball room, and the catered lunch, with really good chocolate pudding for dessert. That was in 1966
The article says that the building was built for $2.5 million. Converting that to 2017 dollars using the CPI calculator brings it to about $21 million which is about what I would expect for the same building today. I was surprised at how much inflation has adjusted prices since 1960!
This may be old news (pun intended) for some of you, but it's new to me and incredibly interesting. I'm slowly reading through it today and pouring over the maps and suggestions.
Comments
It is kind of sad we do not really have a history museum for Lansing, we are a town of such great import to the state and the world really. We could have a very interesting story to present.
After which, we headed to 831 N Washington to the Lansing Historical society to see the displays. The signs said we were in the right place. It was locked up tight with no cars in the lot, on a Saturday at 2:00 pm while a festival was going on downtown....nothing. It is the Creyts house and was nice to walk around and admire. Ended up at the REO museum, but couldn't believe the local history society wasn't open.
I don't know where to even start to bring all the scattered remains of Lansing's history together, Lansing didn't really care about its past until most was lost.
I have e-mailed them with no response, I met with one of the trustees and never heard back from them. Not really sure if it has gone under or they just cannot staff the building.
Also, they have a twitter account https://twitter.com/LansingHistory with pictures and the hashtag #LansingHistory on twitter has good relevant content too.
There was a YWCA somewhere downtown as well. I had LCC P.E. courses there before they opened the Gannon Building. It was a nice old building with a very nice ball room where they held many events. It was on the west side of downtown near the Post Office, I think. It was there until the 70's anyway.
The article says that the building was built for $2.5 million. Converting that to 2017 dollars using the CPI calculator brings it to about $21 million which is about what I would expect for the same building today. I was surprised at how much inflation has adjusted prices since 1960!
This may be old news (pun intended) for some of you, but it's new to me and incredibly interesting. I'm slowly reading through it today and pouring over the maps and suggestions.
The Lansing plan ; a comprehensive city plan report for Lansing, Michigan / by Harland Bartholomew.