Chapter I – Pre-Historic Grand Rapids Page 9-35
The Sub-Carboniferous Limestone Exposure at Grand Rapids -

Chapter II – Early Indian Days in the Grand River Valley Pages 36-69

Chapter III – Early Land Entries, First Settlers, Pages 70-144
and Early Descriptions
Joel Guild’s Letter – The Rochester of Michigan – John Ball’s
Narrative – Ten Years Afterward – Welcome To Michigan (poem)

Chapter IV – The Village of Grand Rapids Pages 145-196
Village Legislation – Small sketches of early pioneers (pg. 162-196)

Chapter V – Medicine and Surgery Pages 197-242
Physicians, Dentist, Hospitals
Grand Rapids Sanitary Assn – U. B. A. Home and Hospital -
Staff - Butterworth Hospital – Sketches of doctors (pg.202-242)

Chapter VI – Municipal Development Pages 243-300
Town Proceedings – List of Town Officers, 1834-1850 -
Walker Township – G. R. Lyceum – Young Men’s Assn -
Celebration of the Fourth – Fourth of July, 1844 – Michigan -
Incorporation, 1850 – List of Officers 1850-1906 – Assessors -
Collectors – Street Commissioners – Highway Commissioners.
Appointive – Justices of the Peace and Years When Chosen -
Constables – Old Settlers’ Society – Reorganization and Change
of Name – Membership Roll, 1858-1904

Chapter VII – Charter Legislation Pages 301-317
The Village – The City – First Recorded City Election -
Number of Votes Cast – The First Revision – Other Revisons
and Amendments – The School Board – Board of Public Works

Chapter VIII – The Schools of Grand Rapids Pages 318-411
Grand Rapids Union School – Board of Education – Central
School Building – Union School – Coldbrook School – Primary No. 1 -
Primary No. 2 – Primary No. 3 – Primary No. 4 – Primary No. 5 -
Primary No. 6 – Primary No. 7 – Primary No. 8 – The Central
High School – Central Grammar School – Union School – Alexander
Avenue School – Baxter St. School House – Buchanan St. School -
Central Avenue School – Coit Avenue School – Congress St. School -
Diamond St. School – East Bridge St. School – East Leonard School -
Fountain St. School – Hall St. School – Henry St. School – Jefferson
Avenue School – Jefferson St. School – Lake School – Madison Avenue
School – North Division St. School – North Ionia St. School – Oakdale
School – Palmer Avenue School – Pine St. School – Plainfield Avenue
School – Second Avenue School – Seventh St. School – Sibley St. School -
South Division St. School – South Ionia St. School – Straight St. School -
Turner St. School – Walker School – Wealthy Avenue School – West
Leonard St. School – Widdicomb St. School – Board of Education
Members, 1872-1905 – Presidents – Expenditures – Graduates and
Post-Graduates and Normal School Graduates, 1862-1905 – Training
School – Night Schools – Eugene A. Carpenter – Free Lectures to the
People – Widdicomb St. School – School Supply Department – Exposition
Exhibits – New Orleans Exhibit – Academic, Private and Public Schools -
Grand Rapids Academy – Franklin Everett, A. M. – Other Early Select

Schools – Conrad G. Swensberg – Rev. Isaac P. Powell – Kindergarten
Association – St. Andrew’s Academy

Chapter IX – Banks and Banking Pages 412-456
Grand River Bank, 1838 – Bank of Niles, 1838 – Erie and
Kalamazoo Railroad Bank, 1838 – Grand River Bank -
Village and Private Scrip – "Wildcat" Banking – Private Banking
and Exchange – The Old National Bank – List of Bankers (pg 423-456)
The National City Bank – Kent County Savings Bank – The Grand
Rapids National Bank – The Farmers and Mechanics Bank – The
Grand Rapids Savings Bank – The Fifth National Bank – The
Commercial Savings Bank – The State Bank of Michigan – The
Michigan Trust Company – Grand Rapids Clearing House

Chapter X – Pomology Pages 457-474
First Growers Assn – The Big Year – The Garfield Paper -
Early Nurseries – Horticultural Society – Esquire C. Phillips

Chapter XI – Streets and Bridges Pages 475-495
Early Wagon Roads – First Village Roads – Laying Out
Streets – Their First Condition – Further Plattings – Grading,
Cutting and Filling – Number and Length of Streets – Mileage
of Streets – Street Numbering – Pavements – Street Sidewalks -
Derivation of Street Names – Bridges Across Grand River -
Bridge St. Bridge – Leonard St. Bridge – Pearl St. Bridge -
Fulton St. Bridge – Sixth St. Bridge – Wealthy Avenue Bridge -
The Railroad Bridges

Chapter XII – City Water Works Pages 496-514
Grand Rapids Hydraulic Company -The Foreclosure - The
City Water Works – Work Done in 1874 – Improvements – Cost -
Report of Experts – Break in the Reservoir – Water Works
Extension – Artesian Wells – Sewerage -

Chapter XIII – Grand Rapids Fire Department Pages 515-563
Fire! Fire! – Board of Police and Fire Commissioners -
Members of the Fire Department – 1872-1905 – Henry W. Lemoin

Chapter XIV – Saw and Flouring Mills Pages 564-575
Early Saw Mills – Later and Steam Saw Mills – Pine Lumber -
Charles Fox – Log Running and Booming – Flouring Mills -
Lumbermen (pg 566-) – Voigt Milling Company

Chapter XV – Parks and Cemeteries Pages 576-598
Parks – 576-590
Fulton St. Park – John Ball Park – Comstock Park – Crescent
Park – Antoine Campau Park – Lincoln Park – Highland Park -
State Street Park – Foster Park – De Commer Park – Monument
Park – Grand River Drive
Cemeteries – 591-596
Earlier Burial Places – Fulton St. Cemetery – Catholic Cemeteries -
Oak Hills – The Valley City Cemetery – Greenwood Cemetery

Chapter XVI – Commerce and Trade Pages 599-605
Dealers and Brokers – Henry Grinnell – W. Fred McBain

Chapter XVII – Improvements and Progress Pages 606-610
A Grand Rapids View of Long Ago – Transition – Beginning
of Improvement – East Side Water Power – West Side Water
Power – Changes at Pearl Street

Chapter XVIII – Grand Rapids Road Pages 611-616

Early Wagon Roads – The Days of Stages – The StageIncidents –
Kalamazoo Plank Road

Chapter XIX – Railways Pages 617-630
First Railroad meeting-Penney’s Prophecy – First Railway -
The Grand Trunk – The Lake Shore Road – G.R. & I – Grand
River Valley RR – Chicago & West Michigan – G.R., L.& D.,
Pere Marquette – Saginaw Railroad – Muskegon Electric Road
Holland Electric Road – Projected Roads

Chapter XX – Street Railways Pages 631-635
First Road – Valley City Street and Cable Co. – North Park
Road – Reeds Lake Road – South Grand Rapids Road – Street
Railway Lines of 1906

Chapter XXI – Telegraph and Telephone Service Pages 636-639
First Telegraph – First Month’s Business – Postal Telegraph –
G.R. & I Telegraph – Western Union – The Telephone – First
Exchange – Citizens’ Telephone – Universal Use of Telephone

Chapter XXII – Secret Societies and Clubs Pages 640-662
Masonic Bodies – Odd Fellows – Knights of Pythias – Maccabees
Woodmen – Elks – Red Men – Hibernians – Knights of Columbus
Royal Arcanum

Peninsula Club – Owashtanony Club – Lakeside Club – Country Club
Canoe Club – Curling Club – Knickerbocker Society – Sons of The
Revolution – Daughters of the American Revolution – The L.L.C.
West Side Ladies Club – Grand Rapids Women’s Club

Chapter XXIII – Wholesale and Retail Trade Pages 663-682
First Wholesalers – Judson Grocery Co. – Lemon & Wheeler
Co. – Musselman Grocery Co. – Wordon Grocery Co. – Hardware
Retail Trade – Mercantile Trade in 1837 – Trade in 1850 –
Origin of Present Business Houses – Herpolsheimer Co.
Spring Dry Goods Co. – Drugs – H. Leonard and Sons

Chapter XXIV – Public Lighting Pages 683-687
G. R. Gas Light Co. – First Officers – First Customer -
Electric Light & Power Co. – Edison Light Company
G.R. Edison Company – Municipal Lighting

Chapter XXV – Military Affairs Pages 688-714
The Toledo War – Mexican War – Early Citizens Soldiery -
Beginning of the Civil War – Service in the Field – Various
Regiments – Other Organizations – Soldiery Since the War –

Reunions – The Spanish War – G. R. Military Companies

Chapter XXVI – Bench and Bar Pages 715-803
Pioneer Days – Poetic Age – Romantic Age – Prosy Age -
First Murder Trial – Leading Admiralty Case – Celebrated
Will Case – Old Time Lawyers – Federal Courts – Circuit
Courts – Court Officers – The Superior Court – Probate Court
Police Court – Justice Courts – Members of the Bar

Chapter XXVII – Board of Trade Pages 804-814
First Board – Organization of Present Board – Its Accomplishments
Leading Members – Business of 1904 – Directors – Committees

Chapter XXVIII – Political History Pages 815-840
French Governors – English Governors – Northwest Territory -
Michigan Territory – State of Michigan – Organization of
Kent County – Campaign of 1840 – Early Political Meetings -
Campaign of 1876 – The Greenback Movement – The Blaine
Campaign – Political Meetings in 1888 – The McKinley Meeting
of 1890 – The Bryan Meeting of 1896 – Campaign of 1900 -
Political Conventions in Grand Rapids – Exciting Municipal
Campaigns – The Ford Belknap Campaign – State Officers from
Grand Rapids – State Senators and Representatives -
National Representatives

Chapter XXIX – Events of City Life Pages 841-885
Transition from Village to City – First Daily Newspaper -
Come of the Railroad – War Times – Street Railroad – New
Railroads – Women’s Temperance Crusade – Centennial
Celebration – Campau Claim – Coming of the Telephone -
Loss of the Alpena – Electric Tower Lights – New Bishop -
Going out of the Logs – Reunion of the Army of the Cumberland -
Regatta at Reed’s Lake – Cable Cars – Blaine Meeting – Famous
Lecturers – Opening of the Court House – Eagle’s Exit -
McKinley Meeting – Furniture Exhibitions Organized – Bryan
Meeting – Water Scandal – Famous Floods – Ryerson Library

Chapter XXX – Navigation Pages 886-898
First Boats – The Canal – State Aid – Congressional
Assistance – Report of 1905 – Ship Yards – List of River Steamers -
G. R. and Lake Michigan Transportation Co. – "The Grand"
and "The Rapids"

Chapter XXXI – The Press of Grand Rapids Pages 899-917
Grand River Times – The Enquirer – The Eagle – The First
Daily – Morning Democrat – Daily Eagle – The Times –
The Leader – Telegram – Telegram-Herald – Herald -
Trade Papers – Defunct Papers

Chapter XXXII – Libraries and Museum Pages 918-944
First Library – The Mercantile Library Assn – School Libraries -
Ladies Library – The Union – The Public Library – Board of
Education Management – The Ryerson Letter – Board of
Library Commissioners – Reports – New Library – Dedication -
Philip Sidney Patton Memorial – K. S. I. – The Museums

Chapter XXXIII – Police Department Pages 945-957
Its Organization – Village Watchman – First Policemen -
Board of Police and Fire Commissioners – Members – Chiefs
of Police – Form of Application – Requirements – The Headquarters -
Bertillon System – Police Beats – The Expenditures – List of Policemen

Chapter XXXIV – Public Buildings Pages 958-1018
The Government Bldg – The Postoffice – Postmasters -
Carriers – R.F.D. Service – Internal Revenue Service – Custom
House – U. S. Courts and Officials – Court House – Dedication -
City Hall – City Officers – Soldiers’ Home – Conditions for
Admission – Woman’s Bldg – Reports – The Jail – Police
Headquarters – Engine Houses

Chapter XXXV – The Water Scandal Pages 1019-1034
Conditions in 1900 – Partisan Politics – The Civic Conscience -
The City Attorney – The Corruption Fund – The Press -
Arrest of Salsbury in Chicago – Grand Jury – Salsbury’s Trial -
The McGarry Trial – Salsbury’s Confessions – The Conspiracies -
Aldermen Arrested – Pleas, Trials and Punishment – End – Results

Chapter XXXVI – Cabinet Making (Furniture Co.) Pages 1035-1083
The Artistic Side – The Material Aids – Early Cabinet Makers -
The Widdicombs – Berkey & Gay – Nelson & Matter – Phoenix
Furniture Co. – Luce Furniture Co. – Oriel Sligh Furniture Co. -
Wm A. Bukey Co. – Stow & Davis – New England – Royal
Furniture Co. – Wood Carving – Michigan Chair Co. – The Imperial -
Gunn Furniture Co. – Welch Folding Bed – Bissell Carpet
Sweepers – State Report of Grand Rapids Furniture

Chapter XXXVII – Manufacturing and Supplies Pages 1084-1106
Sketches of Industries and Institutions – The Last of the
"Dexter Band"

Chapter XXXVIII – Theaters Pages 1107-1113
First Exhibition – Pioneer Public Halls – Modern Halls -
Squiers’ Opera House – Powers" Opera House – Redmon’s
Grand – Smith Opera House – Auditorium – The Majestic

Chapter XXXIX – Hotels Pages 1114-1121
Guild’s Tavern – Eagle Hotel – Bridge St. House – Morton
House – Rathbun House – The Pantlind – Livingston – Cody -
Crathmore – Clarendon – Old Time Taverns – Grand Rapids
Hospitality

Chapter XL – The Churches Pages 1122-1258
Church Sentiment – Adventists – Methodist Churches -
Congregationalists – Presbyterians – Baptists – All Souls -
Christian Science – United Brethren –Liberal Holland – Hebrews -
Swedenborgians – Zion Church – Lutherans – Disciples -
Episcopalians – Reformed Churches – Theological School -
Independent Reformed Churches – Catholics – St. Mary’s School -
Sacred Heart Academy – Salvation Army – Volunteers of America

Chapter XLI – Benevolent Societies Pages 1259-1312a
U. B. A. (United Benevolent Assn), Training School For Nurses -
List of Graduates – Officers of the Association – Butterworth
Hospital – Officers of the Associations – Graduate Nurses -
Charity Organization Society – Y. M. C. A. – Holland Benevolent
Association – Children’s Home – St. John’s Orphan Asylum -
Little Sisters of the Poor – Home of the Good Shepherd – Woman’s
Home and Hospital – Masonic Home – Rescue Mission – Bible
Society – Bissell House