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Mary Emily Schroeder papers on the history of Garfield Park neighborhood

 Collection
Identifier: Collection 147

Abstract

Mary E. Schroeder (1912-1987) was a neighborhood activist and environmentalist in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her papers contain drafts of a manuscript for a historical novel “Journal & Journey of a Neighborhood,” detailing the history of Garfield Park Neighborhood, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One chapter of this was self-published as "The Charles W. Garfield Story." A few family photographs and miscellaneous Grand Rapids ephemera also accompany the collection, including pages of Wurzburg Department Store's 75th Anniversary calendar, with reproductions of watercolor illustration showing historic Grand Rapids scenes, by Miriam Suleeba.

Dates

  • 1947-1979

Creator

Biographical / Historical

The daughter of Albert Schroeder and Emily Scheimann, Mary Emily Schroeder (9/12/1912 - 4/5/1987) moved to Grand Rapids in 1916 from nearby Paris Township (now City of Kentwood). A graduate of South High School, Schroeder spent her first 40 years seeing to the needs of her ailing mother. Because of the time spent in the house, Schroeder attempted, unsuccessfully, to become a poet and author. Her life's work was an historical novel, "Journal and Journey of a Neighborhood," based on the history of the Garfield Park Neighborhood. One chapter of this was self-published as "The Charles W. Garfield Story."

Extent

0.71 Linear Feet (Two boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Estate of Emily Schroeder; accession numbers 1987.034, 2007.106 and unknown.

Related Materials

Coll. 263-1 has biographical information on Charles Garfield, including a copy of Schroeder's completed booklet "The Charles W. Garfield Story"

Coll. 252, Grand Rapids Neighborhood Associations / Grand Rapids Neighborhood Business Associations Collection is currently being created (2/2006) to collect together information from the various areas, including the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association materials.

Collection 394, the Charles Garfield papers

See also the Vertical File for clippings on Garfield Park, and biographical information on Charles Garfield.

Title
Finding Aid for the Mary Emily Schroeder papers on the history of Garfield Park neighborhood
Status
Completed
Author
Richard H. Harms
Date
September 1992
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository

Contact:
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497