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George E. Fitch photographs collection

 Collection
Identifier: Collection 018

Description

The image numbers are summarized in the Folder Summaries section.

Following this are 3 separate indexes: 1)a numerical list for each item, with a brief description 2)an alphabetical list by subjects or key terms 3)a separate chronological index [not all date known]

Full item level descriptions are not available at this time. This means that that actual visual contents of many items initially described as “Grand Rapids views,” is not given.

Scope and Contents

The collection documents Grand Rapids scenes from the late 1850s into the 1920s. The images include street scenes, panoramas, buildings, logging activities, the fire of 1873 and the log jam of 1883. Included are original photos of Fitch family members.

Some numbers are missing from the numerical list of photos below. This means that the item (image unknown) was either never given to the library, or has disappeared over the years. This finding aid inventory is believed to be accurate as of the 1986 archival processing of the collection. No list of images is known to have been provided by Fitch.

See the alphabetical and chronological indexes at the end of this finding aid.

Dates

  • 1857-1925

Biographical / Historical

George Everett Fitch (1868-1941), photographer of Grand Rapids, Michigan scenes, was the son of George Clay Fitch, local wagon maker, and Cadette Everett, daughter of Franklin Everett. Fitch graduated from local schools and from the University of Michigan in 1892. A real estate dealer, Fitch was also an avid amateur historian.

Fitch was a charter member of the Grand Rapids Camera Club and an avid canoeist. He used his photographic talents to duplicate historic views of Grand Rapids located in the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Grand Rapids Public Museum and other private sources. In 1925 he published Old Grand Rapids with includes many of these images. A copy of this book has been added to this collection (Dec. 2003).

Extent

4.46 Linear Feet (Seven boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The George E. Fitch Photographs Collection contains images of the Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan area. The images are mostly copy photos collected by George Everett Fitch, a local historian and amateur photographer. A few original family photos are also included. The images depict Grand Rapids scenes from the 1850s into the 1920s. Though most are second generation images, they are believed to be closest to first generation that are extant in some cases. George Everett Fitch (1868-1941) was the son of George Clay Fitch, local wagon maker, and Cadette Everett, daughter of Franklin Everett. See also the separate Cadette Everett Fitch Collection.

Arrangement

Fitch numbered his images and that numbering scheme has been retained. Some numbers are missing, other numbers have been used multiple times, with an alphabetical extension, e.g. #166a. This alternative number may indicate a variant image or a different image. The reason for this alternative numbering is not known.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession Number: 00.000 i.e. date given unknown; Donor: George E. Fitch

Related Materials

Coll. 40 Cadette Everett Fitch Collection

Coll. 263-14 has: In Commemoration of the Spirit of the Pioneer / by Katharine Aldrich Blake. Pictures by George E. Fitch. Note that the images are missing from this typescript, but items from this collection may, in fact, have been used.

Chronological Index Referencing the Image Number

1850: 085

1852: 211

1855: 001, 259

1857: 053

1858: 246, 247

1859: 054

1860: 048, 119, 195, 197

1861: 150, 233

1862: 227

1864: 294

1865: 007, 028, 029, 030, 038, 049, 050, 051, 052, 060, 061, 072, 073, 091, 121, 160, 169, 174, 196, 221, 223, 227, 231, 276, 287, 288, 293, 296

1866: 113

1868: 216

1870: 009, 056, 058, 078, 092, 103, 109. 128, 165, 173, 176, 177, 178, 183, 193, 198, 199, 200, 204, 217, 222, 241, 248, 289, 292

1871: 189, 261

1872: 046, 159, 180

1873: 002, 084, 087, 106, 110, 111, 118, 155, 285, 286, 297

1875: 024, 034, 035, 057, 059, 068, 080, 108, 124, 166a, 194, 230, 242, 244, 249, 279

1876: 149, 170, 219

1879: 026

1880: 031, 038, 038a, 071, 122a-c, 166, 191, 229, 290

1881: 185

1882: 008, 132, 258

1883: 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 109, 020, 205, 206, 207, 208, 282, 283, 284

1885: 069, 179

1886: 036

1888: 070

1890: 022, 025, 045, 047, 099, 157, 240, 280. 281

1895: 141

1898: 152

1900: 218

1903: 140

1910: 147

1912: 277

1920: 137

1925: 101, 102

Alphabetical Index Referencing the Image Number

Ball Bank - 073

Ball house - 133, 227, 229

Bank notes - 272

Banks - 073, 179

Bay View Assembly Hall - 140

Bay View Pier - 158a

Berkey & Gay Power Cable Building - 262

Breweries - 012, 181

Bridges - 009, 020, 065, 067, 175, 207, 232

Bronson House (hotel) - 188



Cable Cars - 045

Cable building - 262

Campau Square Views - 152, 159, 178, 180, 218, 219, 249

Campau farm - 273

Campau house - 271

Central High School - 035, 224, 225

Churches - 002, 006, 011, 024, 029, 031, 032, 033, 062, 068, 077, 089, 093, 127, 136, 166, 168, 172, 204, 211, 226, 241, 286

Churches. Interiors - 171

City Hall - 260

Collins Hall - 064

Commerce Building - 260

Comstocks Row - 066, 209, 284

Covered Bridges - 020, 065, 067, 175, 207, 232

Crescent Park - 288

Curved Dam - 113



Division Avenue Methodist-Episcopal Church - 006, 068, 077

Division Street View - 105

Dutch Reformed Church - 011



Eagle Hotel - 200

Factories - 132

Fire Bell Tower - 008

Fire Department - 038, 156, 197

Fire, 1873 - 084, 085, 087, 106, 110, 111, 118, 155

Fisk Lake View - 157

Flat Iron Building - 050, 114

Fosters Hardware - 072

Fountain Street Baptist Church - 002, 077

Fountains - 288

Fulton Street Park - 062, 093, 127, 160, 276

Furniture Temple - 260



Grab Corners View - 220

Grand Rapids Gas Company - 022

Grand Rapids Public Library. Interior - 137

Grand Rapids Views - 001, 004, 005, 006, 009, 022, 032, 044, 065, 067, 068, 075, 076, 077, 078, 080, 084, 085, 086, 087, 089, 091, 095, 103, 110, 111, 112, 118, 119, 122a, 122b, 122c, 128, 139, 146, 160, 166, 166a, 173, 174, 183, 184, 203, 221, 234, 276, 277, 285, 286, 290, 297

Grand River Bank note - 272

Grand River View. Filling East Channel - 036, 037, 216

Grand River View. Island #1 - 142

Grand River View. Islands - 002, 009, 077, 150

Grand River View. Log Jam, 1883 - 014, 015, 016, 017, 018, 019, 020, 205, 206, 207, 208, 282, 283

Grand River Views - 002, 013, 066, 079, 083, 120, 145, 176, 232, 233, 252, 253, 262, 263, 264, 265, 298

Grand Trunk Railroad Station - 174

Grocers - 100, 149, 242

Guild Autograph - 255



Haldane house - 008, 069, 069, 070

Hall Street Fairgrounds - 021

Harbor entrance - 130

Harbors - 214

Hardware Stores - 072

Hartmans Hall - 141

Henry house - 059

Horton & Stewarts Grocery - 100, 148

Hotels - 046, 092, 096, 108, 182, 188, 200, 220, 292, 295

Houses - 007, 010, 038a, 039, 055, 059, 060, 061, 069, 070, 071, 097, 107, 116, 161, 169, 187, 223, 227, 229, 238, 271, 287, 288, 315

Indian Mounds - 251

Ionia Avenue School - 065



Jails - 036, 037, 216

Joslyn house - 055, 238



Kendall House - 223

Kent County Courthouse - 025, 117, 183, 261

Kent County Jail - 036, 037, 216

Kent Street Company 2 - 038

Kusterer Brewery - 012, 181



LaFramboise cabin - 098

Lake of the Wilderness - 125

Leavitt house - 003, 075

Lee Livery - 240

Leonard Street Bridge - 020, 065, 067, 207

Lime Kiln - 113

Lincoln Election Banner - 294

Liveries - 105, 162, 240

Log Cabins - 098, 313

Log booms - 018

Logging - 013, 014, 015, 016, 017, 019, 020, 044, 065, 066, 067, 083, 113, 145, 151, 173, 176, 192, 207, 208, 232, 234, 262, 263, 264, 265, 282, 283

Lovett Building - 199

Luce Building - 048, 049, 054, 194

Lyon Street Views - 183, 260, 261

Lyon house - 060



Map. Grand Rapids - 027, 158

Map. Village of Kent - 143, 144

Maris House - 315

Market Street Views - 053, 109, 296

Martin house - 259

Michigan Avenue View - 034

Monroe Avenue Views - 040, 048, 049, 050, 054, 114, 124, 147, 165, 170, 177, 188, 193, 246, 247, 248, 289, 294

Morton house - 007, 133, 169



National Hotel - 092, 182, 292

Norris Building - 260



Owashtanong Club - 186, 280, 281

Old Channel Bridge - 212

Old Skating Rink - 167

Old Stone High School - 121, 195, 196

Opera Houses - 062

Ottawa Avenue Views - 101

Ottawa House (hotel) - 096

Ottawa Street Views - 051, 052



Parade of the "Horribles" - 189, 261

Park Congregational Church - 062, 093, 127, 241, 286

Parks - 062, 093, 127, 160, 276

Pearl & Division View - 024

Pearl Street Bridge - 009, 175, 231, 232

Pearl Street Views - 026, 215, 217, 230



People. Ball, Daniel - 228

People. Ball, John - 245

People. Campau, Antoine - 274

People. Campau, Louis, Sophie - 270

People. Fitch family - 312

People. Fitch, Cadette E. - 304, 307, 308, 309, 310, 311

People. Fitch, George Clay - 305, 306

People. Fitch, George E. - 299, 300, 301, 302, 303

People. Fitch, Louise Martha - 314

People. Guild daughters - 257

People. Guild, Joel - 256

People. Hatch, Ira – 074



Perkins house - 102

Phoenix Furniture Company - 132

Pierce Bookstore - 187

Pierce house - 010, 107

Pike house - 097

Platt house - 038a, 039

Police headquarters - 242

Porter house - 061

Pratt house - 161

Primary School #2 - 275

Pumping Station - 066, 190



Railroad Stations - 056, 057, 058, 174

Ransom Street View - 222

Rathbun House (hotel) - 108, 295

Reeds Lake - 279

Reeds Lake Pavilion - 088, 129a, 244

Reeds Lake. Millers Landing - 185, 278

Reeds Lake Street Railway Co. train - 163

Rice & Moore Grocery - 242

Roman Catholic Church - 211

Roman Catholic Church (built by Campau) - 204, 241

Rood Building - 124

Rusche's Meat Market - 038a



Saengerfest Hall - 258

Scene. Unidentified - 134, 213

Schmitts Blacksmith Shop - 104, 162

Schools - 003, 035, 065, 121, 195, 196, 224, 225, 275

Shanty Town - 056, 058

Sheppard house - 071

Spanish American War rally - 152

Squiers Opera House – 063



St. Marks Church - 028, 031, 033, 136, 168

St. Marks Church. Chancel - 030

St. Marks Church. Organ - 029

Stage Coaches - 293

Steamboat channel - 090

Steamboat. "Carrie J" - 090

Steamboat. "Daniel Ball" - 082, 253

Steamboat. "L. Jenison" - 253

Steamboat. "William Barrett" - 191, 254

Steamboat. Racing - 253

Street Cars - 046, 047, 164

Street Railway - 164, 243

Stump fences - 126

Summit & Waterloo View - 081

Swedenborgian Church - 172

Swedenborgian Church. Interior - 171

Sweets Hotel - 046, 220



Tanneries - 210

Taquamenon Falls - 135

Taylors Tannery - 210

Trail marker - 250

Trains - 163, 243



Union Feed Mill - 099

Union Station - 056, 057, 058

United States Centennial Celebration - 100, 149, 170, 219

Universalist Church - 226



Valley City Woolen Mill - 291

Veterans Memorial Park - 062, 093, 127



Waters house - 116

Williams house - 287

Witheys Mill - 151, 192

Wolverine Company #3 - 156, 197

Source

Title
Finding aid for the Fitch photo collection
Status
Completed
Date
1986
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