George E. Fitch photographs collection
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.
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
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
- Fitch, George E. (Collector, Person)
- 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
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497
localhis@grpl.org