Guy Johnston photo collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of 106 images which, from the numbering given on the items themselves, appear to be only a small portion of some 600+ items that may have been originally created. If this presumption is correct, and these numbers are from Johnston, then perhaps the Library or an unknown donor only selected certain items of Johnston’s total works. The existence of other sets of Johnston photos is unknown.
However, another explanation is that the photo numbers were assigned by the Library and for some reason the numbering sequence was interrupted after #95, with only irregular numbers available from 575-645.
The photo numbers listed in the box/folder summary are those items that existed at the time of the 1988 processing. If the other items for the missing numbers actually ever existed at the Library in the past, they seem to have disappeared over the years.
Duplications of the images in the first two folders were made at some point in the past, and patrons are encouraged to use those duplicates first, to protect the earlier photos.
The images of Grand Rapids that are depicted in the collection can be divided into the following time periods:
pre-1860s, 1880s, 1890s, 1904 and circa 1926, with reference to earlier views.
Some of the most widely duplicated views of the 1904 flood are in this collection. The photos also provide a series of panoramic views of the city from several vantage points. It appears that many of the other photo collections, such as Hooper, Fitch, and Anderson copied some of their historic Grand Rapids views from Johnston, or from the same source as Johnston. However, some of the more distinct early views of the city are in the Johnston collection, suggesting that Johnson’s images may be a generation or more closer to the original and/or that the quality of his photography was superior.
Dates
- 1855-1904, 1926
Biographical / Historical
Guy Johnston was a life-long resident of Grand Rapids (b. 12/31/1875 - d. 11/26/1947). Johnston graduated from Central High School and spent most of his working life (1884-1934) helping his family manage the Eagle Hotel on Market Street. He appears to have been an amateur photographer, acquainted which such other Grand Rapids photographers as James Hooper and George Fitch.
Extent
0.63 Linear Feet (Three boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection consists of 106 photographs made by Guy Johnston (1875-1947), a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids (Mich.). Johnston was an amateur photographer. Most or all of this work is believed to be copies of photographs or drawings originally created by others, though no documentation exists in many cases to verify the original source or photographer.
The images depict Grand Rapids from the 1850s through the 1890s, as well as the flood of 1904 and a few photographs from 1926. Included are images of houses, churches and businesses. The collection is strong in panoramic views of the city in a number of directions from several locations. Included are photographs of original sketches by Miss Mary Cumings, circa 1850s, which provide some of the earliest views of Grand Rapids.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unknown, accession number 00.000
Series IV: Image Index
Ball House: 067
Blacks: 047, 053
Bridge Street Covered Bridge: 050
Bridge Street View: 004, 090, 582, 583, 589
Bridges: 011, 050, 057, 622
Broadway Street View: 584, 619, 634, 645
Calkins Law Office: 033
Campau Square View: 079, 080, 081, 082, 085, 086, 091
Catholic Church: 021, 025
Central High School: 037, 038
Chair Factory: 036
Churches: 013, 014, 015, 016, 024, 025, 027, 028, 093
City Gas Lighting Plant: 078
City Hall: 072, 074
City Light Tower: 086
Comstock's Factory: 012
Comstock's Row: 011, 047, 053
Congregational Church: 021, 025
Crescent Park: 075, 076
Curved Dam: 012
Dam: 012, 052
"Daniel Ball" 061
Derby Hotel: 594
Division Avenue School: 040
Eagle Hotel: 032, 063
Factories: 036, 041
Fire. 1873: 007
Flood. 1904: 575, 592
Flood. 1904. 4th Street: 613
Flood. 1904. Bridge Street: 582, 583, 589
Flood. 1904. Bridge Street Bridge: 591
Flood. 1904. Broadway Street: 584, 619, 634, 645
Flood. 1904. Front Street: 586
Flood. 1904. Fulton Street: 594
Flood. 1904. Gas Plant: 590
Flood. 1904. Leonard Street: 622
Flood. 1904. Turner Street: 577, 578, 612, 632
Fountain Street Baptist Church: 014, 015, 028
Fourth Street View: 613
Front Street View: 586
Fulton Street Park: 015, 021, 594
Grand Rapids Views: 001, 002, 006-009, 011-017, 019-021, 024, 074-076, 078
Grand Rapids Water Pumping Station: 031, 047, 056
Grand River Views: 003, 059
Grand River Views. Dam: 052
Grand River Views. Islands: 014
Grand River Views. Log Jam: 060
Grand River Views. Logging: 011, 012, 047-057
Haldane House: 069
Hotels: 063, 092, 594
Houses: 034, 035, 067, 068, 070, 094
Ionia Street School: 011
Island #2: 078
Kent County Building: 063, 073, 074
Kiln: 012
"L. Jenison": 061
Leavitt House: 018
Leonard Street Covered Bridge: 011, 622
Leonard Street View: 622
Lime Kiln: 012
Lumber Mills: 054
Lyon Street View: 017
Lyon Street View: 063
Market Street View: 063
Methodist Church: 014, 027
Miller's Landing. Reeds Lake: 043;044;045
Monroe Center View: 083, 089
O wash ta nong Club: 068
Section IV. Image Index
Parade of "Horribles": 065
Park Congregational Church: 015, 016
Pearl Street View: 013, 064, 067, 087, 092, 093
Pierce House: 035
Platt House: 094
Railroad Bridge: 057
Railroad Station: 009, 015, 022
Ransom Street View: 020
Rathbun House: 063
Reeds Lake: 058
Reservoir Hill: 005
Rink Building: 023
Rusche's Store: 095
Saengerfest Hall: 066
Schools: 011, 037, 038, 039, 040
Shanty Town: 024
Sheppard House: 070
St. Marks Church: 013
Steamboat Race: 061
Steamboats: 058, 061, 062
Store: 095
Summit Street View: 023
Sweets Hotel: 092
Tannery: 011
Taylor's Tannery: 011
Turner Street View: 577, 578, 612, 632
Union High School: 039
Union Railroad Station: 015, 022
United States Centennial Celebration: 083, 089, 090
United States Centennial Celebration Arch: 088
United States Post Office (1st): 030
Section IV. Image Index
Valley City Woolen Mills: 041
Veterans Park: 015, 021
"Victor": 058
"W. H. Barrett": 062
Williams House: 034
YMCA: 071
- Title
- Finding aid for the Guy Johnston photo collection
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- March 1988
- 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