Abstract This is a devised collection that was created to document the maps and atlases which are not part of another designated archival collection. Included are over a thousand items, focusing on the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan and Kent County areas. Maps for select areas of Michigan and for the entire state are also available. The collection contains a variety of maps, including historical property surveys, plat maps, street maps, city planning maps, railway maps, recreational maps,...

Abstract

This devised collection includes historical published travel literature for Michigan in general and for specific areas and cities in Michigan. The bulk of the material relates to tourism, but some basic transportation literature is also included. Books, maps and ephemera are the primary formats. Fragile and rare materials are found, as well as an occasional current publication. Commercial publications, as well as unpublished personal travel narratives, are included.

Abstract This collection includes two volumes of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps for Grand Rapids, Michigan, published in January 1874 and January 1878. Fire insurance maps are large-scale maps with detailed drawings of the built environment of urban areas. They were produced for insurance agents to use in quoting fire insurance policies. The maps are helpful for researching the history of a property and for general knowledge of the history of Grand Rapids. Due to their rarity, access to the...