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Article: Local History Department: Grand Rapids Public Library 60 Library Plaza Ne Grand Rapids, MI 49503.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Michigan Historical Review
- Article date:
- March 22, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Clarke Historical Library. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Local History Department at the Grand Rapids Public Library was formed in 1904 when the library moved into its new Ryerson building, donated by lumber baron Martin Ryerson. When planning the new building, library board members voted to set aside one room for the library's collection of local manuscripts, photographs, maps, newspapers, and ephemera. Initially the room counted among its treasures the collected reminiscences of the Old Settlers Association, Lewis G. Stuart's collection of maps of the Old Northwest, and John Lawrence's genealogical library.
As soon as the new library opened, its director, Samuel Ranck, who had previously worked at the Enoch Pratt ...