Above - The iconic Brickyard building (“Brikyaat”) building https://midtowngr.org/brikyaat at the entrance to the Fulton Street Market. Today, the Fulton Street Farmers Market is an important gathering place in the Midtown GR neighborhood that draws crowds from the Greater Grand Rapids community and beyond. Farmers, food artisans, craftspersons, and a host of individuals and local businesses offer fresh foods, bouquets, unique gifts, and wares several days a week at the busy open-air market. Photo by VanderPloeg c. 2024.

MIDTOWN GR - HOUSE STORIES

ABOUT MIDTOWN HOUSE STORIES—We recently moved to the Grand Rapids Midtown neighborhood inspiring this fun new project documenting the history of neighborhood homes and buildings. Coming soon — the story of 821 Lyon and Grand Rapids first Electrical Inspector and the house on Fountain Street where the former First Lady Betty (Bloomer) Ford grew up.

Midtown is located between the East Hills, Fulton Heights, and Heritage Hill neighborhoods. To the north is Highway 196, west to Union, east to Fuller, and south to Fulton. Iconic Midtown sites within walking distance include the Fulton Street Cemetery (Grand Rapids oldest cemetery), Fulton Street Farmers Market, and the Midtown Green on the site of the old Baxter Laundry.

Into the 1920s, the Valley City Street and Cable Railway ended at Lyon and Grand and a whole neighborhood grew up around it. Homes are often four-square, Craftsman bungalow, early 20th-century apartments, and late 19th-century vernacular styles.

The address below the photograph is your link to the story.