East Grand Rapids History Room

06/23/2026

Barb Cone, long time EGR Schools tutor has retired.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ8KnZIlNxN/?igsh=dWRpdnQ5OTJzdWlw

06/21/2026

On a road in EGR. Brookby, the beautifully landscaped, walled historical estate with a grand main house, garage with apartment, large greenhouse, buildings for caretakers- took two years to build - 1926 - 1927. John and Minnie Blodgett moved into their place in 1928.

06/18/2026

Fannie Brice played the Ramona Theatre in our Ramona Park...

F***y Brice, headline attraction at the Ramona Theatre, June 20, 1914. “Musical comedy stars at Ramona: Snappy entertainer.”

“Ramona Next Week: F***y Brice.”Grand Rapids Press, June 18, 1914, p. 1.

Born: Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951)

F***y Brice was a very popular comedienne and singer who performed on stage and in radio and movies. Her life was brought to the stage and screen by Barbra Streisand on Broadway, 1964 - 1965 and in 1968 in the movie, Funny Girl. The songs that Streisand sang: “My Man” and “Second Hand Rose” were from Brice’s own repertoire. In her early years F***y traveled the burlesque circuit. She caught the eye of Broadway producer, Florenz Ziegfeld, (1867 - 1932) in 1910 and became a headline member of his Follies on Broadway through 1911 and again in the 1920s - 1930. She became famous for her very popular 1930s - 1940s radio show “Baby Snooks,” in which she portrayed a silly young girl who got into all kinds of mischief.

The original of the song revived by Barbra Streisand: F***Y BRICE (1891 - 1951) the quintessential Jewish New York girl, recorded during one of her first big...

06/11/2026

"Brookby," the John Wood and Minnie Cumnock Blodgett estate. A bit about the lovely outbuildings and greenhouse built during the two-year construction period, 1926 - 1927.

"The appropriation for a house should be divided into two equal parts, one-half for the house, the other for the gardens, pathways, court, approach, terrace and the rest of it, or, as it might be termed, one-half for the pudding, the other for the sauce." Architect Thomas Hastings

06/11/2026

2022 - 2026 view of the EGR HS, track, field, community center. Photo credit Rudy Malmquist

06/10/2026

Let’s document this FANTASTIC event that the Friends of the EGR Library helped bring TO ALL the readers in Kent County! One for the HISTORY books!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LmNJ5Uz2V/?mibextid=wwXIfr

06/08/2026

The Friends of the EGR Library support you and our Kent District Library East Grand Rapids Branch - KDL!

We are so excited for the program this Tuesday. Who would have thought a library would sell out the Van Andel Arena?

We would like to take a moment and thank the sponsors who have helped us bring this event to so many more people than we originally thought possible:
- Our Title Sponsor - The Steve & Amy Van Andel Foundation
- Meijer
- Centennial Securities
- The Friends of the Cascade Library
- The Friends of the East Grand Rapids Library
- Hoopla
- The Friends of the Plainfield Library
- and the Friends of the Walker Library

06/06/2026

A good citizen and keeper of local history has passed. Marty Allen, age 90, a good friend of Pres. Gerald R. Ford, was the leader of Ford's Foundation. The acquisition of the Ford statue, by Brett Grill, Rockford, MI native, a small version of the one in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, was sponsored by Marty and his wife, Susan. Thank you for your kind community service! This was an East Grand Rapids History Room and City of East Grand Rapids project.

05/30/2026

Blodgett Estate, "Brookby," built in 1926/1927 for John Wood, Sr. (1860 - 1951) and Minnie Alice Cumnock Blodgett (1862 - 1931). Mrs. Blodgett named the estate "Brookby" because a "brook ran by it." You can see the beginning of Coldbrook Creek in the backyard. Originally landscaped (1926/1927) by Olmstead Brothers - Frederick Jr. and John C., the sons of Frederick Law Olmstead (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903), who was famous for landscaping NYC's Central Park and the grounds of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, "The White City." The Blodgett trees and gardens were selected by and placed by the Olmsteads. Mrs. Blodgett had a lovely garden and a greenhouse during her days on Plymouth Road.

The Blodgett family drew its wealth from the lumbering industry. Hierarchy: Delos A. Blodgett - John Wood Blodgett Sr, John Wood Blodgett Jr.

John Wood and Minnie Blodgett donated the land and funds to build Blodgett Memorial Hospital which opened in 1916.

05/29/2026

Keeping the history of the Brookby estate. Built by John Wood Blodgett, Sr 1926-27, the property has been divided. Here is a recent sale:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/250-Plymouth-Ave-SE-1-Grand-Rapids-

This is a Vacant Land. It is located at 250 Plymouth Ave SE #1, Grand Rapids, MI.