Old Grand Rapids City Hall facts for kids
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Grand Rapids City Hall
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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| Location | 35 Lyon St., NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Built by | W.D. Richardson |
| Architect | Elijah E. Myers |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Demolished | October 27, 1969 |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000375 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May, 1969 |
| Removed from NRHP | May 1, 1970 |
The Grand Rapids City Hall was an important government building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was located at 35 Lyon Street, NW. This beautiful old building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. This register lists places that are important to American history. Sadly, the building was torn down later that same year. It was then removed from the register in 1970.
History of the Old City Hall
The old Grand Rapids City Hall was designed by a famous architect named Elijah E. Myers. Building work started in 1885. W.D. Richardson from Springfield, Illinois oversaw the construction. The building was officially opened in 1888. It cost about $314,800 to build, which was a lot of money back then!
People tried hard to save the building from being torn down. But, it was demolished in 1969. A new, modern city hall was built at 300 Monroe Ave NW. Later, in 2001, the current Kent County Courthouse was built where the old City Hall once stood. It even has a new clock tower outside.
What the Old City Hall Looked Like
The old Grand Rapids City Hall was a very impressive building. It had three or four stories. Its style was called Gothic Revival. This means it looked like old European castles and churches.
A tall, six-story tower stood at one corner. This tower had a bell tower at its very top. The main part of the building was shaped like a rectangle. It was about 96 feet wide and 163 feet long.
The building had parts that stuck out a little on each side. It had a sloped roof with pointed sections over the middle parts. The corners of the roof also had pyramid-shaped tops. The windows on the outside were arched, and a decorative border ran along the top. Inside, the building had many fancy Gothic details and a tiled floor.
