Congress Avenue School
SW 1/4 Sec 29 Gand Rapids Township
This school began under the authority of Grand Rapids Township District #1.
June 20, 1879
Jerusha Sage
To
School Dist. #1 of the Town of Grand Rapis
Liber 121 page 576
Consideration, $300
Description
Lot 6, of Block 3 of Merrill and Nims AdditionCE
June 30, 1879
George A. Tuxbury
To
School Dist. No. 1, of Grand Rapids Twp
Liber 121 page 575
Consideration $800
Description
Lots 7 and 8, of block 3, of Merrill and Nimms' AdditionCE
Merrill and Nim's Addition platted by Coffinberry in 1872 for for Leonard and Sarah Merrill, Dwight and Ann Nims. This would have placed the school on the east side of Congress Avenue about 120 feet north of Lake Drive. Street Name Changes:: Thornapple renamed Lake in 1873, Carroll renamed Diamond in 1892, Orchard renamed Baldwin in 1912.
In 1887 additional land was purchased extending the school grounds to Lake Drive.
September 23, 1887
Alfred H. Hentig an Eliza A. Hentig, his ife
To
School Dist. No. 1, of the Twp of Grand Rapids
Liber 182 page 352
consideration, $2500
Description
Lot 9, 11 and 12 block 3 of Merrill and Nimms' Add'n
Excepting and reserving to said first parties
all the buildings now situated thereon,
with the right to ener said premises and to remove
the said buildings within 40 days from the date hereof.
October 17, 1887
Mary V. Sage Osborne
ToSchool District No. 1, of Grand Rapids Township
Liber 18 page 557
consideration, $400
Description
Lot 10, block 3, of Merrill and Nimms' Addition
1891 - Annexed by the City of Grand Rapids from the Township of
Grand Rapids
Third Ward, lot 278 feet
on Congress x 152 on Lake Avenue (Drive).Lots 6-12 match the dimensions of 278'
on Congress x 152' on Lake.
1892 - The building is brick, two stories and basement, eight rooms and has sittings for 400 pupils. Heated by steam, well lighted and well ventilated. Water closets in basement and connected with sewer. $20,000. Sewer connection made and water supply to basement of the Congress Street School.
1895 Sanborn Fire Map:
1907 Section 29 Ogle GRT
1912 - New plumbing installed. (Street renamed, Congress Avenue School)
1913 Sanborn Map - This map was altered by the assessor's
office for at least 50 years. The school as originally drawn on the map
but erased by assessors is shown here.
A new school was drawn in by assessors to the North
with the notation of 1920.
1914 - one fire escape to be installed.
1915 - Grand Rapids News, 3 Aug 1915, p. 3. he East End Mothers' Club -- protested against the repair of the Congress school, on the ground that what the school district needs is not repair but a new school house, to replace the archaic and unsanitary stucture now standing there. A contract was let to Gentz Bros., for $1484 for repairing the entrance and setting new windows, to relieve the conditions until a new site can be secured.
1917 - plans for a new building. Formerly the children of Blodgett Home (orphanage) went to Congress school for their schooling. There was constant friction and trouble, especially with contagious diseases.
1920 - new building constructed.
From Citz 1926
just to the north of the previous school. Four homes were demolished
1921 Annual Report - old 3d Ward - lots 1-12, Bock 3 of Merrill & Nims' Addition except E48 ft of lot 2 etc.
1928 - Grand Rapids Press, 2 Aug 1928, p. 12
By the opening of another school year the old Congress school building at 140 Congress St. SE - for more than 50 yrs. Wrecking of the landmark, bought by William Schmid for $500, started about two weeks ago. Brick, slate roofing, interior woodwork and timbers of the old building have been sold to residents. One of the largest purchases was made for a rustic cottage to be built on Thornapple river near Alaska. For this much of the old timbering, "sound as a dollar today as in 1873 when it was firs used."
The school first became part of the Grand Rapids city school system in 1891, when according to legislative act, nine schools were added to the city system. It was constructed in 1873 at a cost of $16,000 and was used for a grade building. It formerly waw a district school and the fine brick building turned over to the ciy had supplanted a little frame building when built in 1873.
The new congress school on the part of the site fronting Congress St. was built in 1920 at a cost of $194,000 and is a nmoder 12-room grade building with manual training room.
The space occupied by the old school is needed for playround use and also will provide a site for further additions to the school when necessary.
1953 Sanborn Fire Map Page 310 shows a new school built 1920 which still stands today (2006). The lot addresses are given as 938, 940 and 950 Baldwin St SE; 100, 110, 114, 118, 122, 134 (the possible address of the old school) and 150 Congress Ave SE.
Bd of Ed map
Grand Rapids Press 26 Mar 1998 - bond issue proposal
Congress School of Communication Arts
940 Baldwin St SE
210 students, 10 teachers
Built: 190, renovated in 1995
Existing square fet: 32,495
Proposed new square feet: 8,450
cost: $4.3 million
a $984,000 addition of a gymnasium, ulti-purpose room and offices and corridors,
and upgrade heating and electric systems, plus $140,000 for computers and video
equipment
2005 - Tax Address: 945 Lake Drive
ppn=41-14-29-308-002 Lots 1-12 block 3 and lots 10-19 Block 2
Lots 1-5
extending to Baldwin must have been added later and block 2 even later.
2006 K-5
From article School History
From Heading History and the City of GrandRapids
From web site: MyCityofGrandRapids.info