Old Grand Rapids City Hall
Construction of the old Grand Rapids City Hall was begun in May 1885. The building was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1888. The cost of construction totaled $314,800. The building was designed by architect Elijah E. Myers and located on the northwest corner of Ionia Ave. and Lyon Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids. It is seen here in the mid-1960s. It was demolished in Nov. 1969. The Kent County Courthouse occupies the present-day site. (Courtesy photo | Grand Rapids Public Library, Hero Bratt Collection).
A close-up of the clock tower at old Grand Rapids City Hall. The building was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1888. The cost of construction totaled $314,800. The building was designed by architect Elijah E. Myers and located on the northwest corner of Ionia Ave. and Lyon Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids. It is seen here in the mid-1960s. It was demolished in Nov. 1969. The Kent County Courthouse occupies the present-day site. (Courtesy photo | Grand Rapids Public Museum).
The clock tower watches over downtown redevelopment. Construction of the old Grand Rapids City Hall was begun in May 1885. The building was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1888. The cost of construction totaled $314,800. The building was designed by architect Elijah E. Myers and located on the northwest corner of Ionia Ave. and Lyon Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids. It is seen here in 1966 during demolition of the Houseman Building to the right, where an Ellis Parking lot is today. City Hall was demolished in Nov. 1969. (Courtesy photo | Grand Rapids Public Library, Hero Bratt Collection).
Mary Kimmel poses on front of the Kent County Courthouse on Lyon Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids in Nov. 2013. Kimmel was known as Mary Stiles in 1969 when she and other historic preservationists mounted an effort to save the old Grand Rapids City Hall from being demolished. She became somewhat famous for chaining herself to the wrecking ball in a last-ditch effort to stop the demolition. The photo she is holding ran in the Grand Rapids Press on Monday, Oct. 27, 1969 on page B2. The original, somewhat derisive cutline, under the header "Mrs. Stiles Is Just Along For The Ride," read "The wrecking crane was running, the bulldozers were started but there stood Mrs. Jack R. (Mary) Stiles, handcuffed and chained to the wrecking ball at the old city hall. For more than an hour, crews from Riverside Gravel Co. and Capitol Lumber & Wrecking Co. held up using the heavy wrecking ball while their executives decided whether Mrs. Stiles "martyrdom" was for real. It wasn't. All she wanted was a chance to dramatize the city hall preservers' new tactic of "Save the Tower." "The wreckers were amenable. Armed with a "Save Our Tower" sign, she climbed up on the ball and jovial workmen lifted her about 20 feet in the air. Pictures were taken and she was let down. her husband released her and the ball was turned loose on the building." Kimmel says she didn't know her late husband had made a deal and was prepared to go to jail that day. "At that point, I felt that if you went to jail, you were showing that you were earnest about doing what you were doing and not just putting on a show," she said. "I didn’t want to go but felt that it would show that I wasn’t just doing it to get in the paper, but because we believed in it."
https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2014/05/old_cityhall
This is the first of my 'Michigan History Series' - at this first stage you will use the information found on the informational signage in front of you at the first stage - and that found within the narrative above. Good Luck! The final stage is not far from this spot - but beware, it can be a very busy 'muggle spot' during downtown events. As always, be careful, bring your own pen, be respectful, leave things as you find them, and most of all, Have Fun! Peace, ___Marie0317
To solve the coordinates for final stage:
N 42 AB.CDE W 85 FG.HIJ
A = Subtract the earliest aerial view of downtown Grand Rapids from the most recent and then divide the difference by 5.
B = The digit in the hundreds place the year the construction began for the old Grand Rapids City Hall.
C = The ten thousands digit of the cost of construction of the original building
D = The page number in section B in which Mrs. Stiles picture appeared in the GR Press in 1969
E = The ones digit of the day in which her photo appeared in the GR Press in 1969
F = Number of turrets on the old Clock Tower
G = 0
H = X - IIX = _______
I = Tens digit of the day of September the original building dedicated
J = The ones digit of the year in which construction of the original building began
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.