Town and City Scenes--Lansing

Black and white postcard from circa 1922-1930 showing the Lewis Cass State Office Building in Lansing, Michigan. Built about 1922, the building is located at Walnut and Kalamazoo Streets and has housed several different state government departments, including the Michigan Library from 1922 until a fire destroyed the top floors in 1951.

Color postcard from circa 1950-1960 of Washington Avenue, looking north, in Lansing, Michigan. The Boji Tower (also known as Michigan National Bank Building, and originally the Olds Tower) and Bank of Lansing Building (now Comerica Bank Building) can be seen in the background.

Color postcard from circa 1915-1925 showing the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan. In 1879 the Michigan legislature established this school for the blind, which opened in 1880, with thirty-five students.

Black and white postcard from circa 1901-1910 showing the Lansing Sugar Company facotry in Lansing, Michigan, where beets grown locally were processed into sugar products. Built in 1901, the factory caused controversy in Lansing due to the amount of water it was using. The Michigan Sugar Company bought the Lansing Sugar Company in 1924.

Black and white photograph from 1906 showing a bird's-eye view of Washington Avenue, looking north, in Lansing, Michigan

Color postcard from 1945 of the Olds Tower on Capitol Avenue in Lansing, Michigan. The tower is now named the Boji Tower. Part of "Souvenir Folder of Lansing, Michigan" - a postcard booklet featuring images from Lansing and East Lansing.

Black and white photograph from 1890-1910 of the Pere Marquette Railroad passenger station on East Grand River Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 showing a view north from the Michigan State Capitol. The Christ Community Church (formerly the First Baptist Church of Lansing) is on the right.

Black and white photograph of the old Michigan Avenue wooden bridge, crossing the Grand River in Lansing, Michigan. The wood bridge was replaced by an iron bridge in 1870.

Black and white photograph from circa 1950-1960 showing the Martin Block Corp. - a construction company - set up outside the Woolworths in Lansing, Michigan on Allegan Street. Plymouth Congregational Church is in the background.

Black and white photograph from the spring of 1926 of Washington Avenue, looking north from just north of Ionia Street, in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 showing Michigan Avenue at night, leading up to an illuminated capitol building in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from the spring of 1926 of the view east from the Cass State Office Building, looking towards Arbaugh's Department Store in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from 1908 showing "Half-Way Rock" in Lansing, Michigan. The rock was a visual marker for the approximate half-way point between the Capitol and Michigan State University (then Michigan State College) along Michigan Avenue. Supposedly, a passer-by placed a cherry pit in a crack in the rock and it grew into a tree, splitting the rock (which was then also known as "Split Rock"). The rock and tree were removed in 1925 to allow for widening of the road. A portion of the rock now stands near the Michigan State University Union building.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1915 showing Capitol Avenue, looking north from Michigan Avenue, in Lansing, Michigan. The old post office is in the foreground, complete with watchtower, with the old city hall behind it.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 showing a view along the Grand River in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph on cardboard backing from 1870, showing a view of the Grand River from Ottawa Street in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white postcard from circa 1907-1911 showing Michigan Avenue, looking west from Washington Avenue towards the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. The Prudden Building is on the left (destroyed by fire in 1920).

Color postcard from circa 1910-1913 showing a bird's eye view of Lansing, Michigan, looking west towards the capitol, with the Michigan Avenue bridge crossing the Grand River on the right.

Black and white postcard from circa 1897-1901 of the Olds Motor Works factory in Lansing, Michigan. Olds Motor Works was started in 1897 by Ransom Eli Olds. He sold the company in 1899 and it would become the Oldsmobile line of General Motors.

Black and white photograph on cardboard backing showing an aerial view of Lansing, Michigan. The Lansing Wheel Company is in the foreground.

Black and white photograph on cardboard backing of a bird's-eye view of Lansing, Michigan. The large building in the background is Lansing High School; the building later became known as "Old Central."

Color postcard from circa 1907-1910 showing the view east down Michigan Avenue from the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. On the left is the old post office, which was eventually annexed by the neighboring city hall.

Black and white photograph from circa 1920-1930, taken from the State Capitol, showing a bird's-eye view of Lansing, Michigan, looking east. The two buildings in the foreground are the Lansing City Hall (built 1896) and the old Lansing Post Office, complete with lookout tower.

Black and white photograph from 1903 looking northwest on Washington Avenue towards the Hollister Building in Lansing, Michigan. The Hollister Building was built in 1896, and added to in 1901.

Black and white photograph from circa 1905-1915 showing a bustling street scene on Washington Avenue in Lansing, Michigan. The welcome sign above the street lit up at night.

Black and white postcard from circa 1922-1925 showing Washington Square, looking south from north of Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan. The tall building on the right is the rebuilt Prudden Building (named the Washington Square Building), which was built after the Prudden Building burned down in 1920.

Black and white photograph from 1898 showing a bird's-eye view of Washington Avenue, looking north in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 showing "Half-Way Rock" in Lansing, Michigan. The rock was a visual marker for the approximate half-way point between the Capitol and Michigan State University (then Michigan State College) along Michigan Avenue. Supposedly, a passer-by placed a cherry pit in a crack in the rock and it grew into a tree, splitting the rock (which was then also known as "Split Rock"). The rock and tree were removed in 1925 to allow for widening of the road. A portion of the rock now stands near the Michigan State University Union building.

Black and white postcard from circa 1905-1910 of the Cameron Arbaugh Department Store in Lansing, Michigan. In 1905 Cameron Arbaugh's moved into this building, which at the time was Lansing's tallest building and largest department store.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1915 showinga dam on the Grand River at Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from 1945 of Sparrow Hospital, opened in 1912 in Lansing, Michigan. Part of "Souvenir Folder of Lansing, Michigan" - a postcard booklet featuring images from Lansing and East Lansing.

Black and white photograph from circa 1900-1910 of a bird's eye view of Lansing, Michigan, looking west towards the capitol, with the Michigan Avenue bridge crossing the Grand River on the right. The Lansing City Hall is visible to the right of the capitol building.

Black and white postcard from circa 1904-1907 showing a street scene on Washington Avenue in Lansing, Michigan. The first building on the left is the Hotel Butler, built in 1872.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1915 showing Washington Avenue, looking south from Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from circa 1900-1910 of men posing in front of the Lansing Fuel and Gas Company offices at 110 E. Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1911 showing the Lansing City Hall (on the left, built 1896) and the post office (on the right) in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The post office would become the City Hall Annex in later years.

Color postcard from 1913 showing the view east down Michigan Avenue from the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. On the left is the Lansing City Hall and old post office.

Black and white postcard from circa 1900-1904 showing the Lansing City Hall (on the left, built 1896) and the post office (on the right) in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The post office would become the City Hall Annex in later years.

Black and white photograph from 1899 of the view northwest from near Kalamazoo Street in Lansing, Michigan. The Grand River is in the foreground, with the skyline accentuated by the state capitol in the background.

Black and white photograph from 1879 of two children posing in front of the rapidly-moving flooded Grand River in Lansing, Michigan.

lack and white postcard from approximately 1907 showing a view of Washington Avenue, looking north, in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The State Capitol is visible in the background, and the six story Hotel Downey is at the end of the block. The hotel was built in 1887, and expanded in 1907. In 1912 a devastating fire destroyed the building, but it was rebuilt and the hotel remained in service until 1939, when it was demolished to make room for Knapp's department store. The inscription on the postcard reads, "This is Roosevelt day, I have seen the President. A grand sight. Papa." which refers to President Theodore Roosevelt's trip to Lansing in 1907.

Black and white photograph from 1898 taken from the roof of the state capitol, looking northeast, in Lansing, Michigan. Several churches are shown in this view, including the Central United Methodist Church, parts of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and the Christ Community Church (originally First Baptist Church).

Black and white photograph on cardboard backing showing the view north from the capitol in Lansing, Michigan. The churches in the foreground are: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Central United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church (now Christ Community Church). Lansing High School is in the background; the building later became known as "Old Central."