Town and City Scenes--Lansing

Black and white photograph 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 photograph from 1956 of Michigan Avenue, looking west towards the state capitol building and the Bank of Lansing Building (now Comerica Bank Building) in Lansing, Michigan. Also in this image is the Esquire Theatre, which was more commonly known as the Lansing Theatre.

Black and white photograph from 1870 of a street scene on Washington Avenue, looking north from Allegan Street in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1955-1965 showing the First Presbyterian Church building (built 1955) in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white postcard from circa 1907-1912 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.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1910 showing a view down Grand Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph of people in the rain on the state capitol grounds, looking east to Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from circa 1900-1910 of the west side of Washington Avenue looking north below Allegan Street in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from approximately 1890 showing the Pancost Farm on Michigan Avenue in Lansing Michigan. The caption under the photograph reads: "About 1890. Mihigan Avenue looking east from a point west of belt line R. R. Sexton High School now located in woods at right."

Black and white copy of an 1855 ambrotype of the Lansing House, a hotel on Washington Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph taken August 20, 1906 of Michigan Avenue, looking east from an elevated point of the capitol in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white copy print of an aerial view of the state capitol building in Lansing, Michigan. The image is from the front cover of the "State Capitol Brochure; 1949-1960."

Color postcard from circa 1907-1908 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.

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.

Black and white photograph taken from the upper floors of the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, showing a bird's-eye view looking down Michigan Avenue. The Lansing City Hall on the left, built in 1896, and the post office, with its observation tower, to the right of it. The post office would become the City Hall Annex in later years.

Black and white photo postcard from approximately 1918 showing men and women posing in front of the H. W. Lewis General Store, Millinery Shop and Auto Filling Station on Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1915 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 photograph from 1959 showing a "modern trunkline intersection" along Larch Street in Lansing, Michigan. The Michigan Trunkline System is the made up of the interstates and U.S. and state highways in Michigan.

Color postcard from approximately 1922 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 1907-1909 showing a street scene on Washington Avenue, looking north from Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 showing a bird's-eye view of Lansing, Michigan, looking SW towards the capitol and city hall.

Black and white photograph from circa 1960-1970 of Michigan Avenue looking towards the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan. On the right is the Bank of Lansing Building (now the Comerica Bank Building), built in 1932.

Black and white stereograph from circa 1870-1890 of the west side of Washington Avenue between Allegan Street and Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1918-1921 showing the Tussing Building on Ottawa Street in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from 1947 showing the Estes-Leadley Funeral Home on West Washtenaw in Lansing, Michigan. The building was built in 1923, and the funeral home moved from their original location on East Grand River.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1909 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 postcard showing a view of Lansing, Michigan, including the state capitol buildings, from the Grand River.

Black and white aerial photograph showing the view of downtown Lansing, Michigan with the capitol building, looking east.

Color postcard from circa 1907-1915 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).

Black and white photograph from 1880 showing a bird's-eye view from the dome of State Capitol looking east down Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white aerial photograph of the Michigan State Capitol and blocks south of the capitol grounds in Lansing, Michigan. The 1934 Charles Chamberlain Federal Building Post Office is directly across Allegan Street from the captitol, and the Lewis Cass State Office Building (built 1922) is at the bottom right of the image.

Black and white photograph on cardboard backing from 1862 of storefronts on Washington Avenue in Lansing Michigan. Several people are posing outside the "City Bookstore."

Color postcard from circa 1900-1907 showing a bird's-eye view of Lansing, Michigan, looking west towards the capitol, with the Michigan Avenue bridge crossing the Grand River, leading to the capitol.

Black and white photograph of crowds gathered for the 1899 Elks Carnival in downtown Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from 1919 showing pedestrians, automobiles and a streetcar on East Michigan Avenue, which connected downtown Lansing, Michigan with Michigan State College (later Michigan State University).

Black and white photograph taken February 7, 1955 of the Lansing, Michigan skyline at night, taken from across the Grand River. The Michigan National Bank Building (now Boji Tower), capitol and Lansing Board of Water and Light are all prominent in this image.

Black and white postcard from circa 1885-1890 showing Washington Avenue, looking north from Michigan Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph taken June 23, 1899 of Michigan Avenue, looking west toward the state capitol from Grand Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.

Color postcard from circa 1910-1915 showing a view down the Grand River from the Michigan Avenue bridge in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph of men and machinery setting power poles in or around Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from circa 1905-1915 of the Washington Avenue bridge over the Grand River in Lansing, Michigan.

Black and white photograph from circa 1900-1910 of a steamboat docking at Waverly Park in Lansing, Michigan. The amusement park, which was previously known as Leadley's Park, operated until about 1917.

Black and white photograph from circa 1930-1940 of a winter street scene on Michigan Avenue in front of the the state capitol.

Color postcard from 1945 showing Capitol Avenue looking south from just north of the capitol building in Lansing, Michigan. The Mutual Building, built 1928, is in the left foreground, with the Lansing City Hall and the old post office next to it on Capitol Avenue. In the background are the Olds Hotel (now the George W. Romney Building) and Olds Tower (now Boji Tower). Part of "Souvenir Folder of Lansing, Michigan" - a postcard booklet featuring images from Lansing and East Lansing.