Then and Now: Grand Rapids 100 Years Ago (GALLERY)

If you've been to Grand Rapids, you know what downtown looks like. From the city's skyline, highlighted by the Amway Grand Plaza and the J.W. Marriott, to smaller spots like the Van Andel Arena and Rosa Parks Circle. These have been the city's most memorable parts for years, and the city wouldn't be the same without them.

TSM

But it hasn't always been this way; in fact, many of these structures weren't around even forty years ago.

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The city has changed fundamentally over the years, and in many ways it is unrecognizable from what it was 100 years ago. Take, for example, the skyline as it looked in 1921.

Engineering Department, “Fulton Street Concrete Arch Bridge Looking NE,” City of Grand Rapids Archives and Records Center, accessed September 16, 2026, https://grandrapidsmicityarchives.omeka.net/items/show/169.

This was largely due to the economic and population boom the region experienced because of its world-renowned furniture industry, which earned it the nickname "Furniture City."

READ MORE: 20 West Michigan Businesses Open Over 100 Years

In the photos below, you'll see the Amway Grand in its original form as the Pantlind, a city whose transportation included a robust trolley system built into the streets, among other features.

One thing that has really stood out to me is how many people are walking around the city in many of these photos, and how busy the roads are. Also, the signage on many buildings is drastically different from how it's presented today.