Y is for Why?

Y is for Why?
The following are examples of the questions asked by visitors at the Lowell Area Historical Museum.

Why was Lowell built here?
Today’s City of Lowell was built upon a very advantageous geographical location. Before the land was available for settling by the Americans, the native Odawa people had a village here. The land at the mouth of the Flat River where it meets the Grand River was very fertile because of the frequent flooding from both rivers. The Odawa tended cornfields west of the Flat River, located in today’s Recreation Park. Before the settlers cleared the land for roads, transportation was accomplished by foot paths and by canoes on the rivers. The meeting of the Flat River and the Grand River offered great opportunities for transportation.

Why is the beginning date of Lowell considered to be 1831?
1831 marks the year when Daniel Marsac built a trading post on the south side of the Grand River, opposite the mouth of the Flat River. Marsac had arrived in 1829 and made his home with Chief Wabwindego. The Odawa who lived here moved seasonally with Lowell being their summer village. Marsac’s sister Sophie was the wife of Louis Campau, who was considered the founder of Grand Rapids. Though other French Canadian fur traders had trading posts here earlier, the Lowell area was just a stop on their routes. Marsac made his home here.

Why is the Lowell Area Historical Museum building, once the Robert W. Graham residence, built on the busiest intersection in town?
Robert W. Graham did not build his personal residence at the main intersection in town. In 1873 he built in a residential neighborhood on the opposite side of the river from the center of commerce. For years, the Hooker Grist Mill, built in 1847, was the only business on the west side of the Flat River. Buildings began appearing during the latter 1800’s, but most of the commerce and industry were located on east side of the Flat River. In addition, as seen in pictures, the streets were significantly narrower, allowing for yards and trees between the houses and the streets.

Why was the original commerce center on the east side of the Flat River?
This is largely due to the steamboat landing on the Grand River where the river comes close to Main Street. According to a description given many years ago, the landing was directly south of the house at 1106 E. Main, just east of James Street. Local riverboat popularity lasted between 1837 and 1858 in West Michigan. Initially the purpose of the riverboats was to haul freight and passengers. The steamboat landing brought traffic to the area and buildings were soon erected near the landing. Chapin and Booth built a warehouse, John Blain had a Blacksmith shop, Daniels and Young built a store and a dwelling, and Orson Peck began with a store in the warehouse but soon built his own store.

The business block, once known as the Old Wooden Row, was the earliest business block in Lowell. Built between 1846 and 1870, it contained 11 wooden buildings along the south side of Bridge (Main) Street between Monroe and Washington Streets. Some of the businesses included Blakeslee’s blacksmith shop, Tousaint Campau’s grocery and dry goods, the Lowell Masonic Lodge, later known as Franklin Hall, a bakery which became City Bakery and Restaurant, a millinery shop, a laundry shop, William Cobmoosa’s trade post/grocery, and The Fair Store. Some buildings housed various businesses, an example is the Langley/Hiler/Reed/Wepman building which housed everything from clothing stores and restaurants to a millinery and the Milo Hiler Photography Studio.

Visit
Plan your own visit to the museum and ask your questions! The Museum occupies the personal residence of Robert W. Graham, located at 325 West Main Street, at the busiest intersection in the City of Lowell. Lowell has grown significantly. Today’s commercial district not only extends west of the museum, but it also extends west of the city limits, into Lowell Township. The museum is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 1 – 4 p.m.

Images

Old Wooden Row

Louis Campau and Sophie DeMarsac Campau

Daniel Marsac

Old Wooden Row

Steamboat J.F. Porter
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The Graham building prior to 1927 showing another small house in what is now the Museum garden.