Welcome to 1142 Beechwood Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan! Despite being one of the newer homes I've been tasked to investigate, it boasts a rich history. Situated in the neighborhood of my childhood, researching this area is always a delight, as I continuously uncover new photographs and articles. So let's learn about this 1940's bungalow home in Grand Rapids, Michigan!
General Facts about 1142 Beechwood:
Year Built: 1942
City, State: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Neighborhood: Creston
Size: 1,800 sq. feet
Style: Cape Cod / Bungalow
# of Families from 1942 to 1981: 2 (VanBall & VanderHyde)
The home at 1142 Beechwood was built in 1942 and that date is confirmed through city directories and newspaper articles. Because of the younger age of the home, there isn't the usual Sanborn Fire Insurance Map that is digitalized for this home. Nevertheless, the Grand Rapids Public Library holds an extensive collection of historical real estate cards that can be accessed in person and luckily there were cards of 1142 Beechwood from 1957 (the first time the home was for sale) and in 1981 (the second time the home was for sale).
Prior to 1942, I could determine from historical maps other than Sanborn that the property where the house stands used to be a section of the Oak Grove Dairy Farm, which belonged to Charles S. Briggs.
If you know Grand Rapids, specifically northeast Grand Rapids, then you are very familiar with Briggs Park off of Knapp St and Oakwood Ave. Charles Briggs also owned that land which he donated the 11 acres to the city in 1911 - hence the name, Briggs Park.
Charles Briggs' childhood home is also still standing today at 2418 Plainfield Ave NE - also was part of the Oak Grove Dairy Farm. The farmhouse was built by Charles' parents in 1850-1852 and has always been owned by the Briggs family.
As stated on the above real estate cards for 1142 Beechwood and in the obituary of Charles S. Briggs, part of the Briggs Dairy Farm was sold to residential developers in the 1920's. The subdivision was known as 'Pasadena Park' and the home at 1142 Beechwood was on lot # 224 of Pasadena Park.
The first mention of the Pasadena Park addition in the Grand Rapids Press was in April of 1924 and the first homes were sold by May 1924.
Beechwood Street, situated between Plainfield to the east and Fuller to the west, was included in the initial Pasadena Park Subdivision. The City of Grand Rapids commenced utility construction on Beechwood and neighboring streets in 1925. By 1929, reflecting the neighborhood's expansion, a new bus route was established from Plainfield Ave to the north, extending to Beechwood Street.
In November 1941, Herman VanDyke of VanDyke Realty Co, took out permits to build 5 houses in northeast Grand Rapids - including 1142 Beechwood Street. The cost to build the one-story home with an attached garage was approx. $4,200. [$81,000 in 2024 dollar]
In May 1942, 6 months after the beginning of construction, 1142 Beechwood was completed and the home was sold to its first family - Joseph and Alice VanBall.
*Many of the family members listed below may still be living, so going forward only very brief details will be provided. As always, all information in this blog is public domain information.
Family # 1: Joseph & Alice VanBall
Joseph George VanBall
Born: February 28, 1911; Saginaw, Michigan
Died: March 4, 1994; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Father: Peter (b. 1873; Germany - d. 1945; Michigan)
Mother: Henrietta Pahssen (b. 1878; Germany - d. 1955; Michigan)
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 16 Years; 1942 - 1957
Alice Lena Dietrich
Born: March 18, 1910; Saginaw, Michigan
Died: December 6, 1991; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Father: Christian (b. 1877; Michigan - d. 1923; Michigan)
Mother: Katherine Hartner (b. 1885; Michigan - d. 1967; Michigan)
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 16 Years; 1942 - 1957
Joseph VanBall, born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, was the son of German immigrants, while Alice Dietrich, a second-generation American, had grandparents who had emigrated from Germany in the late 1800s. They tied the knot in Saginaw between 1928 and 1929, where they resided until around 1936-1937. The couple had three sons: Buddy, Robert, and Donald.
In the 1930 Census, Joseph, 19, worked as a driver for a meat market company in Saginaw, while 20-year-old Alice was taking care of their firstborn, Buddy, who was almost a year old.
By the 1940 Census, Joseph and Alice had moved to Grand Rapids with their three children. Their second child was three years old, and the youngest was one. Joseph had become the manager at Shinner's Meat Market in downtown Grand Rapids. Shortly after this census, in May 1942, the VanBall family bought the home at 1142 Beechwood - directly behind from their previous residence at 1145 Hollywood St NE in 1940.
The next historical record of 1142 Beechwood is from the 1950 Census - Joseph, Alice and their three sons were still all living at the home. Joseph VanBall was the owner of the Madison Square Market and his son also worked there. The Madison Square Market was location at 1215 Madison Ave SE.
Joseph VanBall dedicated his entire life to the meat market industry. He established his own meat market, Van Ball Meats / Van Ball Prime Meats, in 1951. The business was later managed by different family members and operated until approximately 2014. The initial location of Van Ball Meats was situated at 2168 Plainfield NE, at the intersection of Plainfield Ave and Eleanor St, just a short distance south of 1142 Beechwood.
Thirty years later, in 1985, Van Ball Meats relocated to 3442 Plainfield Ave NE, at the corner of Plainfield and 4 Mile.
In 1957, Joseph and Alice opted to sell 1142 Beechwood and move northwards to Woodworth Ave NE off of Plainfield Ave north of 4 mile.
Following Alice Van Ball's passing in 1991, Joseph Van Ball passed away in 1994.
Family # 2: Peter & Wilhelmina VanderHyde and
Peter & Annie Plantinga
Peter VanderHyde
Born: February 28, 1911; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Died: June 23, 1981; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 24 Years; 1957 - 1981
Wilhelmina Plantinga
Born: May 27, 1914; Providence, Rhode Island
Died: July 28, 1979; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 22 Years; 1957 - 1979
Peter Plantinga
Born: December 13, 1884; Netherlands
Died: September 26, 1964; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 7 Years; 1957 - 1964
Annie Plantinga
Born: October 6, 1884; Netherlands
Died: February 4, 1959; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Years Lived @ 1142 Beechwood St NE: 12 Years; 1957 - 1979
Peter VanderHyde was born in 1911 in Grand Rapids and spent his entire childhood there. Although there are no historical documents or newspaper articles explaining his move to New Jersey, he resided there from approx. 1935 until about 1957. In 1936, he married Wilhelmina Plantinga in New Jersey. Wilhelmina's parents, Peter and Annie Plantinga, settled in Rhode Island after immigrating in 1904 when they were 20 years old and newly married, having left the Netherlands.
In 1957, Peter and Wilhelmina VanderHyde purchased 1142 Beechwood from the VanBall family, although the reason for their move to Michigan is unclear. Wilhelmina's parents also relocated with them and lived in the Beechwood home. The couple had five daughters, most of whom were young adults at the time of the move, but the records are unclear regarding if and when who also lived in the Beechwood home.
Annie and Peter Plantinga passed away in 1959 and 1964, respectively. Wilhelmina passed in 1979, followed by Peter VanderHyde in 1981. After Peter's passing, the home at 1142 Beechwood was once again put up for sale, awaiting its third family.
If only these walls could talk!
Comments