Welcome!
This website features highlights of my research into the history of buildings and architects, primarily centered in, but not limited to, metropolitan Grand Rapids, the Lakeshore, and West Michigan, from the post-Civil War era to the end of the mid-century. If you wish to contact me about this research, please use this email address: pamvanderploeg@gmail.com.
Featured here is the cover of Grand Rapids Downtown Buildings, a study completed in 2023 and reprinted in 2025. If you love the city as I do, you will enjoy paging through these short histories of 180 buildings on a walk or from your favorite chair. This travel-book-sized, softcover guide makes it easy to bring history right along with you as you tour Grand Rapids' architecturally stunning central city.
Look for this book at the wonderful Grand Rapids Pubic Museum “Old Curiosity Shop” AND the delightful Periwinkle Fog shop on Ottawa NW.
In the works—“The Extraordinary Design Portfolio of Grand Rapids Architect, Alexander McColl, AIA (1891-1967).” Thank you to all who attended my first McColl lecture at OLLI at Aquinas - the program was sold out and it was a wonderful experience to share a small portion of the wonderful designs McColl created during his prolific career.
Something special that is nearing completion is a catalog of the works of Architect Alexander McColl, AIA (1891-1967). What a great honor to research the 325-plus documented homes and buildings designed by this talented and prolific architect who left a lasting legacy of gracious residential architecture. His designs can be found throughout Grand Rapids, in East Grand Rapids, along the Lake Michigan shoreline, in Kalamazoo, and north in the Crystal Downs/Frankfort area. McColl was also commissioned to design for clients in other Michigan cities. This researcher is so grateful to be working with the descendants of the McColl family to reconstruct the architect’s incredible legacy, especially as family members have been steadfast in preserving original documents and records. Look for this catalog of Alexander McColl’s work in the summer of 2026.
Thank you to the Ottawa Hills Garden Tour!
On Saturday, June 27, 2026, I had the honor of chatting with Ottawa Hills residents and visitors about my book at the annual Garden Tour. This study of the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood has been updated with more information on the early years of the adjacent historic Indian Village homes in East Grand Rapids, the last plat developed by the Ottawa Hills Land Company. These homes are beautiful and gracious historic-revival designs by many of the most popular Grand Rapids architects of the day.
MICHIGAN POSTCARD CLUB!
Coming in August is the latest issue of the Michigan Postcard Club newsletter. It’s a joy to edit the newsletter and to present all these wonderful stories of Michigan history, told through vintage postcards collected by many of the club members. Programs will resume in September, so watch for the newsletter, which will include details on dates and speakers. Monthly meetings are held at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the Grace Hauenstein Library, 159 Woodward SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan
WATCH FOR: AUGUST 2026 - MIDTOWN HOUSE STORIES
Look for Midtown House Stories, available here in AUGUST 2026. This small quarterly newsletter-style publication is my homage to our wonderful neighborhood, located just east of the historic Heritage Hill area. Midtown is a great early streetcar neighborhood featuring original Craftsman-style bungalows and early-1900s Vernacular homes!
Check Back Soon!
Please check back again soon for new website content. In the meantime, use the Navigation Bar to read material listed on the drop-down menus. One of my favorite new website features is a page on Grand Rapids sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The first entry is Grand Rapids painter, Mathias Alten’s home and studio. Thank you for stopping by!
ABOUT THE WEBSITE CURATOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Pam VanderPloeg, A.B., M.L.S., M.M., is a researcher and writer, and the winner of local awards for raising the awareness of Grand Rapids history and architecture in the community.