ZachariahDaMan

Great photos, I would love to visit Providence someday.

Lots of pics! Nice

Out of curiosity where in Michigan did you live?

I thought I would make a thread for the Great Lakes State. For those of you that have been here what are your favorite towns? I live in Michigan so I've had the chance to go to many places. Here are my 5 favorite cities: 1. Detroit 2. Grand Rapids 3. Ann Arbor 4. Monroe 5. Howell

Here are some more taken yesterday

Awesome photos! Those are some beautiful homes!

Cool thread, its too bad that library isn't used anymore...it's a beauty.

Yep it is and thanks

On Thursday I visited Toledo for the first time. I really liked some of its architecture.

Yesterday I made a trip down to Toledo and hit up some suburbs also. Here is my favorite of the ones I have been to. I was amazed at how many people were downtown. It was very hard to find anywhere to park.

Thanks for the comments guys. I was surprised at the size of Jackson's buildings considering it only has a population of around 35,000. Even though I live in Michigan this was my first time going there and I didn't know that it was a ghetto like someone mentioned.

Jackson (population 35,152) is the county seat of Jackson County. It was named after Andrew Jackson. Downtown has many nice churches which is where we will start.

Nice pics, I like Athens

Thanks for the info C-Dawg. Would you happen to know anywhere I can get a good skyline picture of Toledo?

Looks like you know your stuff about Detroit. It was too bad seeing the Statles and Madison-Lenox go but there has been good news lately. The GAR building is up for sale and part of it is whoever takes it has to rehab it.

Sometime I am going to take a lil drive down to Toledo for some photography and I was wondering if there is any places I should be sure to go to. I'll mostly be taking photos of downtown buildings but I also like old neighborhoods, if you know of any nice neighborhoods then please tell me. Also, is there any nice suburbs of Toledo?

Cool pics, I love Georgetown.

rob, I absolutely love the Guardian building. The inside is gorgeous too. Guys, just wait another couple years, Detroit is coming back. There are so many old buildings being renovated or planned on being renovated.

Nice tour, cute lil town.

Nice pics, what a beautilful little town which I have never heard of.

A park with only grass and sand huh? I'm sure people love going there. Actually I just found out that a parking deck was demolished there so that something larger could be built.

On the way home from Grand Rapids I stopped in Ionia to get McDonalds and I couldn’t resist going to a downtown I’ve never been to if I am only miles from it. It is the county seat of Ionia County and is the largest city. Downtown was much bigger then I was expecting. When you first go down Main Street it seemed like the old, historic buildings were going on forever. Ionia Theatre- opened in 1931 City Hall Post Office “The St. John’s Episcopal parish was established on February 4, 1841. Under the leadership of the Reverend Melancthon Hoyt, the parish constructed its first church, now the parish house, that same year. Built on land donated by Ionia’s founder, Samuel Dexter, the building was the first church in Ionia County and is thought to be the second oldest Episcopal building in Michigan. It was consecrated on April 24, 1842, by the Reverend Samuel McCoskry, the first Bishop of Michigan. In 1882/83 the present brick church was erected at a cost of $7,334.89. This Gothic style structure, with English Cathedral glass windows, was consecrated on July 2, 1890 by the Right Reverend George de Normandle Gillestle, the first Bishop of Western Michigan”. “IONIA CHURCH OF CHRIST- In Merritt’s Hall on January 24, 1859, the Reverend Isaac Errett and forty-three members signed the original charter of the Ionia Church of Christ (First Christian Church). The first church of this denomination had been founded in nearby Muir in 1856. In 1861 James A. Garfield, later the twentieth President of the United States, was a guest speaker at a revival meeting held by the church. The site of the present church was purchased in 1864. The basement was completed in 1867. Services were held there until the church was completed in 1873. Patterned after Romanesque models in the east, the church displays the influence of Philadelphian architect Samuel Sloan. The E.H. Stafford Co. of Ionia designed and built the wooden pews. In 1889 the church was enlarged, its stained glass windows were installed in 1917. Hall-Flower Memorial Library “FREDERICK HALL HOUSE- Captain Lucius Mills, a local builder, constructed this house for Frederick and Ann Hall in 1869-1870. Built of variegated Ionia sandstone, the house is an outstanding example of the Italian Villa style. Frederick Hall came to Ionia County in 1837 when President James K. Polk appointed him deputy land register at the U.S. Land Office in Lyons. He held numerous public offices, including state representative and congressman, and became Ionia’s first mayor in 1873. Community churches and schools benefited from the Hall’s generosity. In 1903 their only child, Marion Hall-Fowler (1849-1931), deeded the Hall house to the city, stipulating that it be “forever used for library purposes” and “known as the Hall-Fowler Memorial Library”. Ionia County Courthouse- it was hard to get good pictures of because of all the trees. “Completed in 1885, the Ionia County Courthouse is the largest structure ever built in Ionia sandstone. The handsome three-and-a-half story courthouse replaced an 1840s hall of justice, which had become inadequate for the county’s needs. David W. Gibbs (1837-1917), of Toledo, Ohio, designed the 120’ x 80’ Classical Revival structure. The $42,380 courthouse was financed by a special tax levy, which was approved in 1883. The first county offices moved into the new building in January 1886 and court was first held in it in late February of that year. Formal dedication services were observed on July 3, 1886. The interior is adorned with black and white marble floors, oak wainscoting, fourteen marble fireplaces and a massive Walnut and butternut staircase”.

Great pics, I plan on visiting Chicago for the first time soon.

Last Thursday I headed out to GR to stay at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel until Friday. I ended up liking GR more then I thought I was going to. I wasn't expecting it to be too much better then Ann Arbor. It is definitely somewhere I can see myself living someday. It has many things I want for the town I live in including museums, a river, historic architecture downtown, old houses. I loved the how the old buildings looked when you first go down Monroe Center from Monroe Ave. and Pearl. Enjoy my pics! ^Whats with the huge empty lot? Heritage Hill Historic District