GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Whether you're driving, walking your dog, or even going for a run, you likely haven't noticed these stairs. Well— Some have and it's been making rounds on Facebook.
They're known as, the Newberry Stairs; and they've been here for over 150 years.
"The first photograph we have of the Newberry Stairs is from the 1880s," explained Jennifer Andrew, librarian at the Grand Rapids Historical Center.
“There was a neighborhood at the base of the stairs, so there were houses actually on this side, and it wasn't Division until the 1930s," explained Andrew.
During that time, cars and buses weren't the typical mode of transportation. Rather, streetcars were drawn by horse carriages around the city. And at the bottom of the Newberry Stairs, was a pick-up stop.
"It ran from Plainfield along Clancy and Coit and ended at Michigan and the larger cable cars that were at Plainfield and Michigan, that streetcar connected them," said Andrew of the early mode of public transportation.
While the stairs are still in a state of disrepair, there have been talks to fix them.
According to the city of Grand Rapids, the discussion of revitalizing the Newberry Stairs has been going on for over a year. For now, nothing is set in stone, yet. But — history can still be seen, even through the cracks of the Newberry stairs.
The Newberry Stairs are located at the corner of Newberry St. and Division Ave. in downtown Grand Rapids.
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