Photo from 2003-2004
Architectural Survey Cards, Histories, House Highlights
Architectural Survey Cards, Histories, House Highlights
25 Lafayette Ave SE is located in Heritage Hill. It's architectural significance is NOTABLE.
Prior to the city-wide address reorganization of 1912, the address was written as 25 South Lafayette.
Records from the Heritage Hill Association indicate it was built in 1896, however it's history can be traced more than a decade further back. In Feb 1880, local businessman Charles N. Shepard traveled to Chicago, IL to have the designs and specifications for his new residence on South Lafayette drafted. By Dec 1881, the Shepard family is living in the house. His wife, Mrs. Helen A. (Ledyard) Shepard, celebrates by throwing a party at the end of Jan 1882 that around 100 people attended; it would be the first of many such extravagant parties hosted there by Mrs. Shepard. The family continued to live at the residence, even after Shepard's death in Sep 1890. In Jan 1897 it was purchased by William H. Anderson of the Fourth National Bank from Mrs. Shepard for $18,000.
In 2009, it was included as a stop in the 40th Annual Heritage Hill Weekend Tour of Homes.
Geographic coordinates: 42.962635°N, 85.661781°W
Latitude: 42°57′45.486″N
Longitude: 85°39′42.412″W.
Links and References
Original data from Heritage Hill Associaton
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Grand Rapids Daily Leader, 1880-02-26, Page 4
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The Evening Leader, 1881-12-19, Page 3
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The Evening Leader, 1882-01-31, Page 4
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The Evening Press, 1897-01-08, Page 3
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The Evening Press, 1897-01-12, Page 1
