The Rathbun House, originally known as the Mansion House, was one of Grand Rapids’ earliest hotels.

Initially serving as a private residence built by Louis Campau from 1834 to 1838 at the corner of Waterloo (later Market Avenue) and Monroe Street, it became a boarding house run by the Bayless sisters (sisters of Mrs. George Coggeshall) before being converted into a hotel by James T. Finney.  Over the years, it passed through numerous proprietors, including Marston C. Luce, Truman H. Lyon, Charles Rathbun, and Hiram Rathbun.

Charles Rathbun, who renamed it the Rathbun House, significantly expanded the structure, adding a four-story stone wing in 1846 that housed a dining room and a ballroom frequently used for lectures, concerts, and theatrical performances. Later owners included Dorsey & Thornton, De Witt Shoemaker, Julius Granger, W. P. Mills, Benjamin Smith, Farnham Lyon and Charles D. Lyon. From 1861 to 1866, it was managed by Truman H. Lyon Jr., who later resumed control from Farnham and Charles D. Lyon in 1866 and operated it until 1870. In 1872, the hotel passed to A. R. Antisdel, who remained its proprietor until it closed on 12 Nov 1885.

It competed with the Eagle Hotel for travelers arriving by riverboat or stagecoach, and according to Charles Belknap, it distinguished itself with nightly dances in the dining room and special Sunday meals featuring white sugar for tea and coffee. The hotel was also the backdrop for personal stories remembered by Belknap, such as the romance of Juliette LaFlambeau, the pastry cook who eloped with a riverboat captain, and the theatrical meal-time calls of George, the hotel’s bell-ringer. Under later proprietor T. Hawley Lyon, the Rathbun hosted grand banquets marked by elaborate decorations, music, and speeches, including a notable 1866 reunion for Civil War veterans of the 21st Michigan Infantry Regiment.

Among the hotel's notable guests was Susan B. Anthony, who arrived in Mar 1879 to lecture.

The basement level of the hotel was the location of O.K. China Laundry, operated by one of the city's early Chinese immigrants, Young Joe, and was advertised as "[t]he best place in the city to get first-class work done." In 1885, the Grand Rapids Morning Telegram reported the name of another one of its' staff as Lam Sing.

Location

The Rathbun House was located at 33 Monroe Street, the southwest corner of Monroe Street (since renamed Monroe Center St NW) and Waterloo Street (later renamed Market Avenue, but no longer extant). The area surrounding this intersection has transformed significantly since the days of the hotel.

In Dec 1885, the Rathbun House was demolished to make way for the Widdicomb Building, a project led by William W. Widdicomb and designed by architect Sidney J. Osgood. The first two floors above the ground level were initially occupied by the DeMolay Commandery, Knights Templar, before being converted into office spaces. At street level, the Mammoth Clothing House, operated by Joseph Houseman, became one of the building’s early tenants. The Houseman family continued to run a clothing store in the building for nearly 30 years.

In 1911, the S. S. Kresge Co. took over the lease, opening one of its well-known 5 & 10 cent stores. This company would later go on to establish the national discount chain Kmart. The Widdicomb Building was eventually demolished, and in 1936, the Kresge Building (135-141 Monroe Ave NW) was constructed in its place, featuring modern amenities like air conditioning.

Starting in the late 1970s, the Kresge Building and the rest of the block’s structures were torn down to accommodate the city’s plans to transformed Monroe Street into a pedestrian mall called Monroe Center Street NW and extend Monroe Avenue NW from Pearl Street NW through to Fulton Street W. For a time, the site was the location of the Monroe Amphitheater, until the Frey Foundation commissioned American architect, designer, and sculptor Maya Lin in 1995 to create a new public space. Her 3.5-acre experiential park, Ecliptic, was dedicated on 6 Sep 2001 as Rosa Parks Circle.

Links and References

1. Grand Rapids Daily Leader, 1879-03-04, Page 4
2. China Against Africa, Grand Rapids Morning Telegram, 1885-05-12, Page 1
3. Advertisement: O.K. China Laundry, The Evening Leader, 1885-07-09, Page 3
4. History of the City of Grand Rapids, by Albert Baxter, 1891, Chapter 51
5. The Yesterdays of Grand Rapids, by Charles E. Belknap, 1902, Pages 20, 21, 61, 71, 72
6. MEANS BIG SHIFT, Grand Rapids Press, 1911-07-25, Page 3
7. THIS WEEK IN REAL ESTATE, Grand Rapids Press, 1911-07-29, Page 16
8. MAY REPLACE OLD WIDDICOMB, Grand Rapids Press, 1935-09-03, Page 1
9. VETERAN ARCHITECT IS CALLED BY DEATH, Grand Rapids Press, 1935-09-04, Pages 1-2
10. KRESGE PLANS RECEIVED: Bids for Two-Story Structure Will Be Opened March 13, Grand Rapids Press, 1936-03-02, Page 1
11. IN HER HONOR: As park is dedicated, Rosa Parks promotes positives for children, elderly, Grand Rapids Press, 2001-09-05, Page 1
12. Grand Rapids History Center, 018-002-001_108
13. Grand Rapids History Center, 018-003-006_295