Old East End
Old East End is the largest neighborhood in Midtown. It is bounded in the west by Grand Ave., in the east by Diamond Ave., and in the north and south by Michigan St. and Fountain St. respectively.
This name recognizes three historical facts about this section of Midtown:
The original 1860s eastern boundary for the city, comprised largely of farmland, runs through this section of the neighborhood.
East Street (now Eastern Avenue) in its heyday was a major or commercial thoroughfare for the city. Eastern Ave. is located in the middle of the Old East End neighborhood.
A cable car line, operated in the 1920s by the Valley City Street and Cable Railway, ran up Lyon St. from Downtown and ended in Old East End, with the power house for the cable line located near the intersection of Lyon and Grand. With the advent of the downtown trolley, Old East End became a hotbed of residential construction. The 1920s bungalows and foursquares that make up the vast majority of the housing stock in this area are the result.
Old East End is also home to Houseman Field, the site of many Grand Rapids high school athletic events.
The Old East End is conveniently located within walking distance of the Fulton Street Farmers Market and the businesses and shops of Fulton and Michigan Streets. If you don’t mind the walk back up the hill, Downtown Grand Rapids is also easily reached on foot. The most noticeable feature of this area, however, is the people. The neighbors of the Old East End are always willing to lend a hand on a project or with winter shoveling. In the summer, backyard get-togethers and barbecues are also part of the Old East End culture that many enjoy.