Highlights of East Lansing's First 100 years

1907-2007

• 1855- The State of Michigan purchases 676 acres of land for the site of the new Michigan Agricultural College.
• 1856- College Hall was the first building constructed on the new campus.
• 1871- Lansing and Lake Michigan Railroad Co. assemble a railroad line across south Harrison Road.
• 1876- Grand Trunk Railroad created Trowbridge Junction.
• 1884- "Faculty Row" gains a new house, house #9.
• 1884- The First Post Office was set up on campus.
• 1887- Collegeville was created. William J. Beal and Rolla C. Carpenter plat and subdivide the area now known as "The Delta" for housing.
• 1894- The streetcar line was extended from downtown Lansing along Michigan Ave. to Harrison Road.

• 1901- Central School was constructed at Grand River and Hillcrest. It was the first school within East Lansing boundaries.
• 1905- Interurban Streetcar line was created and extended north on M.A.C. Ave. to Burcham Dr. and east to then Pine Lake (Lake Lansing).
• 1906- Early discussions on formation of and naming of City of East Lansing.
• 1907- East Lansing becomes a city. Governor Fred Warner signed the historic incorporation papers which established East Lansing as an official fourth class City on May 8.
• 1907- President Theodore Roosevelt tours East Lansing. On May 31, he gave a speech on M.A.C. Campus as part of semi-centennial celebration.
• 1907- The first Mayor of East Lansing, Clinton D. Smith, was elected on June 18.
• 1907- The People's Church was founded
• 1909- Charles Chase built, Chase Block, the first building to be built in what is now downtown East Lansing. Chase Block was constructed at the corner of Abbott Road on Grand River Ave.

• 1910- Burtraw & Sons Grocery Store was constructed.
• 1911- Chace Newman developed a system of numbering buildings within the city.
• 1911- The first People's Church building was constructed at the 100 block of East Grand River Ave.
• 1913- Newman created an early map of all structures that where in East Lansing.
• 1915- Newman updated his map to include all of the new buildings.
• 1916- The Masonic Temple was built at 314 M.A.C. Ave.
• 1916- The beloved Central School burned down.
• 1916- East Lansing State Bank was constructed in the 100 block of West Grand River Ave.
• 1916- Albert Ehinger starts construction on Chesterfield Hills. The plats were west of Harrison Road, south of Grand River and north of Michigan Ave. The lovely neighborhood featured large, irregular shaped lots on beautifully curving streets.
• 1919- East Lansing gets a voice. The first newspaper, "East Lansing Community Life" was founded.

• 1921- East Lansing established delivery/carrier service.
• 1921- East Lansing High gets its first tennis team.
• 1921- The streets of East Lansing became a little safer. The East Lansing Police Department was formed.
• 1923- The Post Office found a new home at 211 E. Grand River Ave.
• 1923- East Lansing was moving. Chester Woodbury mansion moved from Grand River Ave to Ann St.
• 1923- The City of East Lansing's first Library was housed in People's Church.
• 1924- Free from the fear of fires at last; East Lansing's first Firehouse was built.
• 1925- Faculty Row house #9 moved to 217 Beech Street.
• 1926- East Lansing got its first free standing High School. It was built at 819 Abbott Road and is currently know as East Lansing Hannah Community Center.
• 1926- The ELHS boy's basketball team won the Class C District Championship.
• 1926- The ELHS boy's football team won the Class C State Championship.
• 1927- The East Lansing State Bank moves to its new building on corner with the State Theatre.
• 1927- ELHS boy's basketball won another Class C District Championship..
• 1928- ELHS boy's football team won the State Championship but were forced to give it up because of an ineligible man.
• 1929- Interurban Streetcar line was officially closed
• 1929- ELHS girl's intermural basketball team won all of their games.

• 1931- The ELHS boy's basketball team won the "Little Thirteen" Conference Championship.
• 1934- The first free standing Post Office was constructed at 327 Abbott Road as part of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) project.
• 1939- The Chase building was demolished, making way for the new Goodspeed building.

• 1941- The ELHS boy's tennis team won the Class B State Championship for Doubles.
• 1941- ELHS boy's baseball teak won the State Championship in the N.Y.A. League.
• 1941- ELHS boy's baketball team wis Class C District Championship.
• 1946- The return of WWII Veterans initiated massive housing explosion on campus. Temporary housing units called Quonset Huts, barracks, and trailers were constructed in the area that is now home to the Breslin Center and the parking lots surrounding it.
• 1946- A Second Fire Station was added for campus on Kalamazoo Street, west of Harrison Road.
• 1946- The old Burtraw & Sons Grocery Store became the home of Builder's Hardware.

• 1952- City Hall grew much larger. It expanded to house City Hall, Police and Fire and the Library.
• 1955- Public parking was finally created. The first city parking lot was built between the Post Office and the Savings and Loan Association.
• 1956- The new East Lansing High School opened at 509 Burcham Drive. It was dedicated Nov 4, 1956.
• 1957- East Lansing celebrated its Golden Anniversary. A parade was held in the spring. Drum Major Lou Potter lead the East Lansing High School Band.
• 1958- E. L. gained more ground. Whitehills and Marble/Brookfield areas were annexed.
• 1959- E.L. grows even more. Pinecrest and Red Cedar/Spartan Village areas annexed.
• 1959- Nan Darling became the first women elected to City Council.

• 1960- Harry Truman is Commencement speaker at MSU.
• 1960- While running for President, Sen. John F. Kennedy made a visit to MSU to speak on campus.
• 1961- Another famous face appears on MSU's campus; Douglas MacArther was the commencement speaker
• 1962- A new commercial center, Brookfield Plaza, was constructed at East Grand River Ave and Hagadorn Roads.
• 1963- E.L. adds a new library on Abbott Road. It was dedicated on April 21st.
• 1963- Culture and beauty were brought to downtown. The first Sidewalk Art Festival was initiated by Mike Bidwell. Today this event is one of the largest art festivals in the State.
• 1963- Construction on 1,000 primarily student apartment units were constructed in two year period. Construction was completed in 1967
• 1964- East Lansing High School's football team became State Champions.
• 1965- The new and improved City Hall is dedicated.
• 1965- The campus Fire Station found a new home on Shaw Lane.
• 1965- Martin Luther King visits MSU and spoke on campus in February.
• 1967- After the snowstorm of the century, a record 24 inches of snow, MSU has its first snow day. This was the first time in history MSU closed.
• 1968- EL residents could finally enjoy alcohol by the glass.
• 1968- More schools sprung up in EL. MacDonald Middle School was dedicated on May 19.
• 1969- Jacobsons Department Store began construction on a new 3-story retail sotre in the 300 block of E. Grand River Avenue.
• 1969- The first "Pigs vs. Freaks" (area Police vs. local "long hairs") football game held at East Lansing High School football field. Subsequent games have been held at Spartan Stadium. Thousands of dollars have been raised for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

• 1970- As East Lansing continued to grow a need for another Post Office grows too. The new Post Office opens at 1140 Abbott Road.
• 1970- East Lansing established a District Court.
• 1970- Jacobsons opened a new store in 300 block of Grand River Ave.
• 1972- Vote or Die. 18 year olds are given the right to vote.
• 1973- Beggar's Banquet one of the first restaurant/bars opens in downtown.
• 1973- East Lansing High School welcomes women's varsity sports.
• 1973- Walter Cronkite was MSU's commencement speaker
• 1975- MSU goes swimming. 100 year Flood hit the area in the spring, putting much of campus under water.
• 1976- Jack Patricarche, City's longest serving City Manager retires after 29 as City Manager.
• 1976– El Azteco opened at its original basement location in 100 block of M.A.C. Ave.
• 1978- Dayton Hudson Mall proposal was defeated at the polls.
• 1978- E.L. suffered another major snowstorm in January. It snowed 15 inches.
• 1979– A second vote approves a smaller mall on the site.
• 1984- Meijers built on site proposed Dayton Hudson Mall. This more or less kicked off the on-going development trend in the northern tier area of the city.

• 1981– City Adopted second Comprehensive Plan.
• 1985- East Lansing loses its State Theatre to demolition.
• 1984- The moving house moved again. Chester Woodbury mansion moved from Ann St to M.A.C. Ave.
• 1986- University Place with a Holiday Inn construction began. Work started in area east of Ann Street plaza.
• 1989- 54-B district Court moves into new facility at corner of Abbott Road and Linden St. Second Judge starts in January of 1990.

• 1995– The Downtown East Lansing Urban Design Plan was completed. This was a joint project of the East Lansing Downtown Development Authority and the East Lansing Arts Commission.
• 1996– Grand River Avenue was completely renovated with changes in street configuration and improved streetscape elements.
• 1996- Acquired Harrison Meadow Park and former Eyde property in 1996.
• 1997 – Downtown Alle’ improvement projects began the process of beautifying the Grand River Avenue Alle’ by converting utilities from above ground to below ground and adding decorative paving, landscaping, public art, improved lighting and benches.
• 1998- Soccer Park was acquired. It opened in September
• 1999- The Soccer Park opened in September, southwest of the former Davis Airport.
• 1998– The first phase of the Northern Tier Trail (2 miles long) was completed and was formally dedicated in the fall of 1999.
• 1999– Acquired Softball Complex and the Aquatic park.

• 2000- The Softball complex opened in the summer.
• 2000– The East Lansing Arts Commission dedicates the sculpture Andromeda, by artist Anthony Frudakis, in the 500 block of the East Grand River Avenue median.
• 2000– The East Lansing Clock Tower was built in Ann Street Plaza. It was donated to the Envision East Lansing Capital Development Campaign by the Ballein Family and the Hicks Family.
• 2000– Jacobson’s leaves downtown East Lansing and moves to Meridian Mall in the fall.
• 2001- The Aquatic Center opened on Chandler Road.
• 2001– The City Center Development was completed offering the first owner-occupied residential condominiums in the Downtown.
• 2002- January saw dedication of East Lansing Hannah Community Center (originally first free-standing High School).
• 2003- Major renovations to the East Lansing High School were approved.
• 2004– The Envision East Lansing Children’s Sculpture Garden, located in Fountain Square, was completed thanks to donations from many local individuals, families and businesses.
• 2005– Department of Public Works and Environmental Services moves to new State Road facility in the spring.
• 2005- The newly remodeled High School opened.
• 2005– East Lansing was awarded with a State “Cool Cities” designation for its Pedestrian Technology Connection project.