Journey to His Past

Marywood Academy, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Graduating Class of 1946

Kirk's mother, Elizabeth (first row, second from left), graduated from Marywood Academy in June, 1946.  Marywood Academy was a private catholic school, located on East Fulton Street, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  It was a four story building situated on beautifully, landscaped grounds. A picture of it as it was in 1944 can be found here.

The left side of the building was where the classrooms and rooms for boarding students were. Elizabeth was a day student, meaning she went home after school.  The right side of the building was where the nuns lived.  The chapel was in the center on the first floor.

Kirk and I took a day and explored Grand Rapids.  We took pictures that were genealogical in nature.  The picture below is how Marywood looks now.  The 34 acre campus is no longer a school, but a home for Dominican Sisters.  Space is leased to a few community programs, such as Headstart.  Chapels, administrative offices, and a Health Center are located at Marywood.  The Dominican Center is here, too.  It is a place where groups can meet to hold retreats, conferences, etc.

The trees have grown since Kirk's mother attended, but Marywood is still in existence, much as it was in the 1940's.  It is a wonderful piece of Grand Rapids history and one of our family's history as well.