History
A smartphone tour in to Grand Rapids' past!
{"tour_id":"1","name":"History","photo":"history_tour_cover.png","description":"<p>A smartphone tour in to Grand Rapids' past!<\/p>\r\n","stop_display":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20"],"map":"history_map_print.pdf","story_credit":"Stories are brought to you by the Grand Rapids Historical Commision and WYCE, a service of Grand Rapids Community Media Center.","stop_order":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12"],"first_stop":{"stop_id":"2","name":"McKay Tower","photo":"mckaytower.jpg","intro_text":"You at the crossroads of Monroe Ave, Monroe Center, and Pearl Street, the location of McKay Tower","content":"<p>Though originally only two stories tall when it was built in 1890, McKay Tower became Grand Rapids&#39; first skyscraper when it was expanded in 1927. It is a cornerstone of Monroe Center, the defacto center of town, on a once-popular streetcar line.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Some facts<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Monroe Center, which runs from Division Ave. to Pearl St. was originally Monroe Street, named for President James Monroe.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>During bad weather in the early days of the city, Monroe Street was often a heavy, wet bed of clay, and the only sidewalks were wooden planks that individual merchants placed in front of their stores.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Cobblestones were used to pave Monroe St. when the first brick sewer was laid in 1855. Previously drainage was limited to wooden sewer pipes or open ditches.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The 9 foot tall bronze statue in front of McKay Tower honors local resident, Arthur H. Vandenberg, senator from Michigan from 1928-1951, who was a key player in the forming of the United Nations<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n","flickr":"mckaytower","flickr_set_id":"72157625575219923","sign_id":"AD21001","tour_id":"1","stop_number":"1","bonus":"0","highlight":"1","highlight_img":"mckay_tower.png","highlight_text":"<p>Though originally only two stories tall when it was built in 1890, McKay Tower became Grand Rapids&#39; first skyscraper when it was expanded in 1927. It is a cornerstone of Monroe Center, the defacto center of town, on a once-popular streetcar line.<\/p>\r\n","directions_to_next_stop":"<ol>\r\n\t<li>Cross Pearl St. At Crosswalk headed north.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Turn left and Cross Monroe Ave.&nbsp;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Turn right and Proceed north towards middle of the block \/ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n","map_to_next_stop":"history_1_2.png","sign":{"sign_id":"AD21001","name":"McKay Tower","lat":"42.966310","lng":"-85.671883","burnt":"0","stop_ids":["2"]},"tour":{"tour_id":"1","name":"History","photo":"history_tour_cover.png","description":"&lt;p&gt;A smartphone tour in to Grand Rapids&amp;#39; past!&lt;\/p&gt;\r\n","stop_display":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12","13","14","15","16","17","18","19","20"],"map":"history_map_print.pdf","story_credit":"Stories are brought to you by the Grand Rapids Historical Commision and WYCE, a service of Grand Rapids Community Media Center.","stop_order":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","11","12"]},"stop_number_display":"1"}}
Art Around the Corner
Grand Rapids is an art-filled city! While your are taking it all in, use your smart phone to grab the QR codes to get the backstory on some of the city's favorite public sculptures
{"tour_id":"2","name":"Art Around the Corner","photo":"art_tour_cover.png","description":"<p>Grand Rapids is an art-filled city! While your are taking it all in, use your smart phone to grab the QR codes to get the backstory on some of the city's favorite public sculptures<\/p>\r\n","stop_display":["A","B","C","D","E","F","G","H","I","J","K","L","M","N","O","P","Q","R","S","T","U","V","W","X","Y","Z"],"map":"art_map_printv2.pdf","story_credit":"Stories brought to you by WYCE, a service of Grand Rapids Community Media Center.","stop_order":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10"],"first_stop":{"stop_id":"16","name":"Motu Viget","photo":"motu_viget.png","intro_text":"You are at Motu Viget, a public sculpture just northwest of La Grande Vitesse","content":"<p><em>Motu Viget <\/em>was commissioned by the U.S. General Services Administration for the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building way back in 1977. It was created by internationally reknowned &nbsp;sculptor Mark di Suvero, who is known for his large scale public art works that are designed to interact with the wind, their sorroundings, and the audience. Feel free to take a spin on the sculptures tire swing!&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<h2>Some Facts<\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>&quot;Motu Viget&quot; is Grand Rapids&#39; official city motto, and is latin for &quot;Strength in Activity&quot;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>The final sculpture before you is actually quite different from the one proposed, and was nearly rejected as a result. A petition of more than 600 signatures and 400 letters from Grand Rapidians caused the General Services Adminstration to reconsider.&nbsp;<\/li>\r\n\t<li>This sculpture is 35&#39; high<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n","flickr":"motuviget","flickr_set_id":"72157629227841126","sign_id":"AC21003","tour_id":"2","stop_number":"1","bonus":"0","highlight":"1","highlight_img":"motu_viget.png","highlight_text":"<p>Motu Viget was commissioned by the U.S. General Services Administration for the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building in 1977. It was created by internationally reknowned &nbsp;sculptor Mark di Suvero, who is known for his large scale public art works that are designed to interact with the wind, their sorroundings, and the audience. Feel free to take a spin on the sculptures tire swing!&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n","directions_to_next_stop":"<ol>\r\n\t<li>Turn around and look for Southeast for &quot;The Big Red Thing.&quot; That is your next destination.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n","map_to_next_stop":"art_A-B.png","sign":{"sign_id":"AC21003","name":"Motu Viget","lat":"42.9699333377694","lng":"-85.6716764761963","burnt":"0","stop_ids":["16"]},"tour":{"tour_id":"2","name":"Art Around the Corner","photo":"art_tour_cover.png","description":"&lt;p&gt;Grand Rapids is an art-filled city! While your are taking it all in, use your smart phone to grab the QR codes to get the backstory on some of the city&amp;#39;s favorite public sculptures&lt;\/p&gt;\r\n","stop_display":["A","B","C","D","E","F","G","H","I","J","K","L","M","N","O","P","Q","R","S","T","U","V","W","X","Y","Z"],"map":"art_map_printv2.pdf","story_credit":"Stories brought to you by WYCE, a service of Grand Rapids Community Media Center.","stop_order":["1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10"]},"stop_number_display":"A"}}
