Map
Contains locations of all civil defense public fallout shelters and Chrysler air raid sirens in Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan
RED markers indicate a former shelter location with no supplies or signage remaining
FALLOUT markers indicate a location with signage in place and/or shelter supplies still at the site
YELLOW indicates a site I have not visited yet
SIREN indicates a building formerly housing a Chrysler air raid siren
Data from Emergency Operations Planning Report prepared by Michigan State Police, March 1983
Grand Rapids City Archives
RED markers indicate a former shelter location with no supplies or signage remaining
FALLOUT markers indicate a location with signage in place and/or shelter supplies still at the site
YELLOW indicates a site I have not visited yet
SIREN indicates a building formerly housing a Chrysler air raid siren
Data from Emergency Operations Planning Report prepared by Michigan State Police, March 1983
Grand Rapids City Archives
The Blackport Building
This building, located in the East Hills neighborhood, was originally a meat packing facility. The owner was kind enough to give me tour of the old shelter space in the basement.
Alabastine Mine / Michigan Natural Storage
This 11,000 capacity shelter was an old gypsum mine originally hand-dug in the early 20th century. It operated until 1943. In the late 1950s it was converted into an underground warehouse. The owner showed me several Office of Civil Defense shelter medical kits still down in the mine at the ready.
Coldbrook Pumping Station
Coldbrook is still pumping as of 2014 and shares its space with a training facility for the Grand Rapids Fire Department. Below is information on this building courtesy of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission.
Wellspring Church
Originally Wealthy Street Baptist Temple this church was the home to what later became Cornerstone University. Only one exterior sign remains on the south side of the structure. For more on this building and its famous designer, Pierre Lindhout, please visit this site.
Congress Elementary
One-hundred and sixty-five people could have taken shelter in this school had the need ever arisen. Thankfully, it did not. Today there are several exterior signs visible, as well as several interior signs. This building has the best preserved civil defense signage of any building I have seen in Grand Rapids. As far as I can tell every single interior and exterior sign is still up and relatively undamaged.
central High School
Built in 1910 and expanded several times over the decades its notable alumni include Roger Chaffee, Terry Barr and Betty Ford. There is no exterior signage remaining on this iconic Grand Rapids high school. On the interior no fallout shelter signs remain but there were several air raid shelter signs; likely holdouts from the WWII era. On the walls above the two boiler rooms was a 10 inch by 14 inch hole in the paint where a DoD FS No.2 sign had once hung.
Michigan national bank parking
Please check back later for more information on this location.
Imperial Furniture Company
Only one exterior sign on the south side of the 1936 addition to the facility remains in place. All interior signs and supplies are gone.
Please see below for more information on Imperial Furniture Co courtesy of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission.
Please see below for more information on Imperial Furniture Co courtesy of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission.
People's Building
Built in 1916 as the Grand Rapids Savings Bank the People's Building is now home to First Community Bank as well as several radio stations.
Below is an image of the People's Building in the 1920s; courtesy of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission.