Grand Rapids Police Dept., 1875

George E. Fitch

The ground floor of this brick building, located at the corner of Monroe Ave. and Ionia St. NW, is occupied by the grocers Rice & Moore. Bushel baskets of produce are stacked on the boardwalk on both sides of the front door where three men are standing. Two others stand to the right of the door on the boardwalk and another, in shirtsleeves, stands to the left of the building. A double gas lamp can be seen through the left front window. At the far right a stairway leads to the upper two floors, and a small sign indicates Police Headquarters can be found there. Probably the light outside the second-floor window at the far right indicates the Police offices. Windows on the seconds and third floors are open indicating warm weather. Three large horizontal signs are painted on the left side of the building. A closed awning can be seen over the entrance. The drop from the boardwalk to the street shows its foundation, and there is a ramp leading up from street level at the lower left corner.