Baxter Award




In May each year, the Albert E. Baxter Award is presented at the annual banquet and meeting of the Grand Rapids Historical Society.  The award was created by the Society in 1980 to honor persons who have made significant contributions to the preservation and interpretation of Grand River Valley history.  


The Baxter Award is named after Albert Baxter author of the History of the City of Grand Rapids published in November, 1890.  


This was not the first history of Grand Rapids published, but this 840-page book set the standard for every Grand Rapids historian that followed, especially in the author's painstaking attention to correct details.

Baxter wrote this about his
personal history in the book:

" Waymarks along the path of his experience are sketched by himself to make sure of their correctness." And in the preface: "It has cost three years of labor and waiting: in part pleasurable and in part vexatious and tantalizing."



2008 Baxter Award


It seems as though Diana Barrett has exploded onto the stage of our local history community when she launched the Grand Rapids Historical Commission's virtual archive.  But Barrett has been laboring in the field for a long time.  

After retirement, she started doing research digging into her family history and genealogy.   With this work, she honed her research and writing skills and began presenting papers and programs at Grand Valley State University's Great Lakes History Conferences and for historical societies, including the
Grand Rapids Historical Society
in February, and to area clubs.

She readily shares what she has learned about researching with others, especially by participating in the workshops organized by the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council and mentoring novice researchers.

As a member of the Grand Rapids Historical Commission, she has been the main force envisioning, creating, and maintaining the Commission's new website.  This online archive, developed by Barrett, is important in the Commission's effort to locate and  preserve photos and documents illustrating community history.   Many of the photos and documents on this site have not been donated to an archive or museum, but, after digitally sharing them, the families or organizations retain the original material.   

Another project of historical importance is Barrett's research into a collection from World War I held now in the Grand Rapids Public Library archives.  


This collection of survey cards taken by the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense has been lurking in the archives for many years.  With about 20,000 Grand Rapids women filling out these cards, they are a treasure trove of information on the education, family, health, and work skills of the women of that time.    Since her work on this, Barrett has been talking and writing about the importance of this collection and has organized a Grand Rapids Public Library database cataloging the data for use by researchers.

Because of both her thorough research work and her work at getting history “out there,”  Diana Barrett is an apt choice for the 2008 Baxter Award.





Past  Baxter  Award  Recipients


1980      Homer Burch
For his Lifelong study of the Grand River, created Grand River archives
that is now housed at the Rockford Public Library.

1981      Sr. Marie Heyda
For her career in teaching  history at Aquinas College, and for service on
Grand Rapids Historical Society Board of Trustees and for publication of
several articles on Grand Rapids history.

1982      William A. Johnson
Former Grand Rapids Police Chief and City Commissioner. A Lifelong student
of history who helped establish City Historian position.

1983      Gerald Elliot
Grand Rapids Press writer who authored Grand Rapids: Renaissance
On The Grand.

1984      Rev. John Whalen McGee
Author of Bend In The River, a history of Granville, and History of Catholic Church In Grand River Valley, as well as a history of Irish in West Michigan.

1985      Frank Dumond
Longtime director of Public Museum of Grand Rapids, and while director he developed turnoff the century Gaslight Village

1986      Barbara Roelofs
Historic preservation activist who was one of founders of Heritage Hill
Historic District

1987      Richard Flanders
An archaeologist at Grand Valley State University who studied Norton
Indian Mounds.

1988      Mary Ann Edmond
Grand Rapids Public School teacher who researched and wrote about local
African American Community and Underground Railroad in Michigan.

1989      W.D.  Frankforter
   As Public Museum director he was responsible for numerous exhibits
   featuring local ethnic groups.

1990      Mary Jane Dockeray, Ph. D
   Developed Blandford Nature Center, including the historic structures and
   planned historic activities.

1991      William Bennett
   Author of a history of East Grand Rapids.

1992      J. Wagner Wheeler
   Director of Grand Rapids Inter-Tribal Council and founder of Michigan
   Indian Press.

1993      Evelyn M. Sawyer
   Genealogist and volunteer at Grand Rapids Public Library, responsible for
   numerous local genealogical indexes and publications.

1994      Melvin C. Goolsby
   Local African American historian and genealogist.

1995      Herbert Brinks, Ph. D
   Calvin College professor, head of Heritage Collection, and author of
   Write Back Soon, Letters from Dutch immigrants in America.

1996      Eduard A. Skendzel, Ph. D
   Author of numerous books on Polish in Michigan and creator of Skendzel
   Collection of Michigan Polish history material at Grand Rapids Public Library.

1997      Jane H. Idema
   Founder of Aquinas College Emeritus College, and  Greater Grand Rapids
   Women's History Council.

1998      Richard Harms, Ph. D
   Archivist at Grand Rapids Public Library and Calvin College, author of Grand
   Rapids Goes To War: The Home Front In World War II, and numerous
   articles on local history.

1999      Jo Ellyn Clarey
Women's history activist who organized 100th year celebration of Women's    Suffrage Convention in Grand Rapids.

2000      Rev. Dennis Morrow
                       Expert on historic houses of Grand Rapids, created  historic houses of
                       Grand Rapids archives at Grand Rapids Public Library.

2001      Edward V. Gillis
Author of Growing Up In Old Lithuanian Town.

2002      Gordon Olson
Grand Rapids City Historian for 23 years and author of numerous books
on city history.

2003      Charles Bocskey
Longtime president of Grand Rapids Historical Society responsible for energizing annual lecture series, expanding membership and increasing financial support.

2004      Bruce and Marcia Butgereit
Conceivers of the restoration of the Kent County Civil War Monument and dedicated local historians.

2005      Bill Cunningham
25 years of dedicated work in the creation and development of the

2006     Dr. Carl Bajema
GVSU Professor, collector, historian and Grand Rapids Historical Commission member.  Dr. Bajema's major contribution is the Bajema Newspaper Collection in the Grand Rapids Public Library archives.  The collection contains early newspaper articles on subjects from African Americans to Police and Fire, Baseball, Bicycles, and from Women to the Labor Movement.

2007      John Logie
Three term mayor and strong voice for historic preservation as a tool for economic revitalization for Grand Rapids.  His policies established several historic districts as well as intimate involvement in the creation of the Heritage Hill Association and the Local Historic District Act.