Just a quick entry this time… a few weeks ago one of the Mindfield designers brought in the photo below. It is a picture of her great great great grandparents. He was a veteran of the Civil War and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Note the pins they are both wearing.
His pin is similar to the logo laid out in tile on the lobby floor of the G.A.R. building. Hers is for a Ladies Aid group which supported the G.A.R. We’re hoping to put more faces to the words “Civil War veteran” as we build out the memorial at the building. The photos of John and Mary Pool are just a few of them.
Work continues on on Grand River and Cass…look for updates soon on the stonework and roofing.
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The G.A.R. building was purchased by the media production firm Mindfield from the City of Detroit in November, 2011. Mindfield has started renovating the G.A.R., with opening slated for November 2014. Mindfield plans to occupy the top two floors itself, lease the ground floor for 2 restaurants, and dedicate a memorial to Civil War Veterans.
The G.A.R. Building was designed by architect Julian Hess, and constructed at 1942 West Grand River and Cass as an appropriate structure for meetings and other G.A.R. related activities. The original construction cost was split between the Grand Army of the Republic (who paid $6000 of the cost) and the city of Detroit (who paid the remainder of the $44,000 total cost). Construction commenced in 1897 on the five-story building.
