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2018 Spring Drive
By Mary Petersen


The day started out cool but three of the five cars that drove to Grand Rapids decided to have their tops down. Randy and Bev Glanders, Kai and Michelle Shepherd, Keith and Mary Wishmeier, Mike Scullion and Bob and Mary Petersen went on the trip. After meeting at Eleni’s Restaurant on SR 933 for breakfast at 8:00, the group
left for Grand Rapids at 9:00. The breakfast was tasty and we were all excited to embark on our trip.


It was a gorgeous spring morning. The trees were blooming and everything was green. It was a welcome sight after the long winter. After a couple of stops for gas and breaks, we made it to Grand Rapids without any problems. We decided to eat lunch at the Gravity Tap House Grill.


Delicious food and drinks at the Gravity Tap House Grill in Grand Rapids.


The next stop was the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. There were many visitors to the garden on this sunny, warm day.



Bob, Randy and Bev enjoyed seeing the cactus is the desert room.

 


Kai and Michelle taking a break in the shade

 


Taking in the beautiful Japanese Gardens.

 


Bob and Randy in the snack bar after the tour; the ceiling was covered with
Chihuly glass flowers.

 



After a full day of driving and walking, the group enjoyed dinner at Old Chicago Pizza and Pasta.


After dinner, we went back to the Country Inn and Suites where some of us visited in Kai and Michelle’s room. Before retiring for the evening, Kai, Bob and Keith enjoyed a cigar out on the grounds.


Day two started out overcast and chilly. After eating breakfast at our hotel, Country Inn and Suites, the group set out across town for our tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright-Meyer May House located at 450 Madison Ave SE in Grand Rapids.
When we arrived, we tried to park our cars for a photo op at the side of the house.


Frank Lloyd Wright-Meyer May House


As we were arranging the cars, one of the neighbors, who was watching us from across the street seemed very interested. We told him that we were going to tour the Meyer May House and wanted to take a photo. He said that he also owned a Frank Lloyd house a block away and would let us take a photo in his driveway if we would like to. He also asked if we would like a little tour of his house. After we parked our cars, we walked up the block where he and his wife were gardening. His wife took us for a short tour through the house. It was beautiful and still being remodeled in a few rooms.

It was getting close to our tour time so we thanked the couple for their gracious hospitality and walked back to our original destination.

Open to the public in 1987 and meticulously restored, the Meyer May house offers a rare opportunity to experience an original Prairie house as Wright envisioned it. The Meyer May house is the most completely restored of Wright’s homes.
After months of interviews and intensive study of reference materials, work began to restore the interior and exterior to its original design. The restoration took two years. The work included removal of a 1922 addition, rebuilding the roof to restore its cantilevered design, replacing all the plaster ceilings, restoring a Niedecken mural under six layers of paint, cleaning and repairing more than 100 art glass windows and skylights, completely recreating the interior with original pieces and exacting reproductions, and recreating the landscape to its 1909 design.


Meyer May House

 


Walking in front of the house

 

The back of the Meyer May house



Randy admiring the dining room

 

Looking out to the garden

 



Bob admiring the beautiful living room with stained glass.

 

The fire place mortar was made from reflective glass.



The garden at the rear of the house was just starting to bloom




Relaxing on the covered porch


After the tour, we needed to get on the road to South Bend as the day was getting away from us. The sky had gotten brighter so the tops stayed down as we started our trip home. We decided to stop for a fast lunch at Culvers. The 2018 Spring Drive was enjoyable to everyone who went. Thanks to Keith and Mary Wishmeier for planning this fun trip!

 
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