The May 16, 1940, State Journal has a “Notice to Property Owners of Sidewalk Construction” for a large number of properties on Lenawee, Washtenaw, and Gordon Avenue, all on the west side. I see such notices a lot in the 1910s, but not so often this far into the century. The official verbiage used is nearly the same as it was 25 years previous: “Resolved by the city council of that it Is a necessary public Improvement…” but instead of saying that “a sidewalk shall be constructed” this commands that a sidewalk shall be “repaired.” So evidently, someone had laid a lot of bum walk on Lenawee and Gordon, since it was already in such need of repair by 1940. Also of interest is that the resolution was brought by an Alderman Schneeberger; I don’t know if he was any relation to the E. Schneeberger whose name turns up in 1920s sidewalk markings.
N. Magnolia Ave., Oren Morse, 1940
This stamp is on the west side of North Magnolia Avenue between Michigan and Vine. I can find references to Mr. and Mrs. Oren Morse, mostly in the society pages, in the (Lansing) State Journal around this time period, but nothing much of interest.
On November 6, 1956, Oren Morse advertised in the classifieds seeking to sell “Purebred Holstein, cows and heifers. Will sell herd or separate.” What is with the overlap between sidewalk contractors and cow breeders?
