This rugged and worn stamp from the north side of Larned Street between Jones and Holmes seems hopelessly illegible at first blush. A comparison with other stamps, however, reveals that it is probably a William Meister stamp from 1921.
This stamp from William Meister is on the northwest corner of North Hayford Avenue and Fernwood Street, facing Fernwood. (Google Maps thinks Fernwood is an Avenue but all the street signs I’ve seen have it as Street. I’ve found quite a few of these Street/Avenue discrepancies.) There’s another one a bit further west on Fernwood, the same year.
My previous entry on William Meister referenced an old Lansing State Journal article I had found which reported that Meister and Fred Johnson would be constructing a new cobblestone entrance to Moores Park from Woodlawn Avenue, one which promised to be “one of the most attractive and artistic of any in any of the municipal walks.” I remarked in that entry, “I am not very familiar with Moores Park, so I don’t know what the walk in question looks like today.” Now seems like a good time to mention that I later checked the Google Street View of the Woodlawn entrance to Moores Park and could plainly see the sloping cobblestone-lined path. It is indeed attractive. It would lead one right to the Moores Memorial Natatorium, a historic and impressive-looking raised pool currently threatened with demolition.
Here’s an interesting one (another 1924 stamp, like yesterday’s) on the north side of Eureka Street between Jones and Bingham. I wish I had kicked that cigarette butt out of the way. It was getting dark and I was worried about losing the light, so I must not have noticed it. Well, it adds authenticity. The curving layout is something I notice mainly in stamps from the 1920s and earlier, though occasionally it pops up in newer ones, like one of the variations of Able Construction.
In an August 11, 1928 advertisement in the Lansing State Journal classified pages, I find this: “CEMENT WORK Of all kinds. Phone 2793. 609 N. Grand River. Wm Meister.” There is no such address as 609 N. Grand River today, but Grand River’s routing is such a mess in that part of town that the spot in question has very likely received a new address since the 1920s and might be on a different street entirely.
I also find this interesting brief news item:
In Fred Johnson and William Meister, the city park board has found a happy combination for the building and laying of a new entrance to Moores Park from Woodlawn Avenue. Johnson, fireplace builder and expert stone mason, and Meister, cement worker, volunteered for the job. Both have been employed for years in Lansing in contracting work in their line. According to Lee Bancroft, city forester, the new walk will be one of the most attractive and artistic of any in any of the municipal walks. The walk leads from Woodlawn Avenue down a grade into the east part of the park. Because of the grade several landings will be made. The whole length of the new walk is about 55 feet. Cobble, or field stones, are being used by Johnson for the sides of the walk and for ornamental purposes. Meister is laying the landings and steps. The walks wind down into the park by easy stages and nearly all of it is under fine old trees. Following the completion of the walk the park board plans to embower the walk with shrubs and ornamental bushes. An artistic approach of pergola effect is to ornament the head of the walk at Woodlawn Avenue.
Lansing State Journal, July 7, 1927
Today I learned that “embower” is a word. I am not very familiar with Moores Park, so I don’t know what the walk in question looks like today. I will have to go over there and look for it sometime.
I can find a William Meister buried in Hillside Cemetery in Delta Mills. He lived 1872 to 1935. This could be our Mr. Meister. Then again, it could well have been a common name at the time, or this could be a relative. And sadly, that’s all I can tell you about William Meister.
Today’s stamp is on the east side of South Clemens Avenue between Kalamazoo and Elizabeth. Unfortunately, it’s mostly illegible, except for the date.
The name looks to me to start with the initial J., have a second initial which is possibly an H, and end with “Feister.” I’m very unsure about the F, but “-eister” I’m more confident about. Underneath it is another line seemingly starting with L and possibly consisting of three letters. And then the date, a relatively clear 1928.
I tried searching for a combination of “cement” or “concrete” and “Feister” in The Lansing State Journal with no luck.
Update 3/31/21: I bet this is actually Wm. Meister.