Monroe Center in the 1800s
Thursday, December 20, 2012 12:36 PM
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Louis Campau, considered by many to the founder and "father" of Grand Rapids. Camapu lived from August 11, 1791 to April 13, 1871, and was an important figure in the early settlement of not just Grand Rapids, but he established the first trading post in Saginaw as early as 1815. He also fought in the War of 1812 and played a key role in negotiating the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819. In 1826, Campau established a trading post in what is today downtown Grand Rapids. In 1831, he bought what is now the entire downtown business district from the federal government for $90.