Medical Mile in Grand Rapids in Kent County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Scale Model of La Grande Vitesse
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
1. Scale Model of La Grande Vitesse Marker
This is a 1/23rd scale model of the giant sculpture created specifically for Vandenberg Center by the great American artist, Alexander Calder.
The Calder Stabile is the first work of monumental public art in American history to be financed jointly by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts ($45,000) and by contributions from the community ($85,000). No local tax monies were used.
The Grand Rapids Calder is painted a brilliant red-orange. It is titled "La Grande Vitesse," which translated literally means "The Great Swiftness," or more freely "The Grand Rapids." It is 54 feet long, 43 feet high and weighs 84,000 pounds.
The Calder was dedicated June 14, 1969. It has become the uniquely identifiable symbol of Grand Rapids.
This model was rendered by Hetzer Hartsock and contributed through the Keller Fund in 1975.
Erected 1975.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical date for this entry is June 14, 1969.
Location. 42° 58.114′ N, 85° 40.218′ W. Marker is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in Kent County. It is in Medical Mile. It is
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in West Michigan. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: La Grande Vitesse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Courthouse Clock Tower (about 400 feet away); Village of Grand Rapids (about 500 feet away); Mayor Lyman S. Parks (about 500 feet away); Vandenberg Center / Arthur Hendrick Vandenberg (about 600 feet away); Adulation: The Future of Science (approx. 0.2 miles away); Arthur H. Vandenberg (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rosa Louise Parks (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Rapids.
Photographed by Joel Seewald, April 5, 2024
2. Scale Model of La Grande Vitesse Marker
The plaque on the left contains the text in Braille.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2024, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 288 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 31, 2024, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
