photograph
Catalog Number
2023.59.8Description
Holland Sentinel photograph showing a group of girls marching westward on east 8th Street during a Tulip Time parade in 1959. On the right, a section of S.S. Kresge (12 east 8th) is visible, followed by Miller Jones Co. (18 east 8th), Alexanders (20-22 east 8th) and Williams Jewelers (24 east 8th).History
The S.S. Kresge Company was located at 12 East 8th Street. They opened their Holland location ca. 1929 (city directory). In those early years Kresge's advertised as a 5 & 10c store.Max L. Hunter (1901-1957) was the store manager in 1931. By 1934 Gilbert Laubscher (1902-1985) had taken over this position.
In 1954 Kresge's expanded their East 8th Street location. Elzinga and Volkers, Inc. received the contract for expansion, adding an addition of 47' wide x 125' deep, doubling the store's space. By 1956 a soda fountain had been added (Holland Sentinel, 1-18-1956).
By 1970, business at the Holland store had declined so much that on December 31 they closed their doors (Holland Sentinel, 11-16-1970).
The Holland Sentinel got its start in July of 1896 as the Holland Daily Sentinel. They were located on the 2nd floor of the McBride Building, on the southwest corner of River Ave and West 8th (Reader's World today). The founder was Rev. Nellis E. Klock (1831-1911).
Rev. Klock moved his newspaper ca. 1898 to 190 East 8th Street (1897-1898 Hollan city directory). Still known as the Holland Daily Sentinel it would remain at this location through 1905. Roland Eisley (1869-1940) became the newspaper's editor ca. 1899. By 1906 Eisley had moved the newspaper to 21 East 8th Street (1906 city directory). He continued to operate the newspaper through 1908.
By 1910 the newspaper was located at 179 River Ave. and Ben Van Raalte, Jr. (1876-1953) served as president. The Holland Daily Sentinel would remain here through 1928, the year Charles A. French (1853-1948) purchased the newspaper. That same year French changed the name to the Holland Evening Sentinel.
The year 1929 saw a change in location of the newspaper. On May 4, 1929 the Sentinel moved into its current home at 54-56 West 8th Street. The Charles A. French family operated the newspaper from 1928 to 1977.
In 1977 new ownership, Stauffer Communications, brought a change in how the newspaper was prepared. Since the 1920s linotype machines, metal print plate and hot lead were used. These were replaced by electronic typesetting machines, computers and plastic plates.