TL/DR –
The LEGO Users Club has built a miniature representation of 1920s Grand Rapids, which is currently displayed at the city’s public museum. The miniature city includes operating streetcars, the Blue and Pearl Street Bridges, plus the old city hall and other historical structures. The exact number of bricks used to create the replica is unknown, but it is estimated to be around one million.
LEGO Replica of 1920s Grand Rapids on Display at City Museum
A LEGO display, replicating historic Grand Rapids, is currently on view at the city’s public museum. This miniaturized version of the ‘Furniture City’ precisely portrays the town’s aesthetics from the 1920s.
Larry Pieniazek, a builder from the Western Michigan LEGO Users Club, said, “People often ask if I work for LEGO. I don’t, but I contribute a sizeable part of my paycheck to them.”
The LEGO-built city, introduced in 2014, has seen yearly additions like the Blue and Pearl Street Bridges, spanning across an 18,000 LEGO-brick representation of the Grand River.
The LEGO creators practiced ‘selective compression’ – omitting repetitive elements for time and space to craft a period-appropriate depiction of Grand Rapids set in 1926. The slightly compressed model, including the McKay Tower, is remarkably authentic, “It looks just like the real deal,” Pieniazek said.
The model, featuring old city hall, Hoffman Flats, Morton Hotel, the Meyer May House, and many other buildings, pays homage to the rich history of Furniture City.
While the exact count of bricks used in the display remains undetermined, Pieniazek estimates it could be near a million.
The historically accurate LEGO replica will be exhibited at the Grand Rapids Public Museum till January 5 and will return in Fall 2024.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube
—
Read More US News