GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Construction crews are working to fill a sinkhole that revealed a century-old mine under Grand Rapids.
The sinkhole is along the west side of the Grand River near the Blue Bridge and the Grand Valley State University Eberhard Center. GVSU officials say it’s being caused by the flow of dirt into the old William T. Powers gypsum mine. The sinkhole is at the mine’s entry, where a shaft runs 100 feet down.
“There’s an open area (under the surface) that’s 50 feet across, so it’s probably in that area where there could be mine cave-in,” local historian Jim Winslow told 24 Hour News 8 Thursday.
To fix the sinkhole, crews removed some of the old timber that covered the mine shaft. The next step was to pour a gravel mix to cover the opening. GVSU officials will be installing a monitoring device to ensure there are no problems with the fix.
The mine was built in 1894. Though work there ended in 1909, the tunnels still run underground.
“I just think it’s kind of a neat part of history that is kind of, like you said, showing itself again,” Winslow, whose mother is a Powers and who has been researching the family for decades, said.
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