Scope and Contents The John M. Gram papers contain one copy of the typescript, “Historical Development of the Grand River Road, East Lansing, Michigan.” Grand River Road was originally formed from Indian trails. The first roads were made in the corduroy fashion; commonly built by beds of branches covered with soil. The next roads were plank roads; with the Howell Plank Road Company constructing the plank road to the Capitol in 1850-1853. After the failure of plank roads, gravel was placed down as a road in...