Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids | ||
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FIPS code 26-34000 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0627105[3] | |
Website | GrandRapidsMI.gov |
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan.[4] At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,893,[5] making it the second-largest city in Michigan, after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the central city of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, which has a population of 1,087,592 and a combined statistical area population of 1,383,918.[2]
Located 161 miles (259 km) northwest of Detroit, Grand Rapids is situated along the Grand River approximately 25 miles (40 km) east of Lake Michigan, it is the economic and cultural hub of West Michigan, as well as one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest.[6] A historic furniture manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies and is nicknamed "Furniture City". Other nicknames include "River City". The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.
Grand Rapids was the childhood home of U.S. President Gerald Ford, who is buried with his wife Betty on the grounds of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in the city.[7] The city's Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Gerald R. Ford Freeway are named after him.
History
Nineteenth century: Native American and European-American settlement
Trading post
After the French established territories in Michigan,
In 1806, white trader Joseph La Framboise and his
The next spring, a delegation from the Potawatomi tribe brought the offender, Nequat, before Magdelaine for her sentence upon him for the death of her husband. It was their tradition for the victim's family to avenge deaths within that tribe. Magdelaine refused to sentence him and, in an act of forgiveness, told the Potawatomi tribe members to let him go and that God would be his judge. Though Magdelaine had forgiven Nequat, the tribe had not. Nequat's body was found stabbed with his own knife the next season.[9]
After the murder of her husband in 1806 while en route to Grand Rapids, Magdelaine La Framboise carried on the trade business, expanding fur trading posts to the west and north, creating a good reputation among the American Fur Company. La Framboise, whose mother was Odawa and father French, later merged her successful operations with the American Fur Company.[8]
Native American settlement
By 1810,
European settlement
In 1820, General Lewis Cass, who was on his way to negotiate the first Treaty of Chicago with a group of 42 men, commissioned Charles Christopher Trowbridge to establish missions for Native Americans in the Grand River Valley, in hopes of evangelizing them.[13][11] In 1821, the Council of Three Fires signed the first Treaty of Chicago, ceding to the United States all lands in Michigan Territory south of the Grand River, except for several small reservations, and required a native to prepare land in the area to establish a mission.[11][14] The treaty also included "One hundred thousand dollars to satisfy sundry individuals, in behalf of whom reservations were asked, which the Commissioners refused to grant" of which Joseph La Framboise received 1,000 dollars immediately and 200 dollars a year, for life.[14] Madeline La Framboise retired the trading post to Rix Robinson in 1821 and returned to Mackinac.[8] That year, Grand Rapids was described as being the home of an Odawa village of about 50 to 60 huts on the north side of the river near the 5th Ward, with Kewkishkam being the village chief and Chief Noonday being the chief of the Odawa.[13]
The first permanent European-American settler in the Grand Rapids area was
Shortly after, Detroit-born Louis Campau, known as the official founder of Grand Rapids, was convinced by fur trader William Brewster, who was in a rivalry with the American Fur Company, to travel to Grand Rapids and establish trade there.[13] In 1826, Campau built his cabin, trading post, and blacksmith shop on the south bank of the Grand River near the rapids, stating the Native Americans in the area were "friendly and peaceable".[13] Campau returned to Detroit, then returned a year later with his wife and $5,000 of trade goods to trade with the Odawa and Ojibwa, with the only currency being fur.[13] Campau's younger brother Touissant would often assist him with trade and other tasks at hand.[13]
By 1834, the settlement had become more organized. Rev. Turner had established a school on the east side of the river, with children on the west side of the river being brought to school every morning by a Native American on a canoe who would shuttle them across the river. Multiple events happened at Guild's frame structure, including the first marriage in the city, one that involved his daughter Harriet Guild and Barney Burton, as well as the first town meeting that had nine voters. It was also this year Campau began constructing his own frame building—the largest at the time—near present-day Rosa Parks Circle.[13]
In 1835, many settlers arrived in the area with the population growing to about 50 people, including its first doctor, Dr. Wilson, who was supplied with equipment from Campau.[13] Lucius Lyon, using his knowledge from surveying the area, returned to Grand Rapids to purchase the rest of the prime land and called his plot the Village of Kent.[13][11] When Lyon and his partner N. O. Sergeant returned after their purchase, they arrived along with a posse of men carrying shovels and picks, intending to build a mill race. The group arrived to the music of a bugle which startled the settlement, with Chief Noonday offering Campau assistance to drive back Lyon's posse believing they were invaders. Also that year, Rev. Andrew Vizoisky, a Hungarian native educated in Catholic institutions in Austria, arrived, presiding over the Catholic mission in the area until his death in 1852.[13]
That year, Campau, Rix Robinson, Rev. Slater, and the husband of Chief Noonday's daughter, Meccissininni, traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak about the purchase of Odawa land on the west side of the river with President Andrew Jackson.[10] Jackson was originally unimpressed with Meccissininni, though Meccissininni, who often acquired white customs, asked Jackson for a similar suit to the one the president was wearing. While later wearing his suit that was made similar to Jackson's, Meccissininni also unknowingly imitated Jackson's hat, placing a piece of weed in it, which impressed Jackson since it symbolized mourning the death of his wife.[10]
The first Grand Rapids newspaper, The Grand River Times, was printed on April 18, 1837, describing the village's attributes, stating:[13]
Though young in its improvements, the site of this village has long been known and esteemed for its natural advantages. It was here that the Indian traders long since made their great depot.
The Grand River Times continued, saying the village had grown quickly from a few French families to about 1,200 residents, the Grand River was "one of the most important and delightful to be found in the country," and described the changing Native American culture in the area.[13]
Incorporation and cityhood
By 1838, the settlement incorporated as a village, and encompassed approximately .75 square miles (1.9 km2).[19]
An outcropping of gypsum, where Plaster Creek enters the Grand River, was known to the Native American inhabitants of the area. Pioneer geologist Douglass Houghton commented on this find in 1838.[20][21] Settlers began to mine this outcrop in 1841, initially in open cast mines, but later underground mines as well. Gypsum was ground locally for use as a soil amendment known as "land plaster."
The first formal census in 1845 recorded a population of 1,510
During the second half of the nineteenth century, the city became a major lumbering center, processing timber harvested in the region. Logs were floated down the Grand River to be milled in the city and shipped via the Great Lakes. The city became a center of fine wood products as well. By the end of the century, it was established as the premier furniture-manufacturing city of the United States.[26] It was the Centennial Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia that brought attention to Grand Rapids' furniture on the national stage, providing a new growing industry to help the city recover from the Panic of 1873.[27][28] In 1880, the country's first hydro-electric generator was put to use on the city's west side.[29]
Twentieth century: Furniture City
Due to its flourishing furniture industry, Grand Rapids began being recognized as "Furniture City". Grand Rapids was also an early center for the
Furniture companies included the William A. Berkey Company and its successors, Baker Furniture Company, Williams-Kimp, and Widdicomb Furniture Company.[30] The furniture industry began to grow significantly into the twentieth century; in 1870 there were eight factories employing 280 workers and by 1911, Old National Bank wrote that about 8,500 were employed by forty-seven factories.[27][31] At least a third of the workers in Grand Rapids were employed by furniture companies.[27]
Strike of 1911
By the early twentieth century, the quality of furniture produced in Grand Rapids was renowned throughout furniture industry, mainly due to the skill of its workers.
Workers in Grand Rapids then began a four month long general strike on April 19, 1911.[27][32] Much of the public, the mayor, the press and the Catholic diocese supported the strike, believing that the unwillingness of business leaders to negotiate was unjust. Skilled and unskilled factory labor was mainly Dutch (60 percent) and Polish (25 percent), primarily immigrants. According to the 1911 Immigration Commission report, the Dutch had an average of 8 percent higher wages than the Poles even when they did the same work. The pay difference was based on seniority and not ethnicity, but given that the Dutch had arrived earlier, seniority was linked to ethnicity.[27][31] Ultimately, the Christian Reformed Church – where the majority of Dutch striking workers congregated – and the Fountain Street Church – led opposition to the strike, which resulted in its end on August 19, 1911.[27][32]
The strike resulted with substantial changes to the governmental and labor structure of the city.
Move to retail and suburbanization
Shifting from its furniture-centric industry, downtown Grand Rapids temporarily became a retail destination for the region, hosting four department stores: Herpolsheimer's (
As with many older cities in the United States, retail in the city suffered as the population moved to suburbs in the postwar era with federal subsidization of highway construction. The Grand Rapids suburb Wyoming began to develop rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s following the opening of retail outlets such as Rogers Plaza and Wyoming Village Mall on 28th Street, with developments built so quickly that they were finished without utilities.[35] Consolidation of department stores occurred in Grand Rapids and nationally in the 1980s and 1990s.
Geography
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2009) |
Neighborhoods
According to city government data, Grand Rapids has 37 distinct neighborhoods:[36]
- Alger Heights
- Baxter
- Belknap Lookout
- Black Hills
- Creston
- Downtown
- East Hills
- Eastern-Burton
- Eastgate
- Eastown
- Fulton Heights
- Garfield Park
- Grandville
- Heartside
- Heritage Hill
- Highland Park
- John Ball Park
- Ken-O-Sha Park
- Lake Eastbrook
- Leffingwell-Twin Lakes
- Michigan Oaks
- Midtown
- Millbank
- North End
- North Park
- Northeast
- Ottawa Hills
- Richmond-Oakleigh
- Ridgemoor Park
- Roosevelt Park
- Shangrai-La
- Shawmut Hills
- Shawnee Park
- Southeast Community
- Southeast End
- Southwest
- West Grand
Topography
Grand Rapids developed on the banks of the
Grand Rapids is divided into four
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 45.27 square miles (117.25 km2), of which, 44.40 square miles (115.00 km2) of it is land and 0.87 square miles (2.25 km2) is water.[37]
Climate
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Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grand Rapids has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa),[39] with very warm and humid summers, cold and snowy winters, and short and mild springs and autumns.
Even though it is in the middle of the continent, the city experiences some maritime effects due to its location east of Lake Michigan, including a high number of cloudy days during the late fall and winter, delayed heating in the spring, delayed cooling in fall, somewhat moderated temperatures during winter and
The months of March, April, October and November are transitional months and the weather can vary. March has experienced a record high of 87 °F (31 °C) and record low of −13 °F (−25 °C). The average last frost date in spring is May 1, and the average first frost in fall is October 11, giving the area a growing season of 162 days.[41] The city is in plant hardiness zone 6a, while outlying areas are 5b. Some far western suburbs closer to the insulating effect of Lake Michigan are in zone 6b.[42] Summers are warm or hot, and heat waves and severe weather outbreaks are common during a typical summer.
The average temperature of the area is 49 °F (9 °C). The highest temperature in the area was recorded on July 13, 1936, at 108 °F (42 °C), and the lowest was recorded on February 13–14, 1899, at −24 °F (−31 °C).[43] During an average year, sunshine occurs in 46% of the daylight hours. On 138 nights, the temperature dips to below 32 °F (0 °C). On average, 9.2 days a year have temperatures that meet or exceed the 90 °F (32 °C) mark, and 5.6 days a year have lows that are 0 °F (−18 °C) or colder.
The coldest maximum temperature on record was −6 °F (−21 °C) in 1899, whereas the most recent subzero Fahrenheit daily maximum was −2 °F (−19 °C) in 1994.[44] During the reference period of 1991 to 2020, the coldest daily maximum on average was 11 °F (−12 °C).[44] Summer nights influenced by the lake can be hot and muggy on occasion. The warmest night on record was 82 °F (28 °C) in 1902 and lows above 72 °F (22 °C) have been measured in every month between April and October.[44] On average, the warmest low of the year stood at 74 °F (23 °C) for the 1991–2020 normals.[44]
The most recent record set was the February record high of 73 °F (23 °C), which was recorded on February 27, 2024.
In April 1956, the western and northern portions of the city and its suburbs were hit by a
With the Grand River flowing through the center of Grand Rapids, the city has been prone to floods. From March 25 to 29, 1904, more than one-half of the entire populated portion of the city lying on the west side of the river was completely underwater, over twenty-five hundred houses, affecting fourteen thousand persons, being completely surrounded. On March 28, the river registered at 19.6 feet (6.0 m), more than two feet (0.61 m) above its highest previous mark.[46]
More than one-hundred years later, the 2013 Grand Rapids flood occurred from April 12 to 25, 2013, with the river cresting at 21.85 feet (6.66 m) on the 21st, causing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes and over $10 million in damage.[47]
Climate data for Grand Rapids, Michigan (Gerald Ford Int'l), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present[a] | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
73 (23) |
87 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
102 (39) |
108 (42) |
102 (39) |
98 (37) |
89 (32) |
81 (27) |
69 (21) |
108 (42) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 51.3 (10.7) |
51.9 (11.1) |
67.9 (19.9) |
79.2 (26.2) |
86.0 (30.0) |
91.8 (33.2) |
92.5 (33.6) |
91.1 (32.8) |
87.8 (31.0) |
78.8 (26.0) |
65.3 (18.5) |
54.4 (12.4) |
94.3 (34.6) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 31.0 (−0.6) |
33.7 (0.9) |
44.5 (6.9) |
57.8 (14.3) |
69.8 (21.0) |
79.4 (26.3) |
83.1 (28.4) |
80.9 (27.2) |
73.9 (23.3) |
60.7 (15.9) |
47.2 (8.4) |
36.1 (2.3) |
58.2 (14.6) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.8 (−4.0) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
35.7 (2.1) |
47.6 (8.7) |
59.2 (15.1) |
68.9 (20.5) |
72.8 (22.7) |
71.1 (21.7) |
63.5 (17.5) |
51.5 (10.8) |
40.0 (4.4) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
49.3 (9.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.6 (−7.4) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
26.9 (−2.8) |
37.3 (2.9) |
48.6 (9.2) |
58.3 (14.6) |
62.5 (16.9) |
61.2 (16.2) |
53.1 (11.7) |
42.2 (5.7) |
32.8 (0.4) |
24.7 (−4.1) |
40.5 (4.7) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −2.8 (−19.3) |
0.0 (−17.8) |
7.5 (−13.6) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
33.4 (0.8) |
44.0 (6.7) |
51.0 (10.6) |
49.3 (9.6) |
38.6 (3.7) |
28.6 (−1.9) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
6.3 (−14.3) |
−6.3 (−21.3) |
Record low °F (°C) | −22 (−30) |
−24 (−31) |
−13 (−25) |
3 (−16) |
21 (−6) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
39 (4) |
27 (−3) |
18 (−8) |
−10 (−23) |
−18 (−28) |
−24 (−31) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.52 (64) |
2.12 (54) |
2.39 (61) |
3.99 (101) |
4.00 (102) |
3.94 (100) |
3.86 (98) |
3.55 (90) |
3.43 (87) |
4.02 (102) |
3.10 (79) |
2.48 (63) |
39.40 (1,001) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 22.6 (57) |
17.2 (44) |
7.6 (19) |
2.0 (5.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
7.1 (18) |
20.8 (53) |
77.6 (197) |
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 9.0 (23) |
8.8 (22) |
5.7 (14) |
1.0 (2.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
2.5 (6.4) |
6.3 (16) |
12.1 (31) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 16.8 | 13.1 | 11.8 | 12.8 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 10.0 | 9.9 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 15.5 | 148.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 14.9 | 11.2 | 5.9 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 4.5 | 11.9 | 50.9 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
77.2 | 74.2 | 71.1 | 66.8 | 65.4 | 68.1 | 69.6 | 73.3 | 76.1 | 74.6 | 76.9 | 79.5 | 72.7 |
Average dew point °F (°C) | 16.3 (−8.7) |
16.9 (−8.4) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
34.5 (1.4) |
45.0 (7.2) |
55.0 (12.8) |
60.3 (15.7) |
59.4 (15.2) |
53.1 (11.7) |
41.2 (5.1) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
38.3 (3.5) |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 88.3 | 116.0 | 168.2 | 210.2 | 255.9 | 286.8 | 296.5 | 264.2 | 206.0 | 152.4 | 82.0 | 62.1 | 2,188.6 |
Percent possible sunshine | 30 | 39 | 45 | 52 | 56 | 62 | 64 | 61 | 55 | 45 | 28 | 22 | 49 |
Source: |
Cityscape
The city skyline shows the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, formerly the Pantlind, which reopened in 1981 after extensive renovations by Marvin DeWinter & Associates. This work included the addition of a 29–story glass tower offering panoramic views of the city, river and surrounding area. The Pantlind Hotel's original architects, Warren & Wetmore, were inspired by the work of the Scottish neoclassical architect Robert Adam. In its prime, the hotel was rated as one of the top ten hotels in the US. The hotel features several restaurants well known in Grand Rapids. The hotel is owned by Amway Hotel Collection, a subsidiary of Amway's holding company Alticor.[51]
Other prominent large buildings include the JW Marriott Grand Rapids, the first JW Marriott Hotel in the Midwest. It is themed from cityscapes of Grand Rapids' sister cities: Omihachiman, Japan; Bielsko-Biała, Poland; Perugia, Italy; Ga District, Ghana; and Zapopan, Mexico. When the hotel opened, Amway Hotel corporation hired photographer Dan Watts to travel to each of the sister cities and photograph them for the property. Each floor of the hotel features photography from one of the cities, which is unique to that floor. Cityscapes of these five cities are alternated in order, up the 23 floors.
The city's tallest building is the River House Condominiums, a 34-story (123.8 m) condominium tower completed in 2008 that stands as the tallest all-residential building in the state of Michigan.[52]
Grand Rapids is also home to two large urban nature centers. The Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens, operated by Calvin University on the city's southeast side, is 104 acres (42 ha). It is home to over 44 acres (18 ha) of public-access nature trails, a 60-acre (24 ha), restricted-access wildlife preserve, as well as the Bunker Interpretive Center, which hosts university classes and educational programs for the wider community.[53] The Blandford Nature Center, located on the city's northwest side, opened in 1968 and contains extensive nature trails, an animal hospital, and a "heritage village" made up of several well-preserved 19th-century buildings, including a log cabin, schoolhouse, and barn.[54] The nature center is also home to Blandford School, a highly selective environmental education program for sixth graders from the metropolitan region, which is run by Grand Rapids Public Schools and serves as a feeder school for City High-Middle School. At 264 acres (107 ha), Blandford is one of the largest urban nature centers in the United States.[55]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 2,686 | — | |
1860 | 8,085 | 201.0% | |
1870 | 16,507 | 104.2% | |
1880 | 32,016 | 94.0% | |
1890 | 60,278 | 88.3% | |
1900 | 87,565 | 45.3% | |
1910 | 112,571 | 28.6% | |
1920 | 137,634 | 22.3% | |
1930 | 168,592 | 22.5% | |
1940 | 164,292 | −2.6% | |
1950 | 176,515 | 7.4% | |
1960 | 177,313 | 0.5% | |
1970 | 197,649 | 11.5% | |
1980 | 181,843 | −8.0% | |
1990 | 189,126 | 4.0% | |
2000 | 197,800 | 4.6% | |
2010 | 188,036 | −4.9% | |
2020 | 198,917 | 5.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[56] 2010[57] 2020[58] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[59] | Pop 2010[57] | Pop 2020[58] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
123,537 | 110,890 | 114,290 | 62.16% | 58.97% | 57.46% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
39,401 | 37,890 | 36,493 | 19.92% | 20.15% | 18.35% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
1,147 | 788 | 659 | 0.58% | 0.42% | 0.33% |
Asian alone (NH) | 3,147 | 3,445 | 4,483 | 1.59% | 1.83% | 2.25% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 134 | 58 | 70 | 0.07% | 0.03% | 0.04% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 356 | 287 | 916 | 0.18% | 0.15% | 0.46% |
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 4,260 | 5,421 | 9,209 | 2.15% | 2.88% | 4.63% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 25,818 | 29,261 | 32,797 | 13.05% | 15.56% | 16.49% |
Total | 197,800 | 188,040 | 198,917 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010
Of the 72,126 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.20.
The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.2% were from 45 to 64; and 11.1% were 65 years of age or older. The city's gender makeup was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.
2000 census
There were 73,217 households, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city, the age distribution shows 27.0% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.
The city's median household income was $37,224, and the median family income was $44,224. Males had a median income of $33,050 versus $26,382 for females. The city's per capita income was $17,661. 15.7% of the population and 11.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.4% are under the age of 18 and 10.4% are 65 or older.
Ethnicity
According to a 2007 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups in Grand Rapids reported (not including "American") were those of
After the
In recent decades, Grand Rapids and its suburban areas have seen their Latino communities grow. Between 2000 and 2010 the Latino population in Grand Rapids grew from 25,818 to 29,261, increasing over 13% in a decade.[65]
Into the 21st century, the African American population of Grand Rapids continually declined.[66] In 2022, The Grand Rapids Press reported that the population of African Americans in the city declined 4% over the decade, with the newspaper writing that gentrification, increasing rent, urban sprawl into the neighboring cities of Kentwood and Wyoming—which experienced increased African American population growth—and New Great Migration trends contributed to the loss of black residents.[66][67] The decline of African American residents occurred primarily in the northeast and southeast areas of the city.[68]
Religion
The Christian Reformed Church in North America has a large following in Grand Rapids, and its denominational offices are located here.[69]
The Reform Judaism congregation of Temple Emanuel was founded in 1857 and the fifth oldest Reform congregation in the United States.[70] The congregation built its first synagogue in 1882 on the corner of Fountain and Ransom Streets. The current location was constructed in 1952.[71]
Grand Rapids is home to the
The Reformed Church in America (RCA) has about 154 congregations and 76,000 members mainly in Western Michigan,[73] heavily concentrated in the cities in Grand Rapids, Holland, and Zeeland. The denomination's main office is also in Grand Rapids.[74] The Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area has 86 congregations with almost 49,000 members. The
The
The offices of the former
Crime
The homicide rate in Grand Rapids was at its highest in the early 1990s, with the highest number of homicides being 34 in 1993.[82][83] The average annual number of homicides in Grand Rapids between 2010 and 2020 was 12.4.[84] In 2014, Grand Rapids experienced the lowest homicide rate in fifty years, with six murders occurring that year.[85] [86][87]
Economy
Top Employers in Grand Rapids Metro (2019)
Source: The Right Place | |||||
Rank | Company/Organization | # | |||
1 | Corewell Health | 25,000 | |||
2 | Meijer | 10,340 | |||
3 | Trinity Health | 8,500 | |||
4 | Gentex | 5,800 | |||
5 | Gordon Food Service | 5,000 | |||
6 | Amway Corporation
|
3,791 | |||
7 | Herman Miller
|
3,621 | |||
8 | Perrigo Company
|
3,500 | |||
9 | Steelcase Inc.
|
3,500 | |||
10 | Farmers Insurance Group | 3,500 | |||
11 | Grand Valley State University | 3,306 | |||
12 | Lacks Enterprises | 3,000 | |||
13 | Grand Rapids Public Schools | 2,800 | |||
14 | Arconic | 2,350 | |||
15 | Hope Network | 2,162 | |||
16 | University of Michigan Health - West | 2,100 | |||
17 | Roskam Baking Co. | 2,090 | |||
18 | Fifth Third Bank | 2,280 | |||
19 | Haworth | 2,000 | |||
20 | SpartanNash | 2,000 |
Headquartered in Grand Rapids,
Grand Rapids has long been a center for manufacturing, dating back to its original roots in
The Grand Rapids area is also known for its
The Grand Rapids area is home to a number of well-known companies including
The city is known as a center of Christian publishing, home to Zondervan, Kregel Publications, Eerdmans Publishing and Our Daily Bread Ministries.
The city and its surrounding region house a successful food processing and agribusiness industry, which experienced a 10-year job growth rate of 45% from 2009 to 2019. The
Arts and culture
In 1969,
Each October, the city celebrates Polish culture, historically based on the West side of town, with
In 1973, Grand Rapids hosted Sculpture off the Pedestal, an outdoor exhibition of public sculpture, which assembled works by 13 world-renowned artists, including Mark di Suvero, John Henry, Kenneth Snelson, Robert Morris, John Mason, Lyman Kipp, and Stephen Antonakos, in a single, citywide celebration. Sculpture off the Pedestal was a public/private partnership, including financial support by the National Endowment for the Arts, educational support from the Michigan Council for the Arts, and in-kind contributions from individuals, business, and industry. Fund-raising events, volunteers, and locals housing artists contributed to the public character of the event.
From 1980 to 2015, Celebration on the Grand was held the weekend after Labor Day, featuring free concerts, fireworks display and food booths. 'Celebration on the Grand' is an event that celebrates life in the Grand River valley.
On November 10, 2004, the grand
In mid-2004, the
ArtPrize, the world's largest annual art competition determined by public voting, first took place in Grand Rapids from September 23 through October 10, 2009. This event was founded by Rick DeVos, grandson of Amway Corp. co-founder Richard DeVos, who offered $449,000 in cash prizes. A total of 1,262 artists exhibited their work for two weeks, and a total of 334,219 votes were cast. First prize, including a $250,000 cash prize, went to Brooklyn painter Ran Ortner.[102] ArtPrize 2010 was held September 22 through October 10, 2010, with work by 1,713 artists on display. The first prize was awarded to Grand Rapids artist Chris LaPorte.[103]
Tourism
Grand Rapids is the home of
Along the
Grand Rapids is home to the
Heritage Hill, a neighborhood directly east of downtown, is one of the largest urban historic districts in the country. The first "neighborhood" of Grand Rapids, its 1,300 homes date from 1848 and represent more than 60 architectural styles. Of particular significance is the Meyer May House, a Prairie-style home Frank Lloyd Wright designed in 1908.[105]
The house is now owned and operated by
Grand Rapids is home to many theaters and stages, including the newly reconstructed
Grand Rapids' prominent craft beer culture has continued to garner the city national and international recognition in recent years, making it a destination for increasing numbers of tourists. The city was awarded the nation's "Best Beer City" for the third year in a row in 2023.[110]
Entertainment and performing arts
Grand Rapids has several popular concert venues in which numerous bands have performed, including 20 Monroe Live, the DAAC, the Intersection, DeVos Performance Hall, Van Andel Arena, Royce Auditorium in St. Cecilia Music Center, Forest Hills Fine Arts Center, The Pyramid Scheme, and the Deltaplex.
The Schubert Male Chorus of Grand Rapids was founded by Henry C. Post on November 19, 1883; the chorus continues to perform a variety of music.
The Grand Rapids Symphony, founded in 1930, is the largest performing arts organization in Grand Rapids with a roster of about 50 full-time and 30 part-time musicians. In addition to its own concert series, the orchestra under music director Marcelo Lehninger accompanies productions by Grand Rapids Ballet and Opera Grand Rapids, presenting more than 400 performances a year.[111]
The Grand Rapids Barbershop Chapter Great Lakes Chorus is an all-male a cappella barbershop harmony chorus, including quartets. It is one of the oldest chapters in the Barbershop Harmony Society (formally known as the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, or SPEBSQSA). The Grand Rapids chapter organized on November 1, 1939, for quartet singers; it is credited for holding the first society-sanctioned quartet contest in the "Michigan District" (now Pioneer District) in March 1941. In 1944 the Grand Rapids Chapter is credited with having the first International Quartet champions, "The Harmony Halls." In 1947 the Great Lakes Chorus (then called the Grand Rapids Chorus) was founded. In 1953 the first International Chorus Competition was held, and the Great Lakes Chorus took First Place, the first "International Convention Championship Chorus", under the direction of Robert Weaver.[112] The chorus is still very active as a non-profit singing for community, competition, and contracted performances.
Grand Rapids Ballet Company was founded in 1971 and is one of Michigan's few professional ballet companies.[113] The ballet company is on Ellsworth Avenue in the Heartside neighborhood, where it moved in 2000. In 2007, it expanded its facility by adding the LEED-certified Peter Wege Theater.[113]
Opera Grand Rapids, founded in 1966, is the state's longest-running professional company.[114] In February 2010, the opera moved into a new facility in the Fulton Heights neighborhood.[115]
Grand Rapids is also home to Art Prize, the largest art exposition in the U.S. Art Prize began in 2009 with the over 200,000 visitors and has since doubled the number of visitors it receives each year. Artprize receives many international visitors each year and is still growing with over 1,500 entries from 48 countries across 200+ venues in 2015.[116][117]
Sports
Grand Rapids is home to several professional and semi-professional sports teams. The West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League play at LMCU Ballpark and won the Championship Series six times (1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2015) and had the best regular-season record six times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2017). The Whitecaps are the Class High A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Grand Rapids Griffins, an ice hockey team of the American Hockey League, play at the Van Andel Arena and won the IHL Fred A. Huber Trophy in 2001, and were AHL Calder Cup Champions in the 2012–2013 and 2016–2017 seasons. The Griffins are the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Grand Rapids Gold is an NBA G League basketball team that plays at the Van Andel Arena, with the team being an affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. The Grand Rapids Rise also play in the Van Andel Arena, and are one of seven inaugural members of the Pro Volleyball Federation, a professional women's indoor volleyball league. Midwest United FC is a United Women's Soccer soccer club that plays at Aquinas College and won a national championship in the 2017 season.
Former professional sports teams include the
Each year the Amway River Bank Run is held in downtown Grand Rapids. It draws participants from around the world; in 2010 there were over 22,000 participants. The Grand Rapids Marathon is held in downtown Grand Rapids in mid-October, usually on the same weekend as the Detroit Marathon. Special Olympics Michigan launched a campaign in 2021 to build a publicly funded $20 million facility called the Unified Sports and Inclusion Center that is destined to be the largest Special Olympics facility in the world.[118]
Amateur sporting organizations in the area include Grand Raggidy Roller Derby WFTDA league, Grand Rapids Rowing Association,[119] Grand Rapids Rugby Club,[120] and the West Michigan Wheelchair Sports Association.[121] The West Michigan Sports Commission was the host organizing committee for the inaugural State Games of Michigan, held in Grand Rapids from June 25 to 27, 2010.[122][123]
Government
Under Michigan law, Grand Rapids is a
Mayor
The part-time mayor is elected every four years by the city at large and serves as chair of the commission, with a vote equal to a commissioner.
Politics
The city proper and inner-suburbs favor the Democratic Party, while outer-suburbs of Grand Rapids tend to support the Republican Party.[128][129]
Traditionally, Grand Rapids has supported the Republican Party.
Both representatives in the
Education
Grand Rapids is home to several colleges and universities. The private, religious schools:
As for public
Ferris State University has a growing campus downtown, including the Applied Technology Center (operated with GRCC) and the Kendall College of Art and Design, a formerly private institution that now is part of Ferris. Ferris State also has a branch of the College of Pharmacy downtown on the medical mile. Western Michigan University has a long-standing graduate program in the city, with facilities downtown, and in the southeast. The Van Andel Institute, a cancer research institute established in 1996, also resides on the medical mile; the institute established a graduate school in 2005 to train Ph.D. students in cellular, genetic, and molecular biology.[citation needed]
Grand Rapids is home to the Secchia Center medical education building, a $90 million, seven-story, 180,000-square-foot (17,000 m2) facility, at Michigan Street and Division Avenue, part of the Grand Rapids Medical Mile. The building is home to the Grand Rapids Campus of the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. This campus trains medical students through all four years of their medical education. The state-of-the-art facility includes clinical examination rooms, simulation suites, classrooms, offices, and student areas.[138]
Media
The
Grand Rapids, combined with nearby Kalamazoo and
The Grand Rapids area is served by 16
Infrastructure
Law enforcement
The Grand Rapids Police Department was established in 1871.[145] The police dispatch service was consolidated with the Wyoming Police Department in 2011.[146]
Transportation
Air transportation
Grand Rapids was home to one of the first regularly scheduled passenger airlines in the United States when Stout Air Services began flights from the old Grand Rapids airport to Detroit (Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan), on July 31, 1926.[147]
Major highways
I-96 runs along the northern and northeastern sides of the city, linking with Muskegon to the west and Lansing and Detroit to the east
I-196, also named the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, runs east–west through the city, connecting to I-96 just east of Grand Rapids and I-94 in Benton Township
I-296, an unsigned route running concurrently with US 131 between I-96 and I-196
US 131 runs north–south through the city, linking with Kalamazoo to the south and Cadillac to the north
M-6 is the Paul B. Henry Freeway running along the south side connecting I-96 and I-196
M-11 runs along Ironwood/Remembrance Road, Wilson Avenue, and 28th Street
M-21 is Fulton Street to the east
M-37 follows Alpine Avenue to the north, I-96, East Beltline Avenue and Broadmoor Avenue to the south
M-44 is East Beltline north of I-96
M-45 follows Lake Michigan Drive west toward Allendale and Lake Michigan
Mass transit
Bus
The Interurban Transit Partnership, which brands itself as The Rapid, provides public bus transportation. Transportation is also provided by the DASH buses: the "Downtown Area Shuttle." DASH bus rides are free.[148] These provide transportation to and from the parking lots in the city of Grand Rapids to designated loading and unloading spots around the city. The area's Greyhound Bus terminal is integrated into the Central Station of the Rapid, simplifying transfers between Greyhound and local buses.
Indian Trails provides daily intercity bus service of varying frequencies between Grand Rapids and Petoskey, Michigan,[149] between Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor, Michigan,[150] and between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, Michigan[151] with intermediate stops.
In August 2014, the SilverLine opened, Michigan's first bus rapid transit line, an express bus line designed to function like a light rail system.[152] There are plans in the works to add more express routes, secondary stations, a streetcar and dedicated (exclusive) highway lanes.[153]
Air
Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). Eight passenger airlines and two cargo airlines operate over 150 daily flights to 34 nonstop destinations across the United States. International service was formerly operated to Toronto, Canada by Air Canada Express. The airport was formerly named Kent County International Airport before gaining its present name in 1999.[citation needed]
The first regularly scheduled air service in the United States was between Grand Rapids and Detroit (actually Dearborn's Ford Airport) on a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids, which began on July 26, 1926.
Rail
.Sister cities
Grand Rapids' sister cities are:[156]
- Bielsko-Biała, Poland
- Ga East and West District, Ghana
- Gangnam-gu, South Korea
- Ōmihachiman, Japan
- Perugia, Italy
- Zapopan, Mexico
See also
- List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Michigan census statistical areas
Notes
- ^ Official records for Grand Rapids kept June 1892 to December 1940 at downtown, at the first Grand Rapids Airport some 4 mi (6.4 km) south of downtown from January 1941 to November 23, 1963, and at Gerald Ford Int'l since its opening on November 24, 1963. For more information, see Threadex.[48]
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Further reading
- Bratt, Peter A. (2010). "Renewing a Grand Center: Postwar Planning in Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1949 to 1959". Michigan Historical Review. 36 (2): 126–158. ISSN 2327-9672. Retrieved via Project Muse.
- Carron, Christian G. (1998). Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America's Furniture City. Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids Public Museum.
- Fernández, Delia (Spring 2013). "Becoming Latino: Mexican and Puerto Rican Community Formation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1926–1964". Michigan Historical Review. 39: 71–100. .
- Horowitz, Herschel S. (1989). "Grand Rapids: The Public Health Story". Journal of Public Health Dentistry. 49 (1). Wiley: 62–63. PMID 2642968.
- Jelks, Randal Maurice (2006). African Americans in the Furniture City: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Grand Rapids. University of Illinois Press.
- Lewis, Norma, ed. (2008). Grand Rapids: Furniture City. Arcadia Publishing. from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- Lunn, Mike; Pasch, Nicole; Schiebold, John (January 1, 2017). "Collaborating for Success in Grand Rapids, Michigan". Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation. 2017 (9). Water Environment Federation: 3590–3596. ISSN 1938-6478.
- Olson, Gordon L. (1992). A Grand Rapids sampler. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Grand Rapids Historical Commission. OCLC 26740168.
- Robinson, Todd E. (2013). A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
- Scott, David B. (1989). "Evolution of the Grand Rapids Water Flouridation Project". Journal of Public Health Dentistry. 49 (1). Wiley: 59–61. PMID 2642967.