User:Mihsfbstadium/GrandRapids
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| City of Grand Rapids | |
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| Nickname: "Furniture City" | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kent |
| Founded | 1826 |
| Incorporation | 1850 |
| Government | |
| - Type | City Commission-Manager |
| - Mayor | George Heartwell |
| - City Manager | Kurt Kimball |
| Area | |
| - City | 45.3 sq mi (117.4 km²) |
| - Land | 44.6 sq mi (115.6 km²) |
| - Water | 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km²) |
| Elevation | 640 ft (242 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - City | 197,800 |
| - Density | 4,434/sq mi (1,710.8/km²) |
| - Urban | 539,080 |
| - Metro | 774,084 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 616 |
| FIPS code | 26-34000[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0627105[2] |
| Website: www.grcity.us | |
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 197,800. The Grand Rapids–Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 774,084, while the Combined Statistical Area of Grand Rapids–Muskegon–Holland had a population of 1,320,487 as of the 2006 census estimate[3]. It is the county seat of Kent County, Michigan6. It is the second largest city in the state and the principal city in West Michigan.
Contents |
[edit] History
Over 2,000 years ago, people associated with the Hopewell culture occupied the Grand River Valley. Around 1700 A.D., the Ottawa Indians moved into the area and founded several villages along the Grand River.
The Grand Rapids area was first settled by Europeans near the start of the 19th century by missionaries and fur traders. They generally lived in reasonable peace alongside the Ottawa tribespeople, with whom they traded their European metal and textile goods for fur pelts. Joseph and Madeline La Framboise established the first Indian/European trading post in West Michigan, and in present Grand Rapids, on the banks of the Grand River near what is now Ada. After the death of her husband in 1806, Madeline La Framboise carried on, expanding fur trading posts to the west and north. La Framboise, whose ancestry was a mix of French and Indian, later merged her successful operations with the American Fur Company. She retired, at age 41, to Mackinac Island. The first permanent white settler in the Grand Rapids area was a Baptist minister named Isaac McCoy who arrived in 1825.
In 1826 Detroit-born Louis Campau, the official founder of Grand Rapids, built his cabin, trading post, and blackmith shop on the east bank of the Grand River near the rapids. Campau returned to Detroit, then came back a year later with his wife and $5,000 of trade goods to trade with the native tribes. In 1831 the federal survey of the Northwest Territory reached the Grand River and set the boundaries for Kent County, named after prominent New York jurist James Kent. Campau became perhaps the most important settler when, in 1831, he bought 72 acres (291,000 m²) of what is now the entire downtown business district of Grand Rapids. He purchased it from the federal government for $90 and named his tract Grand Rapids. Rival Lucius Lyon, who purchased the rest of the prime land, called his the Village of Kent. Yankee immigrants and others began immigrating from New York and New England in the 1830s.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 2,686 |
|
|
| 1860 | 8,085 | 201% | |
| 1870 | 16,507 | 104.2% | |
| 1880 | 32,016 | 94% | |
| 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% | |
| 1990 | 189,126 | 4% | |
| 2000 | 197,800 | 4.6% | |
| Est. 2006 | 193,083 | −2.4% | |
In 1836 John Ball, representing a group of New York land speculators, bypassed Detroit for a better deal in Grand Rapids. Ball declared the Grand River valley "the promised land, or at least the most promising one for my operations."
By 1838, the settlement had incorporated itself as a village, and encompassed an area of approximately three-quarters of a mile (1 km) . The first formal census occurred in 1845, which announced a population of 1,510 and recorded an area of four square miles. The city of Grand Rapids was officially created on May 1, 1850, when the village of Grand Rapids voted to accept the proposed city charter. The population at the time was 2,686. By 1857, the city of Grand Rapids' boundary totaled 10.5 square miles (27 km²).
[edit] Transportation History
The first improved road into the city was completed in 1855. This road was a private, toll plank road from Kalamazoo through Wayland, and was a primary route for freight and passengers until about 1868. This road connected to the outside world via the Michigan Central Railroad at Kalamazoo.
The first railroad into the city was the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, which commenced service in 1858. In 1869 the Lake Shore and Southern Railroad connected to the city.
The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad began passenger and freight service to Cedar Springs, Michigan on December 25, 1867 and to Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1870. This railroad expanded service to Muskegon in 1886.
The Grand Rapids, Newaygo and Lake Shore Railroad completed a line to White Cloud in 1875,
In 1888 the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad connected with Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids was a home to one of the first regularly scheduled passenger airline in the United States when Stout Air Services began flights from Grand Rapids to Detroit (actually Ford Airport in Dearborn, Michigan) on July 31, 1926.
[edit] Furniture City
During the second half of the 19th century, the city became a major lumbering center and the premier furniture manufacturing city of the United States. For this reason it was nicknamed "Furniture City". After an international exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, Grand Rapids became recognized worldwide as a leader in the production of fine furniture. National home furnishing markets were held in Grand Rapids for about 75 years, concluding in the 1960s. Today, Grand Rapids is considered a world leader in the production of office furniture.
In 1880, the country's first hydro-electric generator was put to use on the city's west side[4]. At the turn of the twentieth century, the people of Grand Rapids numbered 82,565. In 1916, the citizens of Grand Rapids voted to adopt a home rule charter that abolished the old aldermanic systems and replaced it with a commission-manager form of government, one of the first in the country. That 1916 Charter, although amended several times, is still in effect.
In 1945, Grand Rapids became the first city in the United States to add fluoride to its drinking water.
Downtown Grand Rapids used to host four department stores: Herpolsheimer's (Lazarus in 1987), Jacobson's, Steketee's (founded in 1862), and Wurzburg's. Like most downtown regional department stores, they suffered the same fate of falling sales, caused largely by the flight to the suburbs, and consolidation in the 1980s and 1990s.
[edit] Geography and climate
Grand Rapids sits on the banks of the Grand River, where there was once a set of rapids, at an altitude of 610 feet (186 m) above sea level. It is approximately 30 miles (50 km) east of Lake Michigan. The state capital of Lansing lies about 60 miles (100 km) to the east-by-southeast, and Kalamazoo is about 50 miles (80 km) to the south.
Grand Rapids is divided into four quadrants which form a part of mailing addresses in the city. The quadrants are NE (northeast), NW (northwest), SE (southeast), and SW (southwest). Fulton Street serves as the north-south dividing line, while Division Avenue serve as the east-west dividing line separating these quadrants.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 45.3 sq mi (117.4 km²). 44.6 sq mi (115.6 km²) of it is land and 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km², 1.50%) of it is water (primarily the Grand River).
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | ||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High °F | 62 | 69 | 78 | 88 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 100 | 93 | 87 | 77 | 69 |
| Norm High °F | 29.3 | 32.6 | 43.3 | 56.6 | 69.6 | 78.4 | 82.3 | 79.7 | 71.7 | 59.6 | 45.5 | 33.7 |
| Norm Low °F | 15.6 | 17.4 | 25.9 | 36.1 | 46.6 | 55.8 | 60.5 | 59 | 51 | 40.2 | 31.2 | 21.4 |
| Rec Low °F | -22 | -19 | -8 | 3 | 22 | 33 | 41 | 39 | 27 | 18 | 5 | -18 |
| Precip (in) | 2.03 | 1.54 | 2.59 | 3.48 | 3.35 | 3.67 | 3.56 | 3.78 | 4.28 | 2.8 | 3.35 | 2.7 |
| Source: USTravelWeather.com [1] | ||||||||||||
[edit] Demographics
As of the census of 2000[5], there were 197,800 people, 73,217 households, and 44,369 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,431.2/sq mi (1,710.8/km²). There were 77,960 housing units at an average density of 1,746.5/sq mi (674.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.30% White American (62.5% non-Hispanic White), 20.41% African American, 0.74% Native American, 1.62% Asian American, 0.12% Pacific Islander American, 6.63% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. 13.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The city had a foreign-born population of 10.5%.
There were 73,217 households out 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 population was spread out with 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 median income for a household in the city was $37,224, and the median income for a family was $44,224. Males had a median income of $33,050 versus $26,382 for females. The per capita income for the city 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.
[edit] Economy
Grand Rapids has long been a center for furniture and automobile manufacturing; however, the presence of both industries has declined in the region along with manufacturing in general. American Seating, Steelcase and Herman Miller, major manufacturers of office furniture, are based in the Grand Rapids area.
In 1880, Sligh Furniture Company started manufacturing furniture.[6] In 1881, the Furniture Manufacturers Association (FMA) was organized in Grand Rapids, it was apparently the first furniture manufacturing advocacy group in the country.[7] Also Since 1912, Kindel Furniture Company,[8] and since 1922, the Hekman/Woodmark Furniture Company,[9] have been designing and manufacturing traditional American furniture in Grand Rapids. All of these companies are still producing furniture today.
More recently the city has had some success in developing and attracting businesses focusing on the health sciences, with facilities such as the Van Andel Research Institute (primarily focused on cancer research), Grand Valley State University's Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences (undergraduate and graduate medical programs, doctorate program in Physical Therapy), and Michigan State University's planned medical school, adjacent to GVSU's Cook-DeVos Center and Spectrum Health's Butterworth Hospital.This year, several million dollars will be spent on new hospitals, medical reaserch centers and health facilities. Most of these facilities are based on Michigan Avenue medical corridor, known also as the Medical Mile.
The Grand Rapids area is also home to a number of well known companies that include; Alticor/Amway (a consumer goods manufacturer and distributor), Foremost Insurance Company (a home and auto insurer), Meijer (a Supercenter chain), GE Avionics (formerly Smiths Industries, an Aerospace products company), Wolverine World Wide (a designer and manufacter of shoes, boots and clothing), and Universal Forest Products (a building materials company).
The city is also known as a center of Christian publishing, home to Zondervan, Baker Books and Eerdmans Publishing.
The surrounding area is noted for its fruit production. Due to its close proximity to Lake Michigan the climate is considered prime for apple, peach, and blueberry farming.
In recent years, the convention business has seen an increase following the construction of the DeVos Place Convention Center.
[edit] Arts and culture
The Culture and arts of Grand Rapids has a recent history. From the installation of major sculptures in the 1960's and 1970's to the newer installations in the recent decade. The arts has been a prominent feature in the city. The building of interstates in the city allowed the arts to be shown in a new manner not seen before but copied ever since in other cities. The major museums include the Grand Rapids public one of the oldest, to the current Grand Rapids Art museum and the presidential museum of Gerald R. Ford. In all the culture of the city is well represented and with the many festivals that take place in the downtown area during the summer months.
Grand Rapids is also home to a myriad of theatres and stages, including the newly-reconstructed Civic Theatre (also known as the Meijer Majestic), the city's largest theatre DeVos hall, and the convertible Van Andel Arena. Further east of downtown is the historic Wealthy Street Theatre.
In Grand Rapids in 1973, Main Street America celebrated mainstream art, as the city hosted Sculpture off the Pedestal, an exemplar of public sculpture exhibitions, which assembled 13 world-renowned artists, including Mark di Suvero, John Henry, Kenneth Snelson, Robert Morris, John Mason and Stephen Antonakos, in a single, citywide celebration. Sculpture off the Pedestal was a public/private partnership, which included 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.
On November 10, 2004, the grand premier of the film The Polar Express was held in Grand Rapids, the movie's setting and home of the book's author Chris Van Allsburg, and it's main character. The Meijer Gardens created a Polar Express display which was part of their larger Christmas Around the World exhibit.
[edit] Annual culture events
Beginning with the installation of Alexander Calder's abstract sculpture [[La Grande Vitesse]], the very first financially funded project in the United States by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1969, the city has been host to the annual Festival of the Arts downtown since 1970, known to locals simply as Festival. During the first weekend in June, several blocks of downtown surrounding the Calder stabile in Vandenberg Plaza are closed to traffic. Festival features several stages with free live performances, food booths selling a variety of ethnic cuisine, art demonstrations and sales, and other arts-related activities. Organizers bill it as the largest all-volunteer arts festival in the United States. Vandenberg Plaza also hosts various ethnic festivals that take place throughout the summer season.
Summer concludes with Celebration on the Grand the weekend after Labor Day featuring free concerts, West Michigan's largest fireworks display and food booths. Celebration on the Grand is an all volunteer event to celebrate life in the Grand River valley.
[edit] Museums and other points of interest
Grand Rapids is home to a number of Museums and exhibits. The Van Andel Museum Center, President Gerald R. Ford Museum, along with several noteworthy exhibits exist on the east side of the river. On the west side is the downtown area which includes the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids Art Museum, among other items. North of downtown has the Belknap Hill district with the east side of downtown having the Heritage Hill neighborhood, and south of downtown is the burial mounds.
Grand Rapids west side begins with the Van Andel Museum Center. Founded in 1854, it is among the oldest history museums in the United States. The museum's sites currently include the main site constructed in 1994 on the west bank of the Grand River (home to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium, the Voight House Victorian Museum, and the City Archives and Records Center, which was the site of the museum and planetarium prior to 1994. The museum has, in the past few years, played host to a handful of notable exhibitions, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, and The Quest for Immortality: the Treasures of Ancient Egypt. The museum is set up as a non-profit institution owned and managed by the Public Museum of Grand Rapids Foundation. The Gerald R. Ford Museum site is north of the museum and is the final resting place of the 38th President of the United States. The west side also includes a fish ladder with access to the riverwalk which includes a monument to fluoridation.
The Grand Rapids downtown has the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. It houses art exhibits, a movie theater, and the urban clay studio. In mid-2004, the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) began construction on a new, larger building for its art museum collection, which opened in October, 2007 at 101 Monroe Center NW. The new building site faces downtown's Ecliptic by Maya Lin at Rosa Parks Circle. When it was built it was the first LEED certified museum in the world. It plays host to a collection that spans from the Renaissance to Modern Art. It plays special attention to the works down in the 19th and 20th centuries. A special section called the Works on Paper Study is over 3,500 photographs, drawings and similar media.
East of the downtown is the Heritage Hill district, the first historic district to be founded in the United States is one of the largest Urban Historic Districts in the country, with over 1000 Victorian homes. Of particular significance is the Meyer May House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908 was commissioned by local merchant Meyer May who operated a men's clothing store (May's of Michigan). The house is now a free museum owned and operated by Steelcase who restored the property in the 1980s.
South of the Grand River are symbolic burial mounds which were used by the Hopewell tribe. The area across the river on the east side is where the Millennium Park is currently being built.
In Grand Rapids Township, the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park combine 125 acres (51 ha) of world-class botanical gardens and artwork from such sculptors as Mark di Suvero, Alexander Calder, Edgar Degas, and Auguste Rodin. The Gardens' amphitheatre plays host to numerous concerts each summer, featuring such eccelctic acts as Jonny Lang, The Pointer Sisters, Lyle Lovett, Cowboy Junkies, and B.B. King. As Michigan's second most popular destination (after The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn), the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is rapidly gaining national renown.
[edit] Remove this section
Grand Rapids is the home of John Ball Park, Significant buildings in the downtown include the DeVos Place Convention Center, Van Andel Arena, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, and now the JW Marriott Hotel.
[edit] Sports
Several professional sports teams call Grand Rapids home:
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Championships | |
| West Michigan Whitecaps | Baseball | Midwest League | Fifth Third Ballpark | Championship Series winners: 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007; Best regular season record: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2006, 2007 | |
| Grand Rapids Griffins | Ice Hockey | American Hockey League | Van Andel Arena | IHL Joseph Turner Memorial Cup Runner-up: 2000; IHL Fred A. Huber Trophy (regular season champion): 2001 | |
| Grand Rapids Rampage | Arena Football | Arena Football League | Van Andel Arena | ArenaBowl XV Champions and best regular season record: 2001 |
[edit] Parks and recreation
The Grand Rapids area is home to many parks and along with the John Ball Zoo. The Park system in Grand Rapids includes several parks. The Kent County Park system also has land inside the City and includes the Millenium Park. I need to add the number of parks in the city along with sizes in here probally in a table form.
The recreation in the city includes several golf courses, and access to many ball fields. Kent County also has a number of trails that interconnect in the area. Add more data about those trails. Furthermore the suburbs of the city offer numerous opportunities including many more golf courses. List the golf courses in the county here. North of the city includes Cannosburg ski lounge. Give location of the place.
More could be added if needed but that should be a rough idea of where this needs to go to.
[edit] Government and politics
Like the surrounding counties, the Grand Rapids area has traditionally been a stronghold for the Republican Party, but the city itself leans Democratic.
The city is the center of the 3rd Congressional District, represented by Republican Vern Ehlers. Former President Gerald Ford represented the district from 1949 to 1974. Ford died on December 26, 2006 at his home in Palm Springs, California, and was buried on the grounds of his Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids on January 3, 2007.
Grand Rapids (including the suburbs of Ada, East Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Grandville, Walker, and Kentwood) also serves as the home business base of one of the largest past political funders of the national Republican Party, Richard and Helen De Vos, and former Ambassador to Italy, Peter Secchia.
However, despite Grand Rapids' reputation for conservatism, the city tends to elect Democrats. Both of its representatives in the Michigan State House of Representatives are Democrats, and in the past two presidential elections Democratic candidates Al Gore and John Kerry won the majority of votes in the city of Grand Rapids. (The city itself hasn't elected a Republican candidate for President since George H W Bush in 1988.)
[edit] Commission-Manager plan
Under Michigan law, Grand Rapids is a home rule city and adopted a city charter in 1916 providing for the Commission-Manager form of municipal government. Under this system, the political responsibilities are divided between an elected City Commission and a hired full-time City Manager. Two part-time Commissioners are elected to four-year terms from each of three wards, with half of these seats up for election every two years. 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 that of a Commissioner. The races—held in odd-numbered years—are formally non-partisan, although the party and other political affiliations of candidates do sometimes come up during the campaign period. The Commission sets policy for the city, and is responsible for hiring the City Manager and other appointed officials [2].
[edit] Mayor
George Heartwell was elected mayor of Grand Rapids after long-serving mayor John H. Logie declined to run for re-election in 2003. Logie felt the position should be made full-time, but to avoid the question becoming a referendum on whether he should hold the job full-time, he announced that he would not run for re-election. The voters decided to keep the position part-time, and Heartwell was elected.
Heartwell assumed office on January 1, 2004. Prior to being mayor, Heartwell was a City Commissioner for the third ward, 1992-1999. Heartwell currently serves as President and CEO of Pilgrim Manor Retirement Community. He was Director of the Community Leadership Institute at Aquinas College, where he also was a professor in the Community Leadership undergraduate study program. Mayor Heartwell is an ordained minister for the United Church of Christ, and served for 14 years at Heartside Ministry, a program for the homeless in Grand Rapids. He was previously the president of Heartwell Mortgage Corporation [3].
In August, 2007, Mayor Heartwell was re-elected to a second mayoral term in Grand Rapids. He won the primary election with 51% of the vote.
- See also: List of mayors of Grand Rapids, Michigan
[edit] Education
Grand Rapids is home to several colleges and universities. Aquinas College, Calvin College, Kuyper College, and Cornerstone University are private, religious schools, each with a campus within the city. Grand Rapids Community College maintains a campus downtown and facilities in other parts of the city and surrounding region. Grand Valley State University continues to develop its presence in the city with an expanding downtown campus, begun in the late 1990s on the west bank of the Grand River. Ferris State University has a growing campus downtown, including the Applied Technology Center (operated with GRCC) and the prestigious Kendall College of Art and Design. Thomas M. Cooley Law School, a private institution, has a campus in Grand Rapids. Davenport University, a state-wide educational institution, has its main campus in Grand Rapids. Western Michigan University has a long-standing graduate program in the city, with facilities downtown and in the southeast. Clinical Pastoral Education is also offered at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in nearby Cutlerville, Michigan.
K-12 public education is provided by the Grand Rapids Public Schools as well as a number of charter schools.
As of 2006, there is an active movement among community leaders to have Michigan State University open a new medical school in Grand Rapids.[4]. Michigan State University West Michigan Medical School will be MSU's second fully accredited four-year medical school, and will be located in Downtown Grand Rapids.
[edit] Media
[edit] Printed media
The Grand Rapids Press is the daily newspaper, while the "Advance" group of weekly papers provides more community-based news.
Gemini Publications is a niche, regional publishing company that produces the weekly newspaper Grand Rapids Business Journal, the magazines Grand Rapids Magazine, Grand Rapids Family and Michigan Blue, and several other quarterly and annual business-to-business publications.
[edit] Television
The Grand Rapids area is home to several television stations, and is the second largest television market in Michigan. Stations serving the area include WWMT (CBS, actually licensed to Kalamazoo), WOOD (NBC), WZZM (ABC), and WXMI (Fox). Other stations include WOTV, an ABC affiliate licensed to Battle Creek, WZPX (ION), and WTLJ (TCT). WXSP, is a low-powered MyNetworkTV affiliate. With the merger of UPN and The WB Television Network into The CW Television Network WXSP lost its affiliation with UPN, the CW is now carried on a separate digital broadcast by WWMT. WGVU is the area's PBS member station, along with satellite station WGVK. Grand Rapids Internet Television produces local, independent programming available on-line only.
The city has two public access televisions, GRTV and LiveWire that offer independent programming and news for the city. These two outlets are both produced by the Community Media Center, a cooperative of public access, nonprofit media affiliates. Two Educational Access Channels and a Governmental Access Channel, the Grand Rapids Information Network (GRIN) are also available on cable. Similarly, the website Media Mouse provides internet-based progressive independent media. GRNow is also another online site providing independent media.
[edit] Radio
The Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area has a diverse variety of radio stations.
- 88.1 WYCE Grand Rapids- Folk/Blues/Jazz/Rock/World Beat
- 88.5 WGVU Allendale - Public/NPR/Jazz/Blues "West Michigan Public Radio"
- 88.9/90.3 WBLU/WBLV Grand Rapids/Muskegon - Classical "Blue Lake Public Radio"
- 89.1 WIDR Kalamazoo - College "Your Station for Radio Evolution"
- 89.3 WGNB Zeeland - Religious "Moody Broadcasting Network"
- 89.9/88.3 WAYG/WAYK Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo - Contemporary Christian "Way FM", Commercial Free
- 90.7 W214AY Walker - Religious "Calvary Satellite Network"
- 91.3 WCSG Grand Rapids - Religious "Family Friendly, Commercial Free"
- 92.3 WZUU Allegan - Classic Rock "92.3 the Zoo"
- 92.5 WLAW Newaygo - Country
- 92.7 WYVN Saugatuck - Classic Hits "92.7 the Van"
- 93.7 WBCT Grand Rapids - Country "B-93" WBCT: America's most powerful radio station (320,000 watts)
- 94.5 WTNR Holland - Country "Thunder 94-5"
- 95.3 WBCK Battle Creek - Talk Radio
- 95.7 WLHT Grand Rapids - Adult Contemporary "W-Lite"
- 96.1 WMAX Holland - Hot Adult Contemporary (Modern AC-leaning) "96.1 Max FM"
- 96.5 WFAT Portage - Classic Hits "96.5 WFAT"
- 96.9 WLAV Grand Rapids - Classic Rock "97 LAV"
- 97.9 WGRD Grand Rapids - Alternative "Grand Rapids' Rock Alternative"
- 98.3 WLCS North Muskegon - Oldies "Oldies 98"
- 98.5/95.5 WNWN/W238AL Coldwater/Portage - Country "Win 98.5"
- 98.7 WFGR Grand Rapids - Oldies "Oldies 98.7"
- 99.3 WJQK Zeeland - Contemporary Christian "JQ99 FM"
- 100.1 WBCH Hastings - Country "World's Best Country Hits"
- 100.5 WTRV Walker - Adult Contemporary "The River"
- 100.9 WQXC-FM Otsego - Oldies "Cool 101"
- 101.3 WBFX Grand Rapids - Classic Rock "101 The Fox"
- 101.7 WMRR Muskegon - Classic Rock "Total Rock 101.7"
- 102.1 WMUK Kalamazoo - Public/Variety "Kalamazoo Public Radio"
- 102.9 WFUR Grand Rapids - Religious "Christian Radio"
- 104.1 WVGR Grand Rapids via Ann Arbor - Public/News-Talk "Michigan Radio" WVGR: Broadcasts with 108,000 watts and in mono
- 104.5 WSNX Muskegon - Contemporary Hits "Continuous Hit Music"
- 104.9 WBXX Battle Creek - Adult Contemporary "Soft Rock 104.9"
- 105.3 WHTS Coopersville/Grand Rapids - Hot AC/Adult CHR "Hot 105.3" WHTS
- 105.7 WOOD Grand Rapids - Adult Contemporary "Star 105.7" WOOD: broadcasts with 265,000 watts
- 106.3 WSCG Lakeview - Classic Country "Classic Hit Country 106.3"
- 106.5 WQLR Kalamazoo - Adult Contemporary "Q-106.5 FM"
- 106.9 WMUS Muskegon - Country "107 MUS"
- 107.3 WKLQ Greenville - Active Rock "West Michigan's Pure Rock"
- 107.7 WRKR Portage - Rock "The Rocker"
- 107.9 WSHZ Muskegon - Adult Contemporary "Star 108"
- 1140AM WJNZ Grand Rapids - Urban Adult Contemporary (Tom Joyner Morning Show/The Pulse Of The City/Talk Show).
- 1300AM WOOD Grand Rapids Talk
- 1340AM WBBL Grand Rapids Sports
- 1410AM WNWZ Grand Rapids - Regional Mexican "La Maquina Musical"
- 1480AM WGVU Kentwood - Public/NPR/News- Talk "West Michigan Public Radio"
- 1230AM Grand Rapids Talk
- 640AM Grand Rapids Sports,Health,Urban Talk
- 1610AM WCKS Allendale - "The Whale" Grand Valley State University's Student Run Radio
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Transportation
Public bus transportation is provided by the Interurban Transit Partnership, which brands itself as The Rapid. Transportation is also provided by the DASH buses: the "Downtown Area Shuttle". These provide transportation to and from the parking lots in the city of Grand Rapids to various designated loading and unloading spots around the city.
Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). Previously named Kent County International Airport, it holds Grand Rapids' mark in modern history with the United States' first regularly scheduled airline service, beginning July 31, 1926, between Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Amtrak provides direct train service to Chicago from the passenger station via the Pere Marquette line.
Several major highways serve the city, including:
[edit] Interstates
I-96 Gerald R. Ford Freeway This runs from Muskegon to the northwest corner then over the Grand River which it does not cross again until reaching the airport on the southwest side of the county. It Creates a northern beltline of the city.
I-196 It begins down in Benton Harbor north to Holland from there it routes northeast until crossing over the Grand River near Grandville where it creates a corner and runs east through downtown and crosses the Grand agian. It links up on the east side of the city with I-96.- I-296 Is an unsigned portion of US 131 in the northern portion of the city. It links I-196 to I-96. It runs on the west side of Grand River.
[edit] U.S. highways
US 131 Runs from the southern border of Michigan with Indiana near South Bend, Indiana where it routes through Kalamazoo before entering the Grand Rapids Area. It runs through the southern section of Grand Rapids downtown and during the S-Curve section of the freeway it crosses the Grand River which it then runs on the west side before leaving the area.
BUS US 131 a business loop. It is a loop that runs from just south of the major downtown area in the south along Division Ave until it connects to Leonard on the northern area of the city and back onto US 131.
[edit] Michigan Highways
[edit] Utilities
Consumers Energy is the main Electrical service provider in the city. Commnonwealth Power Company owns five dams in the southeast portion of the area. Water in the area is provided mainly from Lake Michigan although there is still a number of private wells in the areas outside the suburbs of the city. In the areas south of the city of Grand Rapids is served by the Wyoming Water Service which is the second largest in the county. The city of Grand Rapids has a seperate service which dates to such a such date. It serves few locations on the southern border of the city but does serve many northern suburbs. Most water smaller cities in the county use thier own wells but Grand Rapids and Wyoming transmit their water from locations on the coast of Lake Michigan. Need to fill in a lot of data here.
[edit] Healthcare
The Healthcare of the city begins with a question I have to answer but probally butterworth downtown and St Marys. In anycase the 4 major hospitals until the 1990's were Butterworth located on Michigan on the Hill District of the city. St Mary's to the southeast around the Heritage Hill district. Blodgett in East Grand Rapids and formally Metro. Metro has since moved to the Southwest portion of the county in the southern section of the suburb of Wyoming. All of the hospitals have smaller outpatient centers around the county to support smaller injuries. Could list them if needed. In the 1990's the boards of the Blodgett and Butterworth decided to merge. It passed through FTC regulations and the merged hospital group is called Spectrum. New info on Butterworth should be pointed to the Grand Rapids Medical Corridor page. St Mary's could also be added at this point and maybe the Jefferson St work could be made into a page that includes the new hospital info. metro is noteworthy but not neccessary at this point and more info should be pointed to the city of wyoming page.
[edit] Notable current/former residents
- Toni Jo Abbenante Farmer, Miss Michigan 1967
- Gillian Anderson, lead actress, The X-Files
- Paul Assenmacher, Major League Baseball player
- Steve Belkin, Atlanta Hawks, MBNA
- Terry Barr, professional football player
- Johnny Benson Jr., NASCAR driver
- Adam Herz, screenwriter and producer.
- Paul Collins, African-American Artist
- Ray Bentley, Buffalo Bills linebacker and commentator
- Jeffrey Brown, comic book artist
- Roger B. Chaffee, Apollo 1 astronaut
- DeBarge family, recording artists
- Richard DeVos co-founder, Amway and Owner, Orlando Magic of NBA
- Vernon J. Ehlers U.S. Congressman
- Katie Feenstra, WNBA Center Detroit Shock
- Betty Ford, 37th First Lady of the United States
- Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States
- Julius Franks, first African American Michigan Wolverines football player to become an All-American
- Arnold Gingrich, founder Esquire Magazine
- Al Green, singer
- John A. Hannah, Michigan State College (MSU) President
- David Harris, professional football player
- Adina Howard, recording artist
- H. Wayne Huizenga, owner, Miami Dolphins
- Chris Kaman, basketball player
- Maynard James Keenan, vocalist for the bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer
- Stanley Ketchel, former undisputed World middleweight boxing champion
- Anthony Kiedis, lead singer, Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Jack Lousma, Skylab/Shuttle astronaut
- Buster Mathis, Jr., heavyweight boxer
- Floyd Mayweather, Jr., five time division champion boxer
- Floyd Mayweather Sr., boxer
- Marshall Purnell, First African-American president of the American Institute of Architects
- Andy Richter, television entertainer
- Paul Schrader, film maker
- L. William Seidman, an American economist and financial commentator.
- Del Shannon, recording artist
- William Alden Smith, U.S. Senator, in 1912 was Chairmen of Committee investigating the sinking of Titanic.
- Mel Trotter, rescue mission director.
- Tony Tucker, heavyweight boxer
- Edwin F. Uhl, United States Assistant Secretary of State 1893-1896
- Chris Van Allsburg Author of Childrens Books - Polar Express, Zathura & Jumanji.
- Jay Van Andel, co-founder, Amway
- Arthur H. Vandenberg, U.S. Senator
- Robert C. Vogel Musical director and guitarist for country music legend Loretta Lynn
- Roger Wilkins, Professor Emiritus, George Mason University
- Kim Zimmer, actress on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light
[edit] Sister cities
Grand Rapids has city partnerships with the following cities:
[edit] References
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ July 1, 2006 est. by Census Bureau
- ^ Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: History of Hydropower. U.S. Department of Energy (September 9, 2005).
- ^ Grand Rapids QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ Sligh Furniture Company. History of Sligh Furniture Company. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ Furniture Manufacturers Association. History of FMA,. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ Kindel Furniture. Kindel Furniture. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ Hekman/Woodmark Furniture Company. Hekman/Woodmark Furniture Company. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ sister city. Retrieved on January 16, 2008.
[edit] External links
- Official Website of the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Downtown Grand Rapids
- Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
- Cook-De Vos Center for Health Sciences
- Van Andel Research Institute
- Grand Rapids Public Library
- Gerald R. Ford Museum
- Public Museum of Grand Rapids
- Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
- Sculpture Grand Rapids
- The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts
- Grand Rapids Historical Commission's Online Grand Rapids History Archive
- Grand Valley State University
- Mihsfbstadium/GrandRapids is at coordinates Coordinates:
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