Grand River
The Grand River is the longest river in Michigan, flowing through Jackson, Lansing, and Grand Rapids before flowing into Lake Michigan at Grand Haven. It flows south through the city of Grand Rapids and serves as the boundary between downtown and the west side.
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History
Grand Rapids gets its name from the many sets of rapids formerly located in the Grand River at the present site of the city. These have since been smoothed out by a series of small dams.
The Grand River once served as a transportation route and was essential to the establishment of the local furniture industry, as loggers floated their harvest down the river.
The Grand River once flowed around a large island (just north of what is now the Fulton Street Bridge). This was filled in, creating the more controlled, North-South flow.
Pollution
The Grand River has had a negative reputation for pollution, given the industrialization that has occurred on its banks and Grand Rapids's combined storm and sanitary sewage system, which has historically poured into the river when overloaded. Though many anglers take their sport to the Grand, others question the quality of their catch.
Art and imagery
The Grand River figures into local art and its banks are home to some of the city's public artworks:
- The Grand River is shown on one of the flags of the City of Grand Rapids
- The Fish Ladder incorporates the flow of the river.
- The River's Edge is also located on the banks.
Land use
Much of the ground around the Grand River is rocky, making it good for gravel pits and "lakefront" housing developments. See Jules Schmuker's Gravel pits and lakefront housing developments project.