Holland, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula
of the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
on Lake Macatawa
, which is fed by the Macatawa River
(also known locally as the Black River).
The city spans the Ottawa
/Allegan
county line, with 9.08 square miles (23.52 km²) in Ottawa and the remaining 8.13 square miles (21.06 km²) in Allegan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,051, with an Urbanized Area population of 109,394.
The city is the largest municipality of the Holland-Grand Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area and the seventh largest metro area in the state of Michigan, with a population of 263,801 as of the 2010 census. Holland was founded by Dutch Americans, and is in an area that has a large percentage of citizens of Dutch American heritage.
It is home to Hope College
and Western Theological Seminary
, institutions of the Reformed Church in America
.
, who were escaping from persecution in the Netherlands
. An alternative explanation for Van Raalte's and his followers' motivation to emigrate is their opposition to scientific and social advances (e.g., contraception, vaccination, insurance, chemical fertilizers) and their resulting failure to thrive under the economic and agricultural conditions of the time in their homeland (Zeeland, Netherlands).
Van Raalte took the land due to its proximity to the Black River where it streamed to Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa
) which, in turn, led to Lake Michigan. At the time, the land was inhabited by the Ottawa people who had been on the lake for hundreds of years.
In Holland's early history, Van Raalte was a spiritual leader, as well as overseeing political, educational and financial matters. In 1847 Van Raalte established a congregation of the Reformed Church in America
, which would later be called the First Reformed Church of Holland. On March 25, 1867, Holland was incorporated as a city with Isaac Cappon being the city's first mayor
. The city suffered a major fire
on October 8–9, 1871, the same time as the Great Chicago Fire
in Illinois
and the very deadly Peshtigo Fire
in Wisconsin
. Manistee
and Port Huron, Michigan
also burned.
Holland was known as the "City of Churches." There are 170 churches in Holland, many of which are with the Reformed Church in America
and Christian Reformed Church in North America
denomination
s. The city is the home to the church that started the trend of the "What Would Jesus Do?
" bracelets in 1989. In 1987, a 23-year-old City Council member Phil Tanis was elected mayor of Holland, becoming its youngest mayor
while he was still a Hope College student.
The Holland Museum contains exhibits about the city's history. Another, the Cappon House Museum, was built in 1874 and is a historic museum
that once housed the first mayor of Holland, Dutch immigrant Isaac Cappon. The Settlers House Museum, a building that survived the great fire, contains furnishings and relics from the 19th Century.
Holland's downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
. The "Snowmelt Project" established pipes transporting warm water from the nearby power plant to travel underneath downtown with the purpose of clearing the streets and sidewalks in the downtown area of any snow. Nearby Holland State Park
is a Michigan State Park.
Across the channel is the Holland Harbor Light, known as "Big Red", a lighthouse in Michigan. De Zwaan, an original 250-year-old Dutch windmill, is situated on Windmill Island
, a municipal park. Its height is 125 feet (38 m) with 40 feet (12 m) sails. Holland boasts an annual Fiesta, organized by Latin Americans United for Progress, usually on the Saturday closest to May 5 (Cinco de Mayo). Holland is also host to the annual Tulipanes Latino Art & Film Festival, which is held to celebrate the Latino contribution to the culture. Holland is home to the world's largest pickle
factory. The H.J. Heinz Company has operated the factory at the same location since 1897 and currently processes over 1 million pounds of pickles per day during the green season. Holland was the birthplace of Slashdot
, an influential early Internet
weblog created by Hope College
student Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda
. CNN Money named Holland as one of the top five places to retire in 2006.
In 2010, Holland was ranked the 2nd healthiest/happiest town in the United States by the Well-being Index.
. Tulip
planting and the festival began in 1930 when 250,000 tulips were planted for the event. Currently six million tulips are used throughout the city. Tulips are planted along many city streets, in city parks and outside municipal buildings as well as at tourist attractions like Dutch Village, the city-owned Windmill Island Gardens, and at a large tulip farm
named Veldheer Tulip Gardens. It is normally held the second week of May, right when the numerous tulips planted around the town are blooming.
About one million tourists visit Tulip Time each year, for which the community finds innovative ways to enhance self-funded projects. It has been ranked as America's third largest town festival and was named Reader's Digest
s best small town festival
. The Tulip Time Festival has attracted big name acts in recent years such as: Christina Aguilera
in 2000, O-Town in 2001, The Verve Pipe
in 2004, and Jars of Clay
in 2006. Ed McMahon
visited Tulip Time in 2007 along with Bobby Vinton
.
Gallery
and Lake Macatawa
. Scattered along the shoreline are many public beach accesses. The best known are Holland State Park and Tunnel Park. Smaller beaches along Lake Michigan are present but not well marked. Public accesses are frequent along dead-end streets bordering the shoreline.
Riley Trails consists of approximately 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of public land about 3 country blocks west of the Riley St. and Butternut Dr. intersection. Trail maps mark the entrance and features four routes (A, B, C, and V—V). The park also features a large pond.
of 2005-2007, there were 32,030 people, 29,089 households, and 7,756 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,929.5 per square mile (746.6 per km2). There were 13,059 housing units at an average density of 786.7 per sq mi (304.4 per km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.1% White, 1.3% African American, 0.7% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 13.6% from other races
, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.0% of the population.
There were 11,401 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.2% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households are made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.08.
The age distribution of the city is as follows: 23.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 62.6% between the ages of 18 and 65, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. The distribution of males and females was 51.4% female and 48.6% male.
The median income for a household in the city was $81,111, and the median income for a family was $101,889. Males had a median income of $80,637 versus $48,167 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $80,020. About 2.2% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Holland's city charter requires a mayor and eight city council members. The Mayor serves a two-year term, while two "at large" council members and six "ward" council members each serve four-year terms.
The current Mayor is Kurt D. Dykstra, recently elected in 2009 to replace long-serving mayor, Albert H. McGeehan. Prior to becoming Mayor, Dykstra was a five-year member of the Holland City Council, representing the city's fifth ward. He is a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, a Grand Rapids, Michigan
-based law firm. He earned his juris doctorate from Marquette University Law School and received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern College, in Orange City, Iowa, graduating magna cum laude.
Public schools
Private schools
, and the larger, corporate and charter jet West Michigan Regional Airport . Neither facility is served by regularly scheduled commercial carriers. The city also is served by regularly scheduled Amtrak service (the Pere Marquette
) east to Grand Rapids and west to Chicago with connections to all points east and west.
The city and surrounding area is served by the MAX (Macatawa Area Express
) transportation system, which offers both on-demand and fixed-route bus service, linking different parts of the city as well as commercial, medical and government locations outside the city. This service evolved from the former "Dial-A-Ride Transportation" (DART) system.
The city is served by the following highways:
The channel between Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan allows pleasure craft and commercial boats, even bulk freighters
, to access Holland's docks to unload coal, salt and iron scrap.
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
on Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa is a lake in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is about long with a maximum width of and a surface area of 1,700 acres The average depth of the lake is variable but generally less than , excluding a navigation channel of fixed depth that crosses the lake to...
, which is fed by the Macatawa River
Macatawa River
The Macatawa River, also known as the Black River, is located in the lower part of Ottawa County, Michigan, which drains into Lake Macatawa and eventually into Lake Michigan. The main stream is long....
(also known locally as the Black River).
The city spans the Ottawa
Ottawa County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 238,314 people, 81,662 households, and 61,328 families residing in the county. The population density was 421 people per square mile . There were 86,856 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
/Allegan
Allegan County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-196* I-196 Business Loop serves the city of Holland.-US highways:* US-31* US-131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-40* M-89* M-179* M-222-Allegan County Intercounty Highways:* A-2* A-37* A-42* A-45-Demographics:...
county line, with 9.08 square miles (23.52 km²) in Ottawa and the remaining 8.13 square miles (21.06 km²) in Allegan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,051, with an Urbanized Area population of 109,394.
The city is the largest municipality of the Holland-Grand Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area and the seventh largest metro area in the state of Michigan, with a population of 263,801 as of the 2010 census. Holland was founded by Dutch Americans, and is in an area that has a large percentage of citizens of Dutch American heritage.
It is home to Hope College
Hope College
Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
and Western Theological Seminary
Western Theological Seminary
Western Theological Seminary is a professional and graduate school in Holland, Michigan affiliated with the Reformed Church in America....
, institutions of the Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America
The Reformed Church in America is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 170,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it...
.
History
Holland was settled in 1847 by Dutch Calvinist separatists, under the leadership of Dr. Albertus van RaalteAlbertus van Raalte
Albertus Christiaan van Raalte was an 19th century pastor in the Reformed Church in America...
, who were escaping from persecution in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. An alternative explanation for Van Raalte's and his followers' motivation to emigrate is their opposition to scientific and social advances (e.g., contraception, vaccination, insurance, chemical fertilizers) and their resulting failure to thrive under the economic and agricultural conditions of the time in their homeland (Zeeland, Netherlands).
Van Raalte took the land due to its proximity to the Black River where it streamed to Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa is a lake in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is about long with a maximum width of and a surface area of 1,700 acres The average depth of the lake is variable but generally less than , excluding a navigation channel of fixed depth that crosses the lake to...
) which, in turn, led to Lake Michigan. At the time, the land was inhabited by the Ottawa people who had been on the lake for hundreds of years.
In Holland's early history, Van Raalte was a spiritual leader, as well as overseeing political, educational and financial matters. In 1847 Van Raalte established a congregation of the Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America
The Reformed Church in America is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 170,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it...
, which would later be called the First Reformed Church of Holland. On March 25, 1867, Holland was incorporated as a city with Isaac Cappon being the city's first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
. The city suffered a major fire
Conflagration
A conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused , or intentionally created . Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of...
on October 8–9, 1871, the same time as the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and the very deadly Peshtigo Fire
Peshtigo Fire
The October 8, 1871 Peshtigo Fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, is the conflagration that caused the most deaths by fire in United States history, killing as many as 1,500. Occurring on the same day as the more infamous Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire is mostly forgotten...
in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Manistee
Manistee, Michigan
Manistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from...
and Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron Fire of 1871
The Port Huron Fire of Sunday October 8, 1871 burned a number of cities including White Rock and Port Huron, and much of the countryside in the "Thumb" region of the U.S. state of Michigan...
also burned.
Reformed Church in America
The Reformed Church in America is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 170,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it...
and Christian Reformed Church in North America
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s. The city is the home to the church that started the trend of the "What Would Jesus Do?
What would Jesus do?
The phrase "What would Jesus do?" became popular in the United States in the 1990s and as a personal motto for adherents of Evangelical Christianity who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief in a moral imperative to act in a manner that would demonstrate the love of Jesus through the...
" bracelets in 1989. In 1987, a 23-year-old City Council member Phil Tanis was elected mayor of Holland, becoming its youngest mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
while he was still a Hope College student.
Culture
The city is perhaps best known for its Dutch heritage, which serves not only as a part of the city's cultural identity, but the local economy as well: the Tulip Time Festival in May and various Dutch-themed attractions augment the nearby Lake Michigan shoreline in attracting thousands of tourists annually.The Holland Museum contains exhibits about the city's history. Another, the Cappon House Museum, was built in 1874 and is a historic museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
that once housed the first mayor of Holland, Dutch immigrant Isaac Cappon. The Settlers House Museum, a building that survived the great fire, contains furnishings and relics from the 19th Century.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The "Snowmelt Project" established pipes transporting warm water from the nearby power plant to travel underneath downtown with the purpose of clearing the streets and sidewalks in the downtown area of any snow. Nearby Holland State Park
Holland State Park
Holland State Park is located in the U.S. state of Michigan, in Park Township, Ottawa County, four miles west of the city of Holland. The park covers about on the northern side of the channel connecting Lake Macatawa with Lake Michigan, and consists of separate Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan...
is a Michigan State Park.
Across the channel is the Holland Harbor Light, known as "Big Red", a lighthouse in Michigan. De Zwaan, an original 250-year-old Dutch windmill, is situated on Windmill Island
Windmill Island
Windmill Island Gardens is a municipal park located in the city of Holland, Michigan. It is home to the 245-year-old windmill De Zwaan, the only authentic, working Dutch windmill in the United States.-History:...
, a municipal park. Its height is 125 feet (38 m) with 40 feet (12 m) sails. Holland boasts an annual Fiesta, organized by Latin Americans United for Progress, usually on the Saturday closest to May 5 (Cinco de Mayo). Holland is also host to the annual Tulipanes Latino Art & Film Festival, which is held to celebrate the Latino contribution to the culture. Holland is home to the world's largest pickle
Pickled cucumber
A pickled cucumber is a cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for a period of time, by either immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation.-Gherkin:A gherkin is not only...
factory. The H.J. Heinz Company has operated the factory at the same location since 1897 and currently processes over 1 million pounds of pickles per day during the green season. Holland was the birthplace of Slashdot
Slashdot
Slashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section...
, an influential early Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
weblog created by Hope College
Hope College
Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
student Rob "CmdrTaco" Malda
Rob Malda
Rob Malda , also known as CmdrTaco, is founder and former editor-in-chief of the website Slashdot. He is a graduate of Hope College and Holland Christian High School....
. CNN Money named Holland as one of the top five places to retire in 2006.
In 2010, Holland was ranked the 2nd healthiest/happiest town in the United States by the Well-being Index.
Tulip Time Festival
Each May Holland hosts an annual Tulip Time FestivalTulip Time Festival
Tulip Time Festival is an annual festival held in Holland, Michigan. Tulip festivals are held in many cities around the United States of America that were founded or largely inhabited by Dutch settlers. It has been held every year in mid-May since 1929 and is currently the largest tulip festival in...
. Tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
planting and the festival began in 1930 when 250,000 tulips were planted for the event. Currently six million tulips are used throughout the city. Tulips are planted along many city streets, in city parks and outside municipal buildings as well as at tourist attractions like Dutch Village, the city-owned Windmill Island Gardens, and at a large tulip farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
named Veldheer Tulip Gardens. It is normally held the second week of May, right when the numerous tulips planted around the town are blooming.
About one million tourists visit Tulip Time each year, for which the community finds innovative ways to enhance self-funded projects. It has been ranked as America's third largest town festival and was named Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
s best small town festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
. The Tulip Time Festival has attracted big name acts in recent years such as: Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
in 2000, O-Town in 2001, The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.-History:...
in 2004, and Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
in 2006. Ed McMahon
Ed McMahon
Edward Peter "Ed" McMahon, Jr. was an American comedian, game show host and announcer. He is most famous for his work on television as Johnny Carson's sidekick and announcer on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. He also hosted the original version of the talent show Star Search from 1983 to 1995...
visited Tulip Time in 2007 along with Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton
Bobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
.
Gallery
Attractions
Holland is on the shores of Lake MichiganLake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
and Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa
Lake Macatawa is a lake in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is about long with a maximum width of and a surface area of 1,700 acres The average depth of the lake is variable but generally less than , excluding a navigation channel of fixed depth that crosses the lake to...
. Scattered along the shoreline are many public beach accesses. The best known are Holland State Park and Tunnel Park. Smaller beaches along Lake Michigan are present but not well marked. Public accesses are frequent along dead-end streets bordering the shoreline.
Riley Trails consists of approximately 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of public land about 3 country blocks west of the Riley St. and Butternut Dr. intersection. Trail maps mark the entrance and features four routes (A, B, C, and V—V). The park also features a large pond.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2005-2007, there were 32,030 people, 29,089 households, and 7,756 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,929.5 per square mile (746.6 per km2). There were 13,059 housing units at an average density of 786.7 per sq mi (304.4 per km2). The racial makeup of the city was 80.1% White, 1.3% African American, 0.7% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 13.6% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.0% of the population.
There were 11,401 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.2% were married couples living together, 3.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households are made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.08.
The age distribution of the city is as follows: 23.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 62.6% between the ages of 18 and 65, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. The distribution of males and females was 51.4% female and 48.6% male.
The median income for a household in the city was $81,111, and the median income for a family was $101,889. Males had a median income of $80,637 versus $48,167 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $80,020. About 2.2% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The City of Holland utilizes a council/manager form of government. The day-to-day operations of the city are under the supervision of the City Manager and his/her staff. The City Manager is responsible for selecting all department heads, preparation of the budget and supervision of all employees through his/her appointments. The city manager serves at the direction of the Mayor and city council which are elected position. The current city manager (since 1988) is Soren Wolff, who also served as assistant city manager in the mid 1970s. The current assistant city manager is Greg Robinson. In the spring of 2011, Wolff announced his intentions to retire that September. Over the summer, Robinson was named interim city manager until a permanent replacement could be found.Holland's city charter requires a mayor and eight city council members. The Mayor serves a two-year term, while two "at large" council members and six "ward" council members each serve four-year terms.
The current Mayor is Kurt D. Dykstra, recently elected in 2009 to replace long-serving mayor, Albert H. McGeehan. Prior to becoming Mayor, Dykstra was a five-year member of the Holland City Council, representing the city's fifth ward. He is a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, a Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
-based law firm. He earned his juris doctorate from Marquette University Law School and received his bachelor's degree from Northwestern College, in Orange City, Iowa, graduating magna cum laude.
- City council members as of August 2011 are:
- At-Large - Shawn Miller*
- At-Large - Nancy DeBoer
- Ward 1 - Myron Trethewey
- Ward 2 - Jay Peters
- Ward 3 - Brian Burch
- Ward 4 - Robert VandeVusse
- Ward 5 - Todd Whiteman
- Ward 6 - David Hoekstra
- Miller was appointed in May 2011 to finish out an unexpired term left by the resignation of Jerome Thomas-Kobes whose job relocated him to Florida. Miller stated he would not seek re-election in November 2011. Based on results of the August 2011 primary, Wayne Klomparens and Scott Troeger (a former president of the Holland Board of Education) will face off in November.
Education
Higher level academic institutions- Hope CollegeHope CollegeHope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
, a private four-year liberal arts collegeLiberal arts collegeA liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional... - Western Theological SeminaryWestern Theological SeminaryWestern Theological Seminary is a professional and graduate school in Holland, Michigan affiliated with the Reformed Church in America....
a graduate and professional school - Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
has a branch campus in Holland. - Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
has a campus in Holland. The land was donated to the GVSU by the Meijer family. - Davenport UniversityDavenport UniversityDavenport University is a private, non-profit, multi-location university located at 14 campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers Master's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees, Associate's Degrees, diplomas, and post-grad certification programs...
has a Regional campus in Holland
Public schools
- Holland Public SchoolsHolland Public SchoolsHolland Public Schools is a school district in Holland, Michigan, founded in 1848. Approximately 314 teachers, with an average of 14 years experience each and most possessing master's degrees, offer instruction in core curriculum along with other programs, including art, music, athletics, theater,...
- West Ottawa Public Schools, which serve the townships that make up Holland's suburban and rural "north side".
- Black River Public School, a charter schoolCharter schoolCharter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
with kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and high school students. - Vanderbilt Charter Academy (K-8).
- Thompson M-TEC (Adult Training) - a partnership between the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District and Grand Rapids Community College.
Private schools
- Holland Christian SchoolsHolland Christian SchoolsHolland Christian Schools is a private Christian school system located in Holland, Michigan. The Holland Christian Schools educate students ranging in age from Pre-K through 12th grade...
- Corpus Christi Catholic School
- Calvary Schools of HollandCalvary Schools of HollandCalvary Schools of Holland is a private Christian school located in Holland, Michigan...
- Holland Seventh-day Adventist School
Transportation
The city is serviced by two public airports, the recreational Park Township AirportPark Township Airport
Park Township Airport is a public airport located 3 mi northwest of Holland, Michigan. Built in 1937, the airport is operated by Ottawa Aviation, an organization of local users whose aim is to promote the value of the airport to the surrounding community.The airport has a main paved runway ...
, and the larger, corporate and charter jet West Michigan Regional Airport . Neither facility is served by regularly scheduled commercial carriers. The city also is served by regularly scheduled Amtrak service (the Pere Marquette
Pere Marquette (passenger train)
Pere Marquette is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak as part of its Michigan Services. The 176-mile line connects Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois. Pere Marquette is funded in part by the Michigan Department of Transportation...
) east to Grand Rapids and west to Chicago with connections to all points east and west.
The city and surrounding area is served by the MAX (Macatawa Area Express
Macatawa Area Express
The Macatawa Area Express is a the primary provider of mass transportation in Ottawa County's Holland-Zeeland metropolitan area. The system is named after the Macatawa River, which runs through Holland, Michigan. It was originally established in the year 2000 as an outgrowth of Holland's...
) transportation system, which offers both on-demand and fixed-route bus service, linking different parts of the city as well as commercial, medical and government locations outside the city. This service evolved from the former "Dial-A-Ride Transportation" (DART) system.
The city is served by the following highways:
-
Interstate 196Interstate 196Interstate 196 is a long freeway spur route in the US state of Michigan linking Grand Rapids, Holland, South Haven, and Benton Harbor. I-196 is known as the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, or simply the Ford Freeway, in Kent, Ottawa, and Allegan Counties, after the 38th President of the United States,...
(Gerald R. Ford Freeway) -
Business Loop I-196 -
U.S. Highway 31 -
M-40M-40 (Michigan highway)M-40 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from US Highway 12 near the Indiana state line in Porter Township north through Paw Paw and Allegan to end in the outskirts of Holland... -
A-2
The channel between Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan allows pleasure craft and commercial boats, even bulk freighters
Lake freighter
Lake freighters, or Lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that ply the Great Lakes. The best known was the , the most recent and largest major vessel to be wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the...
, to access Holland's docks to unload coal, salt and iron scrap.
Newspapers
- Holland SentinelHolland SentinelThe Holland Sentinel is the daily newspaper in Holland, Michigan, founded in 1896.Originally an afternoon paper published six days a week, the paper moved to Saturday mornings and then added a Sunday edition in the late 1980s...
- Holland's local daily newspaper - Grand Rapids PressGrand Rapids PressThe Grand Rapids Press is a daily newspaper published in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the largest of the eight Booth newspapers. It is sold for $.75 daily and $2.00 on Sunday.AccuWeather provides weather content to the Grand Rapids Press....
- has maintained a Holland newsroom and circulation office since the 1980s. - The Flashes - Serves Ottawa and Allegan counties for the Holland area.
- Senior Times - Senior Citizen Newspaper
Radio
- WHTCWHTCWHTC is a news/talk AM radio station broadcasting at 1450 kHz in Holland, Michigan.The station signed on July 31, 1948 at 6pm and originally was owned by six Holland-area businessmen: I.H Marsilje, Nelson Bosman , W.A. Butler , Millard Westrate, Willard Wichers and P.T. Chef...
- Holland's Hometown Station 1450 AM Station - WYVNWYVNFor the West Virginia television station that carried this callsign, please see WWPX.WYVN is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format licensed to Saugatuck, Michigan, with studios in Holland, Michigan and is owned along with WHTC by Midwest Communications.The station began operations on...
- Holland's Home for Classic Hits 92.7FM - WTHSWTHSWTHS-FM 89.9 is a student operated radio station licensed to Hope College in Holland, Michigan.-Carrier Current:The station began as WTAS in 1956, when students Richard Brockmeier and Jack Hellriegel transmitted a signal from their room through the wiring of the then-new Kollen Hall on the Hope...
- Hope CollegeHope CollegeHope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
Radio Station 89.9FM - LakeshoreRadio.net - The Lakeshore's Music Station
- WTNRWTNRWTNR , is a country radio station located in Holland, Michigan, owned by Cumulus Media. It was established in October 2004, as a station that focueses mostly on new country music, with songs from the 1990's and early 2000's. It competes with B-93...
- Thunder 94.5 New Country - WMAXWMAX-FMWMAX-FM are the call letters of a radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, transmitting on a frequency of 96.1 MHz....
- ESPN Radio 96.1FM - WOODWOOD (AM)WOOD is a news/talk radio station broadcasting at 1300 kHz and 106.9 FM in Michigan, United States. WOOD-AM is licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan and WOOD-FM to Muskegon, Michigan.-Full-service station:...
- News, weather, traffic 1300 AM and 106.9 FM
Music
- Holland Chorale - Holland's auditioned chorus, presenting a full concert season of fine choral music
- Holland Symphony Orchestra - Professional symphony orchestra conducted by Maestro Johannes Müller-Stosch.
Athletics
| Logo | Club | Sport | League | Venue | Championships |
| Holland Blast Holland Blast The Holland Blast is a franchise in the Independent Basketball Association based in Holland, Michigan, USA. The Blast is owned by Tom Moore. The Blast play at the Holland Civic Center, former home of Hope College who moved into the new DeVos Fieldhouse. They previously were members of the... |
Basketball Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules... |
International Basketball League International Basketball League The International Basketball League was a short lived professional basketball league in the United States. The IBL was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The league started in 1999 and ended in 2001.-History:... |
Holland Civic Center Holland Civic Center The Holland Civic Center is a 2,700-seat multi-purpose arena located in Holland, Michigan, United States. It hosts local sporting events and concerts. It is home to the Holland Blast of the International Basketball League.-External links:*... |
None | |
| Hope College Hope College Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled... Flying Dutchmen football |
College football College football College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities... |
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association is an athletic conference that competes in the NCAA's Division III. The nine teams in the conference are all located in the states of Michigan and Indiana. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association was established on March 24, 1888, making... |
Holland Municipal Stadium Holland Municipal Stadium Holland Municipal Stadium is a 5,322-seat American football stadium located in Holland, Michigan. Built in 1979, it is the home of the Hope College Flying Dutchmen football team. It is also used regularly for high school football, including the home town team, Holland High School. The stadium... |
Sister cities
- Santiago de Querétaro
Santiago de QuerétaroSantiago de Querétaro is the capital and largest city of the state of Querétaro, located in central Mexico. It is located 213 km northwest of Mexico City, 96 km southeast of San Miguel de Allende and 200 km south of San Luis Potosí...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... - Groningen, Netherlands
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Notable residents
- L. Frank BaumL. Frank BaumLyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
(d. 1919), author, wrote The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
, while summering in the resort community of Macatawa. - Brian D'AmatoBrian D'AmatoBrian D'Amato is an American author and sculptor. He received a BA from Yale University and an MA from the City University of New York.In the 1990s, D’Amato showed sculptures and installations at galleries and museums including the Whitney Museum, the Wexner Center for the Arts, and the New Museum...
, American author (Beauty, In the Courts of the Sun) and sculptor - Kirk CousinsKirk Cousins-College career:In 2007, newly hired Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio recruited Cousins to play for the Spartans. Cousins was redshirted for the 2007 season. In 2008, he spent the season as the back up quarterback to Brian Hoyer. He played in five games passing for a total of 310 yards and...
, current Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
starting quarterback - Max DePreeMax DePreeMax De Pree is businessman and American writer. A son of D.J. De Pree, founder of Herman Miller office furniture company, he and his brother Hugh De Pree assumed leadership of the company the early 1960s, Hugh becoming CEO and president in 1962...
, writer; industrialist; former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc. - Gerrard Wendell HaworthGerrard Wendell HaworthGerrard Wendell Haworth , better known as G. W. Haworth, was the founder of office furniture manufacturer Haworth....
(d. 2006), founded office furniture manufacturer Haworth CompanyHaworth (company)Haworth designs and manufactures adaptable workspaces, including raised floors, movable walls, systems furniture, seating, storage and wood casegoods. Family-owned and privately held, Haworth is headquartered in Holland, Michigan in the United States. Haworth serves markets in more than 120...
. - Pete HoekstraPete HoekstraPeter "Pete" Hoekstra is a former Republican U.S. Representative for who served in the House from 1993 until 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2010 and is expected to run for the United States Senate against Debbie Stabenow in 2012.-Early life and education:Born...
, U.S. Congressman from Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, 1993-2011; chairman of House Intelligence Committee, 2004-2007. - Alex Koroknay-PaliczAlex Koroknay-PaliczAlex Koroknay-Palicz is an American activist in Washington, D.C. He is currently the executive director of the National Youth Rights Association.-Biography:Koroknay-Palicz was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and grew up in Holland, Michigan...
, youth rightsYouth rightsYouth rights refers to a set of philosophies intended to enhance civil rights for young people. They are a response to the oppression of young people, with advocates challenging ephebiphobia, adultism and ageism through youth participation, youth/adult partnerships, and promoting, ultimately,...
advocate - Paul de KruifPaul de KruifPaul Henry de Kruif was an American microbiologist and author of Dutch descent. Publishing as Paul de Kruif, he is most noted for his 1926 book, Microbe Hunters...
(d. 1971), science writer (Microbe Hunters, etc.) retired to Holland, where he died - Rob MaldaRob MaldaRob Malda , also known as CmdrTaco, is founder and former editor-in-chief of the website Slashdot. He is a graduate of Hope College and Holland Christian High School....
, founder of SlashdotSlashdotSlashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section... - Lisa McMannLisa McMannLisa McMann is an American author.McMann was born in Holland, Michigan and now lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Her first novel, WAKE, debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list for children's chapter books...
, young adult fiction writer - James MichaelJames MichaelJames Andrew Michael is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer, mixer, vocalist and musician. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M.-Early life:...
, lead singer (Sixx:AM) and producer; co-wrote Rest In Pieces by SalivaSalivaSaliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,... - David Myers, psychologist, author
- Milton J. NieuwsmaMilton J. NieuwsmaMilton John Nieuwsma is an American writer, journalist and filmmaker noted for his work on the Holocaust. His 1998 book Kinderlager, about three young concentration camp survivors, was the basis for the 2005 Emmy Award-winning documentary, "Surviving Auschwitz: Children of the Shoah," which he...
, author, Emmy-winning filmwriter-producer - Erik PrinceErik PrinceErik Dean Prince is the founder and formerly the sole owner of the private military company Xe Services LLC, formerly Blackwater Worldwide. On March 2, 2009, Prince announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Xe. He is currently living abroad in the United Arab Emirates, where he is creating a...
, founded Blackwater USABlackwater USAXe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors... - Ron SchipperRon SchipperRon "Skip" Schipper was an American college football coach at Central College in Pella, Iowa from 1961 to 1996....
(d. 2006), college football coach; member of College Football Hall of Fame - Herman StegemanHerman Stegeman-Sources: -External links:* at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com*...
(d. 1939), varsity coach and athletics director at the University of Georgia at AthensUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(UGA) - Sufjan StevensSufjan StevensSufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
, singer-songwriter; attended Hope College, details the city in the song "Holland" on his 2003 concept album, MichiganMichigan (album)Bonus tracks included on the double-disc vinyl release:#"Marching Band" – 3:41#"Niagara Falls" – 2:22#"Pickerel Lake" – 3:11#"Presidents and Magistrates" – 4:16#"Vito's Ordination Song" – 5:25#"Wolverine" – 2:10... - Charles SymmondsCharles SymmondsCharles Symmonds was a Brigadier General in the United States Army. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal.His award citation reads:...
, U.S. Army general - Matt UrbanMatt UrbanLieutenant Colonel Matt Louis Urban was a United States Army infantry officer who served with distinction in the African and European Theater of Operations in World War II. He scouted, led charges upfront, and performed heroically in combat on several occasions even after being wounded. He was...
(d. 1995), U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, WWII - received 29 combat decorations and the Medal of Honor - Mary Jeanne van AppledornMary Jeanne van AppledornMary Jeanne van Appledorn is an American composer of contemporary classical music and pianist....
, composer, pianist, and educator - Andy Van HekkenAndy Van HekkenAndrew William Van Hekken is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Professional career:Van Hekken was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft....
, professional baseball player - Brian Vander ArkBrian Vander ArkBrian Vander Ark is an American Singer-songwriter best known as lead singer for the band The Verve Pipe. Born in Holland, Michigan, Vander Ark began playing guitar at age 8. At age 18, he was married to then girlfriend Michelle Marthens and had a son named Joshua Vander Ark. Soon after he joined...
, lead singer (The Verve PipeThe Verve PipeThe Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.-History:...
)
Feature films filmed in Holland area
- 2011: TouchbackTouchbackIn American football, a touchback is a ruling which is made and signaled by an official when the ball becomes dead behind or above a goal line and the team who is attacking that goal line is responsible for the ball being there. Responsibility is determined by which team gave the ball the impetus...
Coopersville area, Holland area [Holland location disputed - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1628055/locations] - 2010: What's Wrong With VirginiaWhat's Wrong with VirginiaWhat's Wrong with Virginia is a 2010 film by director Dustin Lance Black, starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts, Carrie Preston and Toby Jones.- Plot :...
Holland/Zeeland - 2009: TugTugTuğ is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan....
Holland area - 2006: Come On OverCome on Over (TV series)Come on Over is a children's television series produced by the Grand Rapids Children's Museum in association with Enthusiastic Productions. The series was created by Joel Schoon Tanis, and is executive produced by Tanis, Patrick W. Ziegler, and Teresa L. Thome of the Museum...
, Children's TV Series - 2002: Road to PerditionRoad to PerditionRoad to Perdition is a 2002 American crime film directed by Sam Mendes. The screenplay was adapted by David Self, from the graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig...
Holland Township just north of Holland near West Olive