Wyoming, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Wyoming is a city in Kent County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well as being the largest suburb of Grand Rapids
. In 1832 the area was settled and organized under the Byron Township. In 1848 the township split the northern half being called Wyoming Township and then became a city in 1959 after a period of annexation, water, and sewer fights. The city has experienced population growth every census since the 1890 with some of the largest occurring after major wars.
. During this time the area that is now Grandville
was populated at first by mills that used the Buck Creek
to power its mills. In 1848 the township of Byron split with the name of Wyoming being used for the northern half. The name came from the county from which the majority of the residents came from during the first 16 years. During this time the Township of Walker
to the north took over a small portion of the new township as it was north of the Grand River and the ability to manage that land would be difficult.
During the ensuing 50 years the township of Wyoming grew up slowly. The Grandville settlement in the northwest corner of the township grew the most and by 1884 had became the Village of Grandville and by 1893 had separated from the township. The City of Grandville was able to expand to its present size when it was able to grab land half way between Byron Center and Ivanrest avenues a year before the township was incorporated as a city. Only the panhandle section from south of 50th Street was allowed to stay in the township and small effort was used to annex that section to Grandville that failed.
The next major area of development occurred in the northeast section of the township. The City of Grand Rapids
started annexing portions of the township and by 1891 had annexed a square mile (1 mi2) of the city from Division to Clyde Park and from Hall to Burton. A further section was annexed in 1916 that involved half mile from Burton to Alger and from Clyde Park to Division. Further annexation attempts occurred during the ensuing 50 years and most failed. The population in the new northern areas of the city was populated mainly with workers for the furniture factories in Grand Rapids. That area was called the Urbandale neighborhood and ran along Chicago Drive from Burton northward. South of that was called the Galewood area and ran to roughly Cleveland Avenue. A final neighborhood grew up to the west of the Galewood and was called Burlingame and used Burlingame as its main street. That area was collectively called the Galewood-Urbandale-Burlingame or GUB. That section also provided the first school district for the township with the Godfrey-Lee. It had two major developments occur that caused some annexation attempts. The first was the Pere Marquette Rail yard and the second being the Kelvinator plant. The GUB area was proposed to become the city of Lee in 1939 but failed. Another attempt was made to consolidate with the City of Grand Rapids in 1949 and also failed. A last attempt of a land grab in 1958 failed to secure the rail yard property with a strong push from the school districts of the then township.
Another major area of development occurred along the plank road Division in two separate areas. The northern area was the Godwin area and used the same name for the schools in that area. It happened to be split by both the townships of Wyoming and Paris. That area had faced numerous land grabs by the City of Grand Rapids mentioned above. The county in the 1950s had planned to move the county airport from its location in Paris Township to the present location. The school district and Wyoming Township had asked for it to handle the land development. The City of Grand Rapids also wanted the land and so a fight began. During this fight the township was able to become a new city in 1958 and seated in 1959. During the next few years a vote was taken to take three more sections of the city and the end result was only the airport was annexed by the City of Grand Rapids. The Godwin Heights Public Schools
had previously voted to bring the rest of its Paris Township holdings into the city no more than a year after the previous section was added. Also during 1959, a vote was taken to bring all of the area into a single city but failed at the ballot box in all of the townships and cities outside of Grand Rapids. The end result of all of these ballot boxes was a July state supreme court
ruling which brought the airport and surrounding holdings into Wyoming. A major reason the Godwin area was a prime candidate to be annexed was the GM Fishers Body Plant built in 1936.
The area to the south of Godwin was Fishers Station. It was developed with the rail road that ran in that general area from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. It then died off and was reformed with the name of Home Acres. In 1931 that area along with section of Godwin was proposed to become the village of Emerson but failed at the ballot box. A second attempt was made later with the name of South Grand Rapids but again failed traction. Since the threat of annexation of Grand Rapids was not there Kelloggsville became a school district
split between the City of Wyoming and the Township of Paris, soon to be the City of Kentwood.
The vote to become a city was tried twice. The first time in 1956 and failed at the ballot box by a small margin. A 'scare' sheet was sent weeks before the vote about the water then being used by the township and how they should be annexing themselves with Grand Rapids instead. At the time the township had the most permits for housing and the need for water was on the minds of many home owners in the city. A second vote was launched in 1958 and passed by a margin of 1442 votes.
Over the next 10 years the city was able to launch several projects. The first was a sewage plant to take care of issues from the state in regards to dumping it in the Buck Creek and Grand River
. The next was the completion of the Water Plant in Holland
with a pipeline to the city. A final project was the Complete Streets project. These projects made the city the way it was. New developments occurred over the years and the 28th Street projects allowed the creation of one of the first indoor malls in the state let alone the country.
The latest in the history of the city is being written now as Gordon Foods has expanded itself, the GM Fishers Body Plant closed, Metro Hospital moved to the south end of the city and new developments around Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville has pushed development in the panhandle region of the city.
The top employers as of 2007 include the following: General Motors
, Gordon Food Service
, United Parcel Service
, Consumers Energy
, Delphi Corporation, Hope Network, Benteler Automotive, Michigan Turkey Producers, Gainey Transportation, the City of Wyoming, and Country Fresh. Wyoming is home to the headquarters of the Gordon Food Service.
After Grandville allowed development of a new 6-anchor shopping complex, Rivertown Crossings Mall, and the related development, the city of Wyoming formed a Downtown Development Authority in an effort to help support the city in keeping businesses in the area in 1999. They choose 28th Street between Byron Center and Division avenues for this district which encompasses 3 miles (4.8 km) of businesses. This authority has so far helped provide an improved look to the city and has the ability to support future companies in coming into that stretch. It is currently taking any increase of property tax assessed since 1999 as its main and only form of funding.
system that converted abandoned rail lines to bike paths. It is a collaborative effort between multiple local governments. The most recent addition to the Wyoming Park System is the Dog Park located next to Marquette Park at the very northern edge of the city. It is a privately funded park with access controls to restrict usage to registered members.
In 2002 the new Wyoming Public Library was built and is owned by the city but run by the Kent District Library
System. It is a 48950 square feet (4,547.6 m²) facility with over 112,046 items. The library branch is also the highest attended in the Kent District system with 670,842 items checked out and 439,599 visits in 2009. The library currently has around 76% of the population holding a card to use the facility. The building houses the Wyoming Historical Commission that provides history of the city. Along with Historical Commission room, it houses the library for the blind.
Starting in 2005, the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce put together the 28th Street
Metro Cruise. It currently spans 15 miles (24.1 km) from its start in Grandville at Wilson and 28th to its end in Cascade Township. The cruise runs on Friday and Saturday on the last weekend of August.
. Grandville and Georgetown Township
in Ottawa County
are to the west. Byron Township is to the south and the city of Kentwood
to the east. U.S. Highway 131 (US 131) runs along the eastern side of the city and Interstate 196
(I-196) runs southwest–northeast along the Grand River. The newly completed M-6 (Paul B. Henry Freeway)
runs along the south side of the city and connects I-196 with US 131 and I-96
. M-11
runs east–west through the north of the city, also connecting with I-196, US 131, and I-96.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 24.5 square miles (63.5 km²), of which, 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.37%) is water.
coming off Lake Michigan. The lake also helps the area east of Wyoming in keeping warmer than usual. The record temperature in the area was 102 °F (38.9 °C) as its high in June and its low was set in January at -22 °F. Sunshine tends to be around 46% of the time with 43% of the year of temperatures reaching at least 65 °F (18.3 °C). Almost 40% the temperature dips below 32 °F (0 °C).
of 2000, there were 69,368 people, 26,536 households, and 17,540 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,840.1 per square mile (1,096.8/km²). There were 27,506 housing units at an average density of 1,126.2 per square mile (434.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.32% White, 4.85% African American, 0.59% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.70% from other races
, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.66% of the population.
There were 26,536 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples
living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,164, and the median income for a family was $50,002. Males had a median income of $35,772 versus $25,482 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,287. About 5.1% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
with both an elected mayor and an appointed city manager. Currently, Jack Poll serves as Wyoming's Mayor after defeating former council member Roger Haynes in 2009. The city council is composed of six members: three at-large and a representative from each of the three wards. The current council members are: Kent Vanderwood, Dan Burrill, Sam Bolt (Mayor Pro-Tem), William Ver-Hulst (1st Ward), Richard Pastoor (2nd Ward), and Joanne Voorhees (3rd Ward). Meetings are held at the City Hall on the first and third Mondays of every month. Work sessions are held the second Monday of each month.
, the central part is served by Wyoming Public Schools
, the southeast is served by Kelloggsville Public Schools
, the northeast is served by Godwin Heights Public Schools
, and finally the northern section of the city is served by Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
.
Of the five districts only 1—Grandville Public Schools—does not have the majority of the buildings in the city. The remaining have 13 elementary schools out of 15, 3 out of 4 middle schools, all four high schools, with Godfrey-Lee providing a combination middle high school in the city.
The city is also served for college by Grand Rapids Community College
in downtown Grand Rapids. In Allendale
, northwest of the city, is Grand Valley State University
. Further universities can be found in Lansing, Big Rapids, and Kalamazoo. Also located in the immediate area is Hope College
in Holland, Davenport University
in Caledonia Township
, Calvin College
on the east side of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College
also on the east side of Grand Rapids, Cornerstone University
on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, along with Grace Bible College
in the city as well.
system with only 5 projected stations on the route inside of the city. The new line will be run by the Rapid.
The end result was the township said we will build our own treatment plant and the only way to handle the bonding was to become a city so the township voted to become a city. The township had already started supplying well water to its residents to handle the 200 plus percent increase in charges. In 1959 the newly elected city council put in motion the plan for sewer first, then streets, and finally water as what to bond first. That plan worked for a few years until two new council members one a mayor won election on supporting water. The water plan was to build a 54 inch pipeline just north of Holland, on Lake Michigan to the city limits. As the city had already been supplying water and had its infrastructure in place to handle whatever source the water might be. The water plant in Olive Township was built in the 1960s and new water was flowing by the time Rogers Plaza was opened. The pipeline and treatment plant is owned by the city and provides water to cities and townships on the southern half of Ottawa and Kent Counties. Holland itself uses its own supply system.
The city also noticed during the time of the leasing waste treatment space at Grand Rapids that ground water was causing problems with treatment. As a result the city rebuilt all of its city streets with curbing and sidewalks. The curbing allowed all the road water to be separated from the house and business sewer hook ups. This process was paid for by either a 5 year assessment for each house or a one year full up payment. After all the city streets were completed in the late 70's the city put the focus on new developments to do these themselves.
1940’s – The Early Years
The Wyoming Township Police Department was founded December 12, 1941. The Department was staffed with three full-time police officers. The three officers were constables at the time of the organization of the Police Department, and were affectionately known as the "Wyoming Cowboys."
The 15’ x 15’ Police Department was stationed within the Township Hall that was located at Burton and Godfrey. During that year, the constables protected 25,000 residents, and responded to 603 calls for service.
During the mid 1940’s the Police Department then moved into office space at 1263 Burton, the current location of the Koeze Retail Store. In November of 1948 the Township Offices were moved from Burton Street to the Beltline (the present location of City Hall). The Police Department occupied an office within the Township Hall.
January 1, 1959, Wyoming Township became a City. Consequently, the Wyoming Township Police Department of seventeen sworn officers became the City of Wyoming Police Department.
2001, Officers responded to 40,475 calls for service from a department with 101 sworn officers, 40 civilian staff, and 43 senior volunteers, serving a population of approximately 70,000 residents.
Kent County, Michigan
-Air Service:*Commercial air service to Grand Rapids is provided by Gerald R. Ford International Airport . 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,...
in 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"....
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 72,125. That makes it the 2nd largest community or city in West Michigan, the 14th largest city in the state of Michigan, and the 18th largest community in the state as well as being the largest suburb of Grand Rapids
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...
. In 1832 the area was settled and organized under the Byron Township. In 1848 the township split the northern half being called Wyoming Township and then became a city in 1959 after a period of annexation, water, and sewer fights. The city has experienced population growth every census since the 1890 with some of the largest occurring after major wars.
History
The area that is now the city of Wyoming was established first in 1832 and was one of the first populated areas in the county. Over the course of the next 16 years the area was incorporated as the Township of ByronByron Township, Michigan
Byron Township is a civil township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 17,553.- Communities :...
. During this time the area that is now Grandville
Grandville, Michigan
Grandville is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 16,263 at the 2000 census. Grandville is one of the oldest suburbs of Grand Rapids, and was incorporated as a city in 1933....
was populated at first by mills that used the Buck Creek
Buck Creek (Kent County, Michigan)
Buck Creek is a tributary of the Grand River in Kent and Allegan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. It rises in northern Allegan County in Byron and Gaines townships, and flows through the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming as an urban stream to enter the Grand River in Grandville.-Watershed:The...
to power its mills. In 1848 the township of Byron split with the name of Wyoming being used for the northern half. The name came from the county from which the majority of the residents came from during the first 16 years. During this time the Township of Walker
Walker, Michigan
Walker is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Grand Rapids. The population was 23,537 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city, it was known as Walker Township...
to the north took over a small portion of the new township as it was north of the Grand River and the ability to manage that land would be difficult.
During the ensuing 50 years the township of Wyoming grew up slowly. The Grandville settlement in the northwest corner of the township grew the most and by 1884 had became the Village of Grandville and by 1893 had separated from the township. The City of Grandville was able to expand to its present size when it was able to grab land half way between Byron Center and Ivanrest avenues a year before the township was incorporated as a city. Only the panhandle section from south of 50th Street was allowed to stay in the township and small effort was used to annex that section to Grandville that failed.
The next major area of development occurred in the northeast section of the township. The City of Grand Rapids
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...
started annexing portions of the township and by 1891 had annexed a square mile (1 mi2) of the city from Division to Clyde Park and from Hall to Burton. A further section was annexed in 1916 that involved half mile from Burton to Alger and from Clyde Park to Division. Further annexation attempts occurred during the ensuing 50 years and most failed. The population in the new northern areas of the city was populated mainly with workers for the furniture factories in Grand Rapids. That area was called the Urbandale neighborhood and ran along Chicago Drive from Burton northward. South of that was called the Galewood area and ran to roughly Cleveland Avenue. A final neighborhood grew up to the west of the Galewood and was called Burlingame and used Burlingame as its main street. That area was collectively called the Galewood-Urbandale-Burlingame or GUB. That section also provided the first school district for the township with the Godfrey-Lee. It had two major developments occur that caused some annexation attempts. The first was the Pere Marquette Rail yard and the second being the Kelvinator plant. The GUB area was proposed to become the city of Lee in 1939 but failed. Another attempt was made to consolidate with the City of Grand Rapids in 1949 and also failed. A last attempt of a land grab in 1958 failed to secure the rail yard property with a strong push from the school districts of the then township.
Another major area of development occurred along the plank road Division in two separate areas. The northern area was the Godwin area and used the same name for the schools in that area. It happened to be split by both the townships of Wyoming and Paris. That area had faced numerous land grabs by the City of Grand Rapids mentioned above. The county in the 1950s had planned to move the county airport from its location in Paris Township to the present location. The school district and Wyoming Township had asked for it to handle the land development. The City of Grand Rapids also wanted the land and so a fight began. During this fight the township was able to become a new city in 1958 and seated in 1959. During the next few years a vote was taken to take three more sections of the city and the end result was only the airport was annexed by the City of Grand Rapids. The Godwin Heights Public Schools
Godwin Heights Public Schools
The Godwin Heights Public Schools is a school system located in Wyoming, Michigan, United States.-History:The Godwin Heights Public Schools system was founded in 1867 by Augustus Godwin, in what was then known as Wyoming Township, Michigan...
had previously voted to bring the rest of its Paris Township holdings into the city no more than a year after the previous section was added. Also during 1959, a vote was taken to bring all of the area into a single city but failed at the ballot box in all of the townships and cities outside of Grand Rapids. The end result of all of these ballot boxes was a July state supreme court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
ruling which brought the airport and surrounding holdings into Wyoming. A major reason the Godwin area was a prime candidate to be annexed was the GM Fishers Body Plant built in 1936.
The area to the south of Godwin was Fishers Station. It was developed with the rail road that ran in that general area from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo. It then died off and was reformed with the name of Home Acres. In 1931 that area along with section of Godwin was proposed to become the village of Emerson but failed at the ballot box. A second attempt was made later with the name of South Grand Rapids but again failed traction. Since the threat of annexation of Grand Rapids was not there Kelloggsville became a school district
Kelloggsville Public Schools
Kelloggsville Public Schools is a school district located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wyoming, Michigan, and Kentwood, Michigan. The district serves 2,289 students...
split between the City of Wyoming and the Township of Paris, soon to be the City of Kentwood.
The vote to become a city was tried twice. The first time in 1956 and failed at the ballot box by a small margin. A 'scare' sheet was sent weeks before the vote about the water then being used by the township and how they should be annexing themselves with Grand Rapids instead. At the time the township had the most permits for housing and the need for water was on the minds of many home owners in the city. A second vote was launched in 1958 and passed by a margin of 1442 votes.
Over the next 10 years the city was able to launch several projects. The first was a sewage plant to take care of issues from the state in regards to dumping it in the Buck Creek and Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. The next was the completion of the Water Plant in Holland
Holland, Michigan
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 ....
with a pipeline to the city. A final project was the Complete Streets project. These projects made the city the way it was. New developments occurred over the years and the 28th Street projects allowed the creation of one of the first indoor malls in the state let alone the country.
The latest in the history of the city is being written now as Gordon Foods has expanded itself, the GM Fishers Body Plant closed, Metro Hospital moved to the south end of the city and new developments around Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville has pushed development in the panhandle region of the city.
Businesses
As of the 2000 census, there are presently 10 types of industries in the city. Manufacturing accounts for 30%, retail 16%, education, health, and social services 15%, with the next five industries accounting for 6%, and transportation, warehousing, utilities accounting for 3% of business in the city. The manufacturing segment is unique in that it is the largest in West Michigan. It currently produces auto parts, industrial machinery, commercial printing, plastics, food processing, electronics, tool and dies, concrete supplies, and fire engines.The top employers as of 2007 include the following: General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, Gordon Food Service
Gordon Food Service
Gordon Food Service is the largest privately held foodservice distributor in North America with sales of $5.5 billion in 2007. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, GFS has GFS Marketplace stores in the states of Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee...
, United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
, Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy
Consumers Energy is a public utility that provides natural gas and electricity to more than 6 million of Michigan's 10 million residents. It serves customers in all 68 of the state’s Lower Peninsula counties. It is a division of CMS Energy. Its headquarters is in Jackson.-History:The company was...
, Delphi Corporation, Hope Network, Benteler Automotive, Michigan Turkey Producers, Gainey Transportation, the City of Wyoming, and Country Fresh. Wyoming is home to the headquarters of the Gordon Food Service.
After Grandville allowed development of a new 6-anchor shopping complex, Rivertown Crossings Mall, and the related development, the city of Wyoming formed a Downtown Development Authority in an effort to help support the city in keeping businesses in the area in 1999. They choose 28th Street between Byron Center and Division avenues for this district which encompasses 3 miles (4.8 km) of businesses. This authority has so far helped provide an improved look to the city and has the ability to support future companies in coming into that stretch. It is currently taking any increase of property tax assessed since 1999 as its main and only form of funding.
Arts and culture
The city has 21 parks that cover about 665 acres (2.7 km²) which offer multiple of activities. The parks department has been active in the past decade in redeveloping the parks in the city. Many parks have been rebuilt which included adding new equipment, splash pads, and facilities. They have also added a few new facilities including a small skateboard park near one of the highest densities of the city. The city also offers a Senior Center that provides activities for the older citizens of the city and the region as a whole. Along with the parks is the Kent TrailsKent Trails
Kent Trails is a fifteen mile rail trail in Kent County, Michigan that runs through the cities of Grand Rapids, Grandville, Walker, Wyoming and Byron Townshipand is part of a network of trails in and around Grand Rapids...
system that converted abandoned rail lines to bike paths. It is a collaborative effort between multiple local governments. The most recent addition to the Wyoming Park System is the Dog Park located next to Marquette Park at the very northern edge of the city. It is a privately funded park with access controls to restrict usage to registered members.
In 2002 the new Wyoming Public Library was built and is owned by the city but run by the Kent District Library
Kent District Library
The Kent District Library is a public library system located in Kent County, Michigan. With eighteen branch locations and an annual circulation of more than 5 million items , the Kent District Library is one of the largest and busiest library systems in all of Michigan.-History:The beginnings of...
System. It is a 48950 square feet (4,547.6 m²) facility with over 112,046 items. The library branch is also the highest attended in the Kent District system with 670,842 items checked out and 439,599 visits in 2009. The library currently has around 76% of the population holding a card to use the facility. The building houses the Wyoming Historical Commission that provides history of the city. Along with Historical Commission room, it houses the library for the blind.
Starting in 2005, the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce put together the 28th Street
M-11 (Michigan highway)
M-11 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The highway runs through the western and southern sides of the metro area, starting over the border in Ottawa County at an interchange with Interstate 96...
Metro Cruise. It currently spans 15 miles (24.1 km) from its start in Grandville at Wilson and 28th to its end in Cascade Township. The cruise runs on Friday and Saturday on the last weekend of August.
Geography
The city is situated southwest of Grand Rapids and south of the Grand RiverGrand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
. Grandville and Georgetown Township
Georgetown Township, Michigan
Georgetown Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 41,658 at the 2000 census...
in Ottawa County
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...
are to the west. Byron Township is to the south and the city of Kentwood
Kentwood, Michigan
Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 48,707 at the 2010 census, making it the second most populous suburb of Grand Rapids and the 25th most populous city in Michigan.-History:...
to the east. U.S. Highway 131 (US 131) runs along the eastern side of the city and Interstate 196
Interstate 196
Interstate 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,...
(I-196) runs southwest–northeast along the Grand River. The newly completed M-6 (Paul B. Henry Freeway)
M-6 (Michigan highway)
M-6, or the Paul B. Henry Freeway, is a freeway and state trunkline highway in the United States that serves portions of southern Kent and eastern Ottawa counties south of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although the freeway is named for Paul B. Henry, local residents and the press continue to use the...
runs along the south side of the city and connects I-196 with US 131 and I-96
Interstate 96
Interstate 96 is an intrastate Interstate Highway that is entirely within the US state of Michigan. Its western terminus is at an interchange with US Highway 31 and Business US Highway 31 , on the western boundary of Norton Shores southeast of Muskegon. Its eastern terminus is at I-75 near the...
. M-11
M-11 (Michigan highway)
M-11 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The highway runs through the western and southern sides of the metro area, starting over the border in Ottawa County at an interchange with Interstate 96...
runs east–west through the north of the city, also connecting with I-196, US 131, and I-96.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 24.5 square miles (63.5 km²), of which, 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.37%) is water.
Weather
Wyoming is location just on the edge of the snow belt, where more snow tends to fall from lake effect snowLake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
coming off Lake Michigan. The lake also helps the area east of Wyoming in keeping warmer than usual. The record temperature in the area was 102 °F (38.9 °C) as its high in June and its low was set in January at -22 °F. Sunshine tends to be around 46% of the time with 43% of the year of temperatures reaching at least 65 °F (18.3 °C). Almost 40% the temperature dips below 32 °F (0 °C).
Surrounding municipalities
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 2000, there were 69,368 people, 26,536 households, and 17,540 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 2,840.1 per square mile (1,096.8/km²). There were 27,506 housing units at an average density of 1,126.2 per square mile (434.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.32% White, 4.85% African American, 0.59% Native American, 2.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.70% 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 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.66% of the population.
There were 26,536 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,164, and the median income for a family was $50,002. Males had a median income of $35,772 versus $25,482 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 $19,287. About 5.1% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The city has a council-manager governmentCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
with both an elected mayor and an appointed city manager. Currently, Jack Poll serves as Wyoming's Mayor after defeating former council member Roger Haynes in 2009. The city council is composed of six members: three at-large and a representative from each of the three wards. The current council members are: Kent Vanderwood, Dan Burrill, Sam Bolt (Mayor Pro-Tem), William Ver-Hulst (1st Ward), Richard Pastoor (2nd Ward), and Joanne Voorhees (3rd Ward). Meetings are held at the City Hall on the first and third Mondays of every month. Work sessions are held the second Monday of each month.
Education
Currently the city is served by 5 school districts. In the southwest panhandle is served by Grandville Public SchoolsGrandville Public Schools
Grandville Public Schools is a school district in Grandville, Michigan. The current superintendent is Ron Caniff.-Schools:*Central Elementary*Century Park Learning Center*Cummings Elementary*East Elementary*Grand View Elementary*South Elementary...
, the central part is served by Wyoming Public Schools
Wyoming Public Schools
Wyoming Public Schools is a school district located in Wyoming, Michigan. The district serves 5,542 students It has two high schools, 2 middle schools, 7 elementary schools, and one preschool....
, the southeast is served by Kelloggsville Public Schools
Kelloggsville Public Schools
Kelloggsville Public Schools is a school district located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wyoming, Michigan, and Kentwood, Michigan. The district serves 2,289 students...
, the northeast is served by Godwin Heights Public Schools
Godwin Heights Public Schools
The Godwin Heights Public Schools is a school system located in Wyoming, Michigan, United States.-History:The Godwin Heights Public Schools system was founded in 1867 by Augustus Godwin, in what was then known as Wyoming Township, Michigan...
, and finally the northern section of the city is served by Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools is a public school district located in the city of Wyoming, Michigan. The district's main high school is Lee High School.-External links:*...
.
Of the five districts only 1—Grandville Public Schools—does not have the majority of the buildings in the city. The remaining have 13 elementary schools out of 15, 3 out of 4 middle schools, all four high schools, with Godfrey-Lee providing a combination middle high school in the city.
The city is also served for college by Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
in downtown Grand Rapids. In Allendale
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
, northwest of the city, is Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University
Grand 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...
. Further universities can be found in Lansing, Big Rapids, and Kalamazoo. Also located in the immediate area is 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...
in Holland, Davenport University
Davenport University
Davenport 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...
in Caledonia Township
Caledonia Township, Kent County, Michigan
The Charter Township of Caledonia is a charter township of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,964 at the 2000 census.-Communities:*The Village of Caledonia is within the township on M-37 in the southeast part of the township....
, Calvin College
Calvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
on the east side of Grand Rapids, Aquinas College
Aquinas College (Michigan)
Aquinas College is a small Catholic college that aims to provide a liberal arts education located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Aquinas is considered one of the best liberal arts colleges in the Midwest region by U.S. News and World Report ....
also on the east side of Grand Rapids, Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University
Cornerstone University is an independent, non-denominational Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The university emphasises the trinitarian belief in the triune God and the literal interpretation of the Bible...
on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, along with Grace Bible College
Grace Bible College
Grace Bible College is a fundamentalist Christian college in the premillennial, dispensational tradition located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association for Biblical Higher Education to award...
in the city as well.
Public Transit
The city is part of the Grand Rapids based Interurban Transit Partnership, called the Rapid. It currently runs Routes 1, 3, 8, 10, 16, 24, 28, and 44 in the city; that is 8 out of the 26 routes. Currently the U.S. Department of Transportation is funding a good portion of a new transit system for the area. It will run along Division Avenue on the east side of the city from its southern most point to the downtown. It is a bus rapid transitBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
system with only 5 projected stations on the route inside of the city. The new line will be run by the Rapid.
Major highways
runs east to west on the southern edge of the city, although only a small section of the city sits on the highway. runs east to west in the middle section of the city. runs south to north on the eastern section of the city. along the west and north side of the city. runs on the local street called Chicago Drive from center west to the north east.Utilities
Currently the city provides water and sewer to the majority of the citizens. Electricity is supplied by Consumers Energy with natural gas nominally supplied by DTE Energy. Garbage service is supplied by individual contractors to home owners and by law they are required to use the county incinerator although the city does provide a yard waste drop off center. For both phone and cable service is supported by both AT&T and Comcast. Cell phones carriers are on the whole fully supported with a number of towers.Water and Sewer
During the 1950s the township was experiencing the largest growth of homes being built and was putting extra hardship on the city of Grand Rapids water and sewer systems. As a result Grand Rapids felt that to keep up with the costs the township was to pay extra for the new capacity required. This forced the township to cut its ties with Grand Rapids and only after doing so did the state get involved. The state was going to start fining the city for dumping untreated sewage in the Buck Creek along two sites. The township then re approached Grand Rapids who initially gave a better deal but then backed off weeks later when they said the only way to re hook up was to be annexed.The end result was the township said we will build our own treatment plant and the only way to handle the bonding was to become a city so the township voted to become a city. The township had already started supplying well water to its residents to handle the 200 plus percent increase in charges. In 1959 the newly elected city council put in motion the plan for sewer first, then streets, and finally water as what to bond first. That plan worked for a few years until two new council members one a mayor won election on supporting water. The water plan was to build a 54 inch pipeline just north of Holland, on Lake Michigan to the city limits. As the city had already been supplying water and had its infrastructure in place to handle whatever source the water might be. The water plant in Olive Township was built in the 1960s and new water was flowing by the time Rogers Plaza was opened. The pipeline and treatment plant is owned by the city and provides water to cities and townships on the southern half of Ottawa and Kent Counties. Holland itself uses its own supply system.
The city also noticed during the time of the leasing waste treatment space at Grand Rapids that ground water was causing problems with treatment. As a result the city rebuilt all of its city streets with curbing and sidewalks. The curbing allowed all the road water to be separated from the house and business sewer hook ups. This process was paid for by either a 5 year assessment for each house or a one year full up payment. After all the city streets were completed in the late 70's the city put the focus on new developments to do these themselves.
Health care
On September 30, 2007 Metro Health Hospital moved from southeast Grand Rapids to its current location on the south central section of Wyoming. They along with Spectrum Health and St Mary's have small centers for urgent care with their hospitals located in downtown Grand Rapids.Police Department
Established in 1848, a four-man constabulary, elected each April, maintained law and order in Wyoming Township until December 12, 1941.1940’s – The Early Years
The Wyoming Township Police Department was founded December 12, 1941. The Department was staffed with three full-time police officers. The three officers were constables at the time of the organization of the Police Department, and were affectionately known as the "Wyoming Cowboys."
The 15’ x 15’ Police Department was stationed within the Township Hall that was located at Burton and Godfrey. During that year, the constables protected 25,000 residents, and responded to 603 calls for service.
During the mid 1940’s the Police Department then moved into office space at 1263 Burton, the current location of the Koeze Retail Store. In November of 1948 the Township Offices were moved from Burton Street to the Beltline (the present location of City Hall). The Police Department occupied an office within the Township Hall.
January 1, 1959, Wyoming Township became a City. Consequently, the Wyoming Township Police Department of seventeen sworn officers became the City of Wyoming Police Department.
2001, Officers responded to 40,475 calls for service from a department with 101 sworn officers, 40 civilian staff, and 43 senior volunteers, serving a population of approximately 70,000 residents.
Notable residents
- Buster MathisBuster MathisBuster Mathis was a boxer who had a very successful career as an amateur heavyweight boxer. He qualified for a spot in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. However, he was injured and was unable to compete there. Instead of him, the fighter Mathis beat in the Olympic Trials went to the Olympics...
- Professional Boxer - Buster Mathis, Jr. - Heavy Weight Champion Professional Boxer
- Chris KamanChris KamanChristopher Zane Kaman is an American-German basketball player for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers. Kaman stands 7'0" and weighs 265 pounds...
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- 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,...
Guard - MSU BasketballMichigan State Spartans men's basketballThe Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the Breslin Student Events Center... - Yasmine Martinez - Miss Michigan 2010 and Reality Television Personality