East Grand Rapids, Michigan

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East Grand Rapids, Michigan
Seal
Coordinates: 42°57′03″N, 85°36′56″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Kent
Government
- Mayor	Cindy Bartman
Area
- City	3.4 sq mi (8.8 km²)
- Land	2.9 sq mi (7.6 km²)
- Water	0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²)
Elevation	744.8 ft (227 m)
Population (2000)
- City	10,764
- Density	3,768/sq mi (1,418.4/km²)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.eastgr.org/

East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,764 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Grand Rapids known for its affluence, lack of racial diversity, and award-winning school system. Its pedestrian-friendly downtown, known as Gaslight Village, sits on the shores of Reeds Lake.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.8 km² (3.4 mi²). 7.6 km² (2.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (13.82%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 10,764 people, 3,835 households, and 3,021 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,418.4/km² (3,678.0/mi²). There were 3,940 housing units at an average density of 519.2/km² (1,346.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.99% White, 0.98% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 3,835 households out of which 46.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the city the population was spread out with 32.5% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $84,772, and the median income for a family was $98,967. Males had a median income of $66,528 versus $42,383 for females. The per capita income for the city was $41,388. About 1.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

East Grand Rapids is centered on Reeds Lake

East Grand Rapids was first settled in the early 1830s by the Reed Family from New York State. It is one of the oldest suburbs in Kent County. Originally part of Paris Township, residents voted to establish the Village of East Grand Rapids in 1891. The Village was incorporated into a Home Rule City in 1926 when the population was approximately 1,300.

By the 1870s, the Reeds Lake area was a popular summertime day trip destination for the people of Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Picnicking, boating, swimming and spending a leisurely day at the lake and park were enjoyable pastimes. The first lakeside pavilion was seen as early as 1879 on the west shore of Reeds Lake. Here viewers could take in a play or listen to a popular orchestra of the day. Originally, those who wished to reach Reeds Lake would do so by foot, stagecoach or by horse and buggy. In the middle 1870s, horse drawn cars became available. Passengers would board in downtown Grand Rapids, transfer onto the Grand Rapids & Reeds Lake Railway on Sherman Street SE and proceed to the lake down Wealthy Street. By 1877 a steam locomotive replaced the horse cars. Electric streetcars came into use in the early 1890s. Buses replaced them as a mode of transportation in 1935. Interurban also brought residents from nearby cities to Reeds Lake.

Ramona Park is the most-remembered feature of the bygone days of East Grand Rapids. The amusement park, owned and operated by the Grand Rapids Street Railway Company, was a destination spot for thousands of families between 1897 and 1955. It was quite common in those days for a public transportation company to own such parks. They were known as trolley parks, and were placed at the end of the line to attract or encourage use of the public transportation system.

The Ramona Theatre Pavilion sat majestically on the West Side of the Park on Lakeside Drive, up from the boat landing and overlooking Reeds Lake. The current Lakewood Hills apartments now occupy that space. It was an extremely popular summertime venue that could seat 1,700 people. Built in 1897, it was torn down in 1949. Popular plays, musicals, Vaudevillian and burlesque acts, silent films, talkies and favorite local and national entertainers, such as Will Rogers, appeared at the theatre during its heyday.

Reeds Lake itself was home to two bathing beaches. Manhattan Beach was located on the north shore of the lake at the end of Pioneer Club Road and was in service from the mid 1880s to 1927. In 1884 Charles Seidel, boat builder and harbormaster on Reeds Lake, thought the property would be a fine spot for a bathing beach. He leased the land for just this purpose. The property was then purchased and developed into a more substantial beach resort by Thomas Reed in 1905. His family continued to operate the facility after he died. His daughter and her husband, Katherine and Charles Morgan, ran the facility until it closed and the property was sold in 1927.

East Grand Rapids is known for its affluence and lakefront mansions

Rose’s Bathing Beach and Swimming School located on the west shore of Reeds Lake on the north side of the boat launch, was established in 1901 by James Rose. German born Rose had his own unique style of teaching people to swim. Hundreds learned under his tutelage. In addition to the bathing school, a fine bathhouse, bathing beach and toboggan slide were enjoyed by those lucky enough to visit this spot. After the bathing beach closed in the late 1960s, most of the facility was demolished. One small building was left standing. James’ son John "Bub" Rose kept it open as a marina and a restaurant noted for its hamburgers and popcorn. "Bub" eventually retired to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to pursue his passion for ice boating, selling the restaurant to its current owner - Gilmore Collection. It is still named Roses and serves excellent cuisine.

Recently the downtown area known as Gaslight Village has been the focus of major reconstruction. A local developer (Jade Pig) has completed a new retail center as part of their $50 million project, which also is to include offices and multi-floor condominium buildings spread over a four-acre tract.

Last year, the City of East Grand Rapids completed a $3 million refurbishing of Wealthy Street with new paving, lighting and decorative features. A new community center and library were also completed over the summer, with a price tag of $9.4 million.

[edit] The Statue

New addition to Gaslight Village since 2006. This statue is supposed to represent the sails on a ship, as sailing is a celebrated sporting event in East Grand Rapids on Reeds' Lake

During the renovation of Gaslight Village, the center of East Grand Rapids, this statue was built as a dedication to the city. The statue was intended to resemble the sails of a sailboat, since sailing is widely practiced each summer on Reeds' Lake. An over-arching design theme of the newly-renovated "downtown" of East Grand Rapids is modernity, and this overtone mixed poorly with the creation of the statue. It is notable that the sail is bright and has flamboyant colors, mainly pink. This skin-like color and the funnel shape of the statue makes it appear as though it is part of the female reproductive system: either a uterus or a vagina. This unintended interpretation of the statue has been accepted by most of the city as its true representation, and it has been dubbed "The Vagina."

[edit] Map of the City

Unofficial map of East Grand Rapids

As is common with almost every city, the official city limits are not exactly defined easily (e.g. - there are no specific streets that border the city limits). This map is an unofficial, though closely approximated, outline of the city limits. The blue-boxed areas indicate limits that are inexact and debatable. This may become important in incidents in dealing with the East Grand Rapids police, as opposed to the Grand Rapids City police, which have a much larger legal jurisdiction.

[edit] Famous current and former residents

• Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States
• Steven Ford, actor and son of Gerald Ford
• Kevin Max of dc Talk
• Adam Herz of American Pie (the movie was based on his high school days there)
• Leo Peters inventor of Butterball Turkey
• Chris Van Allsburg author of The Polar Express
• Bill George Former CEO of Medtronic
• Peter Secchia Former U.S. Ambassador to Italy
• Kevin Matthews WLAV radio host
• Tom Lehman Professional Golfer
• John Hockenberry Emmy and Peabody Award Winning Journalist
• Alex Constantelos Infamous lock-picker and trespasser; also a flamboyant federalist

[edit] Source

• "History of East Grand Rapids, Michigan." City of East Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids History Room.

[edit] External links

• The City of East Grand Rapids official website
• East Grand Rapids Public Schools official website
• East Grand Rapids Community Foundation official website
• Point Paulo on the shores of Reeds Lake