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. Holland's economy includes manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and higher education. It is home to a number of prominent companies, including Herman Miller, Haworth, and Adient. The city also attracts thousands of visitors each year for its annual Tulip Time Festival, which celebrates the area's Dutch heritage and tulip fields.
The city spans the Ottawa/Allegan county line, with 9.08sqmi (23.52km2) in Ottawa and the remaining 8.13sqmi (21.06km2) in Allegan. Holland is the largest city in both Ottawa and Allegan counties. The Ottawa County portion is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, while the Allegan County portion anchors the Holland micropolitan statistical area, which is coextensive with Allegan County. The city is part of the larger Grand Rapids–Wyoming combined statistical area.
History
Ottawa County was originally populated by Ottawa Indians. In 1846, Reverend George Smith established the Old Wing Mission as an outreach to the native population. The Ottawa living here were primarily practicing Catholics, but Smith tried converting them to Protestantism. While generally unsuccessful in converting the Native population, the two groups worked together relatively closely for a short time. This attempt to work and live together was not valued by the next group who arrived.[6]
Van Raalte and his colony settled on land in the midst of the Ottawa (Odawa) people's Old Wing Mission Colony near the Macatawa River (also known as the Black River) where it streams into Lake Macatawa (Called Black Lake prior to June 4, 1935)[9] which, in turn, leads to Lake Michigan via a channel. The Dutch settlers and the Ottawa people never got along. Dutch settlers began stealing sugar and venison from the Ottawa.[10] The Dutch were unwilling to accept the Ottawa people's mix of Catholic and Native culture. Soon, Dutch leaders tried to force the natives into wooded land in Allegan County.[11] Eventually, the natives moved north to preserve their way of life and culture.[12] Chief Peter Waukazoo and Reverend George Smith decided to move the community and the Ottawa Mission from Holland up to Northport (on the Leelanau Peninsula),[13] voyaging on boats and canoes.
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,[14][15] Holland was incorporated as a city with Isaac Cappon being the city's first mayor.
October 1871 Fire
The city suffered a major fire on October 8–10, 1871, at the same time as the Great Chicago Fire in Illinois and the very deadly Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin.[16] Due to the Great Michigan Fire (which included the Port Huron Fire of 1871), Manistee and Port Huron, Michigan, also burned at the same time. Also known as the Great Midwest fires, the series of fires across Michigan claimed approximately 500 lives, though the exact death toll remains unknown.[17] The vast majority of downtown burned in the fire, claiming 1 life in the aftermath of the fire.[18] The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.[18] There are a number of theories about what caused the fire. The congruence with the Chicago fire has led to some claims of a link, such as embers floating over Lake Michigan to start the Holland Fire. However, one of the theories is rather fantastical and hence fairly unlikely: that burning methane gas from a passing comet led to the fires. The most likely explanation remains that strong winds strengthened a small brush fire, first igniting the nearby forests before burning the town itself.[19] However, no definitive explanation for the fires have ever been given, and the exact cause remains unknown.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.450sqmi (45.20km2), of which, 16.683sqmi (43.21km2) is land and 0.767sqmi (1.99km2) is water.[2]
Holland is divided between southwestern Ottawa and northwestern Allegan counties, with 32nd Street forming the county line. Of the city's total area, 9.08sqmi (23.52km2) are in Ottawa County, and the remaining 8.13sqmi (21.06km2) in Allegan County. The nearby city of Zeeland is located about 5 miles (8.0km) from downtown Holland. The county seat of Ottawa County, Grand Haven, is located about 20 miles (32km) north-northwest of downtown Holland, while the county seat of Allegan County, the city of Allegan, is located about 22 miles (35km) southeast of downtown Holland.
The city is located adjacent to (south of) the Macatawa River and Lake Macatawa, both of which flow westerly into Lake Michigan. The downtown core of Holland is roughly 5.25 miles (8.45km) east of Lake Michigan.
Holland city, Michigan – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the 2020 census, Holland had a population of 34,378. Of that, 26,648 (77.5%) lived in Ottawa County, and 7,730 (22.5%) lived in Allegan County.[28][29] The population density of the entire city was 2,060.7/sqmi (795.6/km2). The median age was 34.5 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18, including 5.1% under age 5, and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.4 males age 18 and over.[30][31]
99.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.1% lived in rural areas.[32]
There were 12,747 households and 7,880 families in the city. Of all households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. 45.0% were married-couple households, 18.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[30]
There were 13,512 housing units, of which 5.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%.[30]
As of the 2010 census, there were 33,051 people, 12,021 households, and 7,593 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,992.3/sqmi (769.2/km2). There were 13,212 housing units at an average density of 796.4/sqmi (307.5/km2).
There were 12,021 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13.
The median age in the city was 31.7 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 21% were from 45 to 64; and 13.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
Economy
Holland is home to the world's largest pickle factory. The H.J. Heinz Company opened the factory at the same location in 1897, and processes over 1 million lbs. of pickles per day during the green season.
Holland's Dutch-American heritage is reflected in a number of its cultural institutions and landmarks. Windmill Island Gardens contains De Zwaan, a Dutch windmill that was relocated from the Netherlands to Holland in 1964; Windmill Island opened to the public the following year.[34] De Zwaan was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.[35]
The Holland Museum presents exhibits on the history of Holland and collections of Dutch art and artifacts.[36] The museum also operates two historic houses. The Cappon House, built in 1874, was the home of Holland's first mayor, Isaac Cappon.[37] The Settlers House was built around 1867, survived the Holland fire of 1871, and has been restored to represent a working-class household of that period.[38]
The Holland Downtown Historic District, centered primarily on Eighth Street and River Avenue, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.[39] Downtown Holland also uses a municipal snowmelt system in which heated water is circulated through pipes beneath streets and sidewalks to melt snow and ice.[40]
Latin Americans United for Progress organizes an annual Fiesta in Holland featuring music, food, dance and other events celebrating Latino culture.[41]
Holland is also associated with the popularization of the "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelets. In 1989, Janie Tinklenberg, then a youth leader at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, developed the bracelets as a reminder for members of her youth group; they subsequently became widely distributed Christian merchandise.[42]
Holland hosts the annual Tulip Time Festival in May. The festival originated after Holland High School biology teacher Lida Rogers proposed in 1927 that tulips be used as a civic beautification project and as a recognition of the city's Dutch heritage. The city purchased 100,000 tulip bulbs from the Netherlands in 1928, and the first Tulip Time celebration was held when they bloomed in 1929.[43] Festival activities include tulip displays, parades and Dutch cultural performances. Attendance varies by year; festival organizers reported 895,153 visitors during the May 1–10, 2026 festival.[44]
The City of Holland uses a council/manager form of government. The day-to-day operations of the city are under the supervision of the city manager and their staff. The city manager is responsible for selecting all department heads, preparation of the budget and supervision of all employees through their appointments.
The city manager serves at the direction of the mayor and city council which are elected positions. The current city manager is Keith Van Beek, former Ottawa County deputy county administrator, who was appointed in February 2018 by the city council.
Holland's city charter requires a mayor and eight city council members. The mayor serves a two-year term, and two at-large council members and six ward council members each serve four-year terms.
The current mayor is Nathan Bocks, a local attorney elected in November 2019.
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 high-speed 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 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.
Media
Newspapers
Holland Sentinel, Holland's local daily newspaper/online edition
Grand Rapids Press, formerly maintained a Holland newsroom and circulation office
↑"Station: Holland Tulip City AP, MI". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
Kirk, Gordon W. Jr. The promise of American life: social mobility in a nineteenth-century immigrant community, Holland, Michigan, 1847-1894 (1978) online
Michael Douma (2010). "Memory and the Myth of Albertus C. Van Raalte: How Holland, Michigan, Remembers Its Founding Father". Michigan Historical Review. 36 (2): 37–61. doi:10.1353/mhr.2010.0039. ISSN2327-9672.
Swierenga, Robert. Holland Michigan: From Dutch Colony to Dynamic City (3 vol. Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. and Van Raalte Press, 2014)
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