| Grand Rapids is a city in the state of Michigan with a population of around 198,000. The MSA has a population of about 780,000. Following Detroit, the largest city in the state, Grand Rapids is number two. The area has been settled since the late 1700s. Furniture manufacturing played a significant role in the city's early years. The climate is cool with average winter lows of 15 degrees and average summer high temperatures of 82 degrees. Area attractions include the yearly Festival of the Arts, Celebration on the Grand, Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), the Gerald R. Ford Museum, Van Andel Museum Center, and Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. Local sports teams include basketball's Grand Rapids Flight, baseball's West Michigan Whitecaps, hockey's Grand Rapids Griffins, and indoor football's West Michigan Thunderhawks. Grand Rapids Press is the area's newspaper. Many large companies and corporations have offices in the Grand Rapids area including Steelcase, Herman Miller, Alticor/Amway, Baker Books, American Seating, and Wolverine World Wide. Higher education institutions in the area include Calvin College, Grace Bible College, Grand Rapids Community College, Aquinas College, Cornerstone University, and Kuyper College. Main highways that travel near Grand Rapids include Interstate I-96, I-296, I-196, and US 131. The Interurban Transit Partnership provides public bus transportation. Amtrak serves the area. |
|
