A History of Holland

Early Settlement to Thriving City

The Holland area is a very different place than it was when the Ottawa paddled their canoes to shore. However, one constant remains, no matter how or when you arrive in the Holland area, it continues to be a beautiful and prosperous place to establish roots.

The area's moderate climate, vast forests and the fertile soil, and the Lake Michigan, inland lake and river trade routes, attracted generations of Native American settlements to the Lake Macatawa area. In the mid-1800s, those attributes also attracted the Rev. Albertus Christiaan Van Raalte and his congregation of 60 Dutch Protestants.

Van Raalte and his followers were among hundreds of thousands of European immigrants fleeing famine, taxation and religious persecution, risking the dangers of an Atlantic ship crossing in search of opportunities in the New World.

The Van Raalte colonists built log cabins and huts made of hemlock boughs, and their little settlement was the foundation of what is today Holland, Michigan. Similar groups of Dutch immigrants followed, setting on land purchased from the US government or Ottawa Indians. One group of 425 settlers founded Holland's neighbor, the village of Zeeland, in 1847.

By October of 1847, Holland’s population had grown to 1,700. Even more settlers moved to Holland when two railroads announced they would be extending rails to Holland. The community was incorporated as a city in 1867, but a disastrous fire in 1871 demolished almost all of its buildings.

Holland's hardworking citizens quickly rebuilt their community, replacing structures destroyed in the blaze and adding new shops and homes to meet the demand of even more new residents. Most newcomers were native to the Netherlands and by the late 1920s Holland's population was 90 percent Dutch.

In these early years, the settlers set out to conquer several projects. They knew that if Lake Michigan was to provide growth and development, it had to be made accessible by an adequate channel. After trying in vain to receive government aid, the determined Hollanders took up shovels and went about digging the channel themselves. The immigrants also cleared a two-block square of land in the center of the colony, today’s Centennial Park, to serve as a market square.

The 1920s brought Holland’s most enduring and famous festival, Tulip Time. In 1927, Lida Rogers, a biology teacher at Holland High School, suggested the planting of flowers as a community beautification project. In 1928, Nelis Tulip Farm imported tulip bulbs from the Netherlands and the city planted them along the street curbs and in the parks, a tradition that continues to this day. The first advertisements for Tulip Time appeared in 1930, and 50,000 visitors showed up. The following year, 175,000 tourists arrived for the event.

In 1961, Holland businessman Carter Brown conceived of transplanting an authentic windmill from the Netherlands as a memorial to the city’s Dutch heritage. Prolonged negotiations with Dutch officials, and authorization of $450,000 in revenue bonds, finally resulted in permission to remove one of the ancient windmills and transport it to Holland. Its new location became known as Windmill Island, and it remains a major tourist attraction and Tulip Time venue.

The 1990s brought continued revitalization to downtown with the restoration of the Amtrak Railroad Station, the conversion of the old Post Office into the Holland Museum, and Hope College’s restoration of the Knickerbocker Theatre. Architecturally-pleasing buildings also arose, including the Freedom Village campus, the new Post Office, and Hope College’s Haworth Inn and Conference Center.

After the turn of yet another century, Holland continues to honor its traditions and refine, update, and expand its appeal. In the last decade, Holland has received many prestigious awards, including one of the country’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations and a Great American Mainstreet from the National Trust for Historic Preservation; All America City from the National Civic League; One of the Top Five Places to Retire from Money Magazine; and One of the Top Ten in A.G. Edwards’ Nest Egg Index.

Downtown Holland, already a popular destination, has become increasingly vibrant, with special events throughout the year, and a combination of cherished businesses and new hot spots. Street performers and outdoor concerts entertain residents and tourists in the summer, al fresco dining is now available at most restaurants, and city parks continue to enhance their landscaping and amenities. In the winter, the snow still melts on those downtown sidewalks and streets, allowing visitors to enjoy all the holiday festivities. Autumn still brings a bountiful harvest to the Farmer’s Market, and old traditions like Tulip Time along with newer ones like Fiesta! continue to enliven the spring.

After all its challenges, Holland not only evolved into what its founders had hoped and struggled for, but continues to rise well beyond their expectations.

Throughout the 20th century, Holland’s assets continued to attract new settlers, although the demographics changed to include many of Hispanic, Asian and African heritages. Entering the new millennium, the community continues to welcome a diversity of new residents, businesses, and dreams.