Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County, in an area of Michigan commonly referred to as West Michigan. It was originally founded in 1826 by Detroit fur trader Louis Campau, but was not incorporated as a city until 1850. According to the 2000 US Census reports, Grand Rapids has a population of 197,800—the second largest city population in the State of Michigan (behind Detroit).
Names
Grand Rapids gets its name from the historically intense sound of the Grand River as it went through what is now Pearl Street. It's recorded that the sound of the rapids could be heard a mile away. Human intervention and dams have since quelled the sound considerably.
Nicknames
Over the years Grand Rapids has had several nicknames, with varying degrees of positivity. here is a list:
