GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., city and county seat of Kent County, second in State to De troit in population and importance, is situated on both sides of Grand River, about 35 miles by rail from Lake Michigan, 152 miles from Detroit, 180 miles from Chicago; lat. 42° 57' 49.02" N., long. 85° 40' 1.65" W. Area 18.25 square miles.
first railroad into Grand Rapids was the Detroit and Milwaukee (now a part of the Grand Trunk system), from Detroit to Grand Haven, in 1858. Since then have been built the Grand Rapids and Indiana, the Michigan Central, the Lake Shore, the Pere Marquette and three interurban lines. These roads radiate in 11 different directions, with through trains to all important Michigan cities and New York, Chicago, Cincinnati and Toledo. The Grand Rapids and Indiana and the Pere Marquette have extensive shops.
Grand Rapids is the base of supplies and the distributing point for western and northern Michigan. , It has large whole sale and jobbing houses in groceries, provisions, clothing, dry goods, millinery, carpets, crockery, drugs, paper, cigars, boots and shoes, knit goods, sporting goods, hardware, mill supplies and in other lines. The chief industry is the manufacture of furniture (see FURNITURE IN DUSTRY). New York and Chicago in their order exceed Grand Rapids in the volume of their furniture production, but Grand Rapids is regarded as a leader in design, finish and quality. Semi-annually, in January for the spring season, and July for the fall, buyers come here from all parts of the United States and from foreign lands to inspect the new styles and to place orders. Between 300 and 400 manufacturers of furniture and kindred lines in other parts of the country semi-an nually send their samples here for the buyers inspect. nspect. The outside manufacturers occupy large furniture exposition buildings built for their use,. in the heart of the city. Other portant industries are the manufacture of plaster from gypsum beds under and near Grand River, knitting mills and textile indus tries, brass works, printing, manufacture of flour, machinery, carpet sweepers, etc.
Grand Rapids is also the centre of the West Michigan fruit belt, which extends along Lake Michigan from Saint Joseph to Traverse City. With an average
crop, the peaches, apples, pears and plums marketed here will exceed 1,300,000 bushels. This is also an important winter lettuce centre, Chicago, Cincinnati, Saint Louis and even New York drawing on the Grand Rapids growers for their supplies. One of the most popular varieties of winter lettuce originated here and is named the °Grand Rapids.° Banks.—The capital and surplus of banks and trust companies, September 1916, 000; capital, surplus and profits, $7,982,575; sav ings deposits amounted to $22,175,302; bank loans and investments, $40,785,479; total bank deposits, $42,389,693; bank clearings in 1915 amounted to $175,419,457.
Churches, Schools, Many Christian Church denominations are represented with congregations and churches. The bishops of the Grand Rapids Catholic diocese and West Michigan Protestant Episcopal diocese live here. The Catholics have a cathedral. The total value of church property is estimated at $3.620,500• the Catholics hold Re formed Church in America, $223,500; Christian Reformed, $233,500; Methodist Episcopal, $218,e 100; Lutheran, $195,750; Presbyterian, $138,200; Congregational, $159,100; Baptist, $259,400; Protestant Episcopal, $207,350; there are also other and smaller denominations whose prop erty is valued at $385,300. There are 37 public schools, including three high schools. Calvin College and Theological Seminary of the Christian Reformed Church is located here. The Catholics, Lutherans and Reformed churches have parochial schools accommodat ing about 8,000 pupils. The total school census in 1916 was 32,100. The Grand Rapids Public Library contained 167,028 volumes in 1916. It consists of the Ryerson library building (a gift to the city of his birth by Martin A. Ryer son of Chicago), and 41 branches and stations for circulating books. It is controlled by an elective board of five members. The museum, controlled by the same board, administers prop erty valued at $76,000 and is especially strong in natural history specimens.