Grand Ledge

History

Native Americans who lived in the vicinity of the Grand River near the ledges were of Pottawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa ancestry. They dug clams in the river, mined coal on the river banks, hunted for deer, turkey, fox, and bear, and fished for black bass. Their name for the ledges translated into English as "Big Rocks". In 1847 Henry Trench settled in what would later become downtown Grand Ledge. After a few years he returned east. In 1850 settlers named their village Grand Ledge, and erected a post office. By 1869, the town gained a railroad stop along the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad. In 1871, the village was incorporated by the state of Michigan. Grand Ledge grew as a resort area during the 1870s, spurred by the railroad access. John Burtch founded Seven Islands Resort in 1872, with the Dolly Varden steamer and a small inn on Second Island. Several wells were drilled, and the mineral-laden water they produced was touted for its curative property. In 1877 S.M. Hewings purchased the Seven Islands Resort, and in 1878 he built the Island House Hotel on Second Island. In 1880 Julian Scott Mudge purchased the Seven Islands Resort. To reduce the risk of flooding from Grand River, Mudge built a dam (1887). In 1888 the Railroad Trestle or High Bridge was built to bring the railroad south of the river and Grand Ledge became the second city in Michigan (after Lansing) to get electric lights. By that time an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people visited the Seven Islands Resort annually. In 1891 Mudge built a roller coaster on the Islands, probably the state's first. Located on the first island below the bridge was an animal park with bears and deer. The second island was the center of the resort activities, with its hotel, picnic area, and fountain. The second and third…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity