Grand Rapids Journal, Part I

On the capital of West Michigan

In the Grand Rapids airport (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

“If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much.” That is an old slogan here in West Michigan. Notice that I’ve said “West Michigan,” not “western Michigan.” This part of the world is like a state unto itself, or a state within a state.

And Dutchmen predominate: tall, civic-minded, and prosperous. (I generalize.)

The capital of West Michigan is Grand Rapids, not Holland—a town 30 miles southwest of GR. (We Michiganders often refer to Grand Rapids as “GR,” and to East Grand Rapids, a swanky part of the city, as “EGR.”)

In 2018, I did a journal from Holland: here. (Not to be confused with the journals I’ve done from the Netherlands, across the pond.) (Not Lake Michigan.)

The most famous native son of Grand Rapids is Gerald R. Ford. He was not Dutch.

Neither was he a native son, though he grew up in Grand Rapids and represented the district in Congress. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, as Leslie Lynch King Jr. (Ford is something of a Horatio Alger story. We don’t have time to get into it, but it’s interesting.)

Another famous native son of Grand Rapids is Arthur Vandenberg—a true native son. He was born in the city in 1884 and died in the city in 1951. From 1928 until his death, he was a U.S. senator, and a key one.

In 2017, Hendrik Meijer published a biography: Arthur Vandenberg: The Man in the Middle of the American Century. I reviewed this engrossing book here.

Hank Meijer (as the author is known) has a side job—a gig apart from his researching and writing. He is head of the family store, founded by his grandfather. To us Michiganders, Meijer outlets are part of daily life, part of the furniture.

Speaking of furniture, Grand Rapids has long been known as “Furniture City,” but we’ll get into that later.

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When you fly into GR, you fly into Gerald R. Ford International Airport. The airport was renamed for Ford in 1999, about 23 years after his presidency. As you may have seen, the Palm Beach airport has been renamed for Donald Trump. Republicans in Florida—the governor and others—have seen to that.

There is a scandal attached (if renaming an airport for an incumbent president is not problematic enough). I will quote from the Miami Herald:

Palm Beach County commissioners approved a trademark deal with one of Donald Trump’s family companies to rename the county’s airport after the president …

The agreement gives Trump extra power over how his name is used in the airport rebranding, including giving him veto power over how his image and biographical information is used in marketing materials. It also requires airport stores to source airport-branded merchandise from retailers Trump’s companies choose.

And so on. (For the full article, go here.)

You may be familiar with one of President Ford’s vetoes, in 1975:

I have today vetoed H.R. 11897, a bill which would name the United States Courthouse and Federal Office Building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the “President Gerald R. Ford Federal Office Building.”

Although I appreciate the honor expressed by the Congress in enacting this legislation, I intend to continue the policy of past Administrations that the executive branch not endorse the naming of Federal office buildings. Generally, the executive branch has deferred to the desires of the Congress on such matters.

However, I know of no Federal office buildings that have been named for a President while still in office. This legislation might begin a precedent I believe it best not to establish.

The proposed naming of this facility for me in my home community is a great honor, and one for which I am deeply grateful; however, for the reasons I have assigned above I feel I cannot sign H.R. 11897.

Autres temps, autres mœurs. Better ones, too.

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Outside of the Grand Rapids airport—Ford Airport—there is a designated smoking area. I find this interesting. We have gone from (1) you can smoke anywhere, including on airplanes, to (2) we have a smoking section on the airplane, to (3) you have to smoke outside, to (4) you can’t smoke outside, except in a designated area.

I know I’ve skipped a step or two.

Is it good, this progression? I think so. There is the question of personal liberty: the right to smoke. But then there is the question of the effect of your smoking on others.

Cigarette-smoking has been thoroughly stigmatized in our country and has been dying out for a long time. But there are always attachments, vices, and addictions waiting to take over.

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Grand Rapids, and its environs, has a Plaster Creek. Not a very attractive name, right? (Not a very attractive creek either, from what I can see.) I look up the origin of the name: the creek has a large deposit of gypsum at its mouth.

And plaster is made from gypsum …

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You have heard, over and over, about the “nature-vs.-nurture debate.” I think Flowerland has a wonderful slogan here:

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Ah, the sister cities. (A fine old tradition, I think. A little quaint, maybe—but that is no sin.) How many of these have you been to?

I have been only to Perugia, that wonderful hill town in Umbria, a seat of Italian-language education. That is, they teach foreigners Italian in Perugia—chiefly at the Università per Stranieri, i.e., the University for Foreigners.

I appreciate a straightforward name.

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Speaking of names: how about “Wealthy Street”? Any relation to “Easy Street”? I don’t know about “Easy,” but there’s a “Wealthy Street” here in Grand Rapids, and it may be the only one in the country.

Let me quote a source:

Jefferson Morrison was a merchant in the early days of Grand Rapids. He named two streets in the city: one to honor himself (Jefferson Avenue) and one to honor his wife, Wealthy … Mrs. Morrison’s unusual first name proved to be somewhat ironic, as the family went into serious debt after building an extravagant house between modern-day Ionia and Monroe avenues.

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In recent weeks, Cesar Chavez’s name has been taken off buildings and such, in various states. But there is a “Cesar Chavez Avenue” here in GR. Big ol’ boulevard. Here is a news report:

People are considering asking Grand Rapids to change the name of Cesar Chavez Avenue back to its original name: Grandville Avenue.

The conversation comes after multiple women in March accused labor leader Cesar Chavez of sexual harassment and assault, including allegations involving minors.

(For the full article, go here.)

Is this “political correctness”? “Wokeness”? We have been through these debates over and over, especially where Confederates are concerned. I have said a lot about this general matter. In brief: I think you have to go case by case, weighing all elements, and I don’t think dishonorable people should be honored.

(I, personally, would take Chavez’s name down.)

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Where education policy is concerned, a lot of us have been hot on school choice for decades. So, I’ve smiled on learning that the slogan of the Grand Rapids Public Schools is “My Choice.”

Have a glimpse:

And have some official language:

Maintaining brand consistency in all promotional materials is essential to upholding the identify of Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS). Adhering to the Brand Guidelines ensures all communications align with the district’s credibility, values, and messaging—reinforcing its reputation and fostering trust within the community.

The GRPS logo is built around the fiery academic virtue that serves as the foundation of our school system and should always be treated with respect. It may only appear in GRPS palette colors and must always be locked with the flame exclamation and “My Choice” mark.

Dang! “Fiery academic virtue”!

I have a lot more to tell you—and I’ve barely begun with pictures—but maybe you’ve read enough for today. I’ll see you tomorrow with more things Grand Rapidian. Thank you.