Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...

on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River (formerly known locally as the Black River). The city spans the

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

/ Allegan county line, with in Ottawa and the remaining in Allegan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,051, with an urbanized area population of 113,164, . Holland is the largest city in both Ottawa and Allegan counties. The Ottawa County portion is part of the

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

- Kentwood Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Allegan County is part of the Holland Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is coextensive with Allegan County. As of 2013, both areas are part of the Grand Rapids–Kentwood–Muskegon Combined Statistical Area. Holland was founded by Dutch Americans, and is in an area that has a large percentage of citizens of Dutch American heritage. It is home to Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, institutions of the Reformed Church in America. In February 1996, the Holland City Council approved a sister city relationship between Santiago de Querétaro,

Querétaro Querétaro (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro, links=no; Otomi language, Otomi: ''Hyodi Ndämxei''), is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. I ...

, Mexico, and the City of Holland.

History

Ottawa County was originally populated by

Indians. In 1846, Reverend George Smith established the Old Wing Mission as an outreach to the native population. The Ottawa living here were primarily practicing Catholics, but Smith tried converting them to Protestantism. While generally unsuccessful in converting the Native population, the two groups worked together relatively closely for a short time. This attempt to work and live together was not valued by the next group who arrived. Holland was settled in 1847 by Dutch Calvinist

separatists Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...

, under the leadership of Dr.

Albertus van Raalte Albertus Christiaan van Raalte (17 October 1811 – 27 July 1876) was a 19th-century Dutch Reformed clergyman. Early life and education Van Raalte did not set out to follow in his father's footsteps and become a clergyman. He was initially ...

. Dire economic conditions in the Netherlands compelled them to emigrate, while their desire for religious freedom led them to unite and settle together as a group. Van Raalte and his colony settled on land in the midst of the Ottawa (

Odawa The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They ha ...

) people's Old Wing Mission Colony near the Black River where it streamed to Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa) which, in turn, led to Lake Michigan. The Dutch settlers and the Ottawa people never got along. Dutch settlers began stealing sugar and venison from the Ottawa. The Dutch were unwilling to accept the Ottawa people's mix of Catholic and Native culture. Soon, Dutch leaders tried to force the natives into wooded land in Allegan County. Eventually, the natives moved north to preserve their way of life and culture. Chief Peter Waukazoo and Reverend George Smith decided to move the community and the Ottawa Mission from Holland up to Northport (on the Leelanau Peninsula), voyaging on boats and canoes. In Holland's early history, Van Raalte was a spiritual leader, as well as overseeing political, educational and financial matters. In 1847, Van Raalte established a congregation of the

Reformed Church in America The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a Mainline Protestant, mainline Reformed tradition, Reformed Protestant Christian denomination, denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 152,317 members. From its beginning in 1628 unti ...

, which would later be called the First Reformed Church of Holland. On March 25, 1867, Holland was incorporated as a city with Isaac Cappon being the city's first mayor. The city suffered a major fire on October 8-9, 1871, at the same time as the Great Chicago Fire in Illinois and the very deadly Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. Due to the

Great Michigan Fire The Great Michigan Fire was a series of simultaneous forest fires in the state of Michigan in the United States in 1871. They were possibly caused (or at least reinforced) by the same winds that fanned the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fir ...

(which included the

Port Huron Fire of 1871 The Port Huron Fire of October 8, 1871 (one of a series of fires known collectively as the Great Fire of 1871 or the Great Michigan Fire) burned a number of cities including White Rock and Port Huron, and much of the countryside in the " Thumb" ...

), Manistee and

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administered separately. Located along the St. Clair ...

, also burned at the same time. Hollandmichigan

In 1987, a 23-year-old City Council member,

Phil Tanis Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as a root te ...

, was elected mayor of Holland while he was still a Hope College student, becoming its youngest mayor.

Culture

The city is perhaps best known for its Dutch heritage, which serves not only as a part of the city's cultural identity, but the local economy as well: the Tulip Time Festival in May and various Dutch-themed attractions augment the nearby Lake Michigan shoreline in attracting thousands of tourists annually. Over 28% of the population identified as being of Dutch descent. The Holland Museum contains exhibits about the city's history. Another, the Cappon House Museum, was built in 1874 and is a historic museum that once housed the first mayor of Holland, Dutch immigrant Isaac Cappon. The Settlers House Museum, a building that survived the great fire, contains furnishings and relics from the 19th century. Holland Harbor Lighthouse

Holland's downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The "Snowmelt Project" established pipes transporting warm water from the nearby power plant to travel underneath downtown with the purpose of clearing the streets and sidewalks in the downtown area of any snow. De Zwaan, an original 250-year-old Dutch windmill, is situated on

Windmill Island Windmill Island Gardens is a municipal park located in the city of Holland, Michigan. It is home to the 251-year-old windmill De Zwaan, the only authentic, working Dutch windmill in the United States. History In 1964, the City of Holland ...

, a municipal park. Its height is with sails. Holland boasts an annual Fiesta, organized by Latin Americans United for Progress, usually on the Saturday closest to May 5 ( Cinco de Mayo). Holland is also host to the annual Tulipanes Latino Art & Film Festival, which is held to celebrate the Latino contribution to the culture. In 2013,

Farmer's Insurance Farmers Insurance Group (informally Farmers) is an American insurer group of vehicles, homes and small businesses and also provides other insurance and financial services products. Farmers Insurance has more than 48,000 exclusive and independen ...

named the Holland/ Grand Haven Area the most secure mid-sized city in the United States. In 2010, Holland was ranked the second healthiest/happiest town in the United States by the Well-being Index. In 2006, CNN Money named Holland as one of the top five places to retire.

Religion

Holland is known as the "City of Churches." There are 170 churches in the greater Holland area, many of which are with the

and

Christian Reformed Church in North America The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) is a Protestant Calvinist Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founde ...

denominations. The city is the home to the church that started the trend of the " What Would Jesus Do?" bracelets in 1989.

Tourism

Each May, Holland hosts an annual Tulip Time Festival. Tulip planting and the festival began in 1930 when 250,000 tulips were planted for the event. Currently six million tulips are used throughout the city. Tulips are planted along many city streets, in city parks and outside municipal buildings as well as at tourist attractions like Dutch Village, the city-owned Windmill Island Gardens, and at a large tulip farm named Veldheer Tulip Gardens. It is normally held the second week of May, during the tulip blooming season. Cruise ships such as the Yorktown from the Great Lakes Cruising Company make Holland a port of call. About one million tourists visit Tulip Time each year, for which the community finds innovative ways to enhance self-funded projects. It has been ranked as America's third largest town festival and was named '' Reader's Digests best small town

festival A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival co ...

. The Tulip Time Festival has attracted big-name acts in recent years such as: Christina Aguilera in 2000, O-Town in 2001, The Verve Pipe in 2004, and Jars of Clay in 2006. Ed McMahon visited Tulip Time in 2007 along with Bobby Vinton. Comedian Bill Cosby headlined the 2014 Tulip Time Festival. Holland is located on Lake Macatawa, near the shores of

. Scattered along the shoreline are many public beach accesses including Tunnel Park and the widely popular

Holland State Park Holland State Park is a public recreation area covering in Park Township, Ottawa County, four miles (6 km) west of the city of Holland, Michigan. The state park consists of separate Lake Macatawa Lake Macatawa is a lake in Ottawa ...

. Across the channel from the State Park is the

Holland Harbor Light The Holland Harbor Light, known as Big Red, is located in Ottawa County, Michigan at the entrance of a channel connecting Lake Michigan with Lake Macatawa, and which gives access to the city of Holland, Michigan. The lighthouse is on the south ...

, known as "Big Red." Smaller beaches along Lake Michigan are present but not well marked. Public accesses are frequent along dead-end streets bordering the shoreline. The city's primary shopping district is centered along 8th Street, the city's main street downtown. The 8th Street business district features a thermal snow-melting system which uses cooling water from the local electric plant. In 1988, the city rebuilt the entire street and sidewalk system, installing the thermal pipes underneath. The system will melt up to an inch an hour down to 15°.

Geography

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

Neighborhoods

* Holland Heights

Climate

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 33,051 people, 12,021 households, and 7,593 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,212 housing units at an average density of . Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin: The racial makeup of the city was 85.2% White alone, 4.0% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.7% of the population, and White not Hispanic or Latino were 70.0%. There were 12,021 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 31.7 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.7% were from 25 to 44; 21% were from 45 to 64; and 13.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

Government

The City of Holland uses a council/manager form of government. The day-to-day operations of the city are under the supervision of the city manager and their staff. The city manager is responsible for selecting all department heads, preparation of the budget and supervision of all employees through their appointments. The city manager serves at the direction of the mayor and city council which are elected positions. The current city manager is Keith Van Beek, former Ottawa County deputy county administrator, who was appointed in February 2018 by the city council. Soren Wolff served as the city manager from 1988 until his retirement in the Fall 2011. Soren previously served the city as assistant city manager in the mid-1970s and had a street named after him near Fairbanks Avenue and 13th Street, which is the main entrance to Smallenburg Park and many of Hope College's athletic facilities. The current assistant city manager is Matt VanDyken, the former IT director for the city. Holland's city charter requires a mayor and eight city council members. The mayor serves a two-year term, and two at-large council members and six ward council members each serve four-year terms. The current mayor is Nathan Bocks, a local attorney elected in November 2019. *City council members as of September 2022 are: **Ward 1 - Tim Vreeman **Ward 2 - Jay Peters **Ward 3 - Belinda Coronado **Ward 4 - Nicki Arendshorst **Ward 5 - Scott Corbin **Ward 6 - David Hoekstra **At-Large - Lyn Raymond **At-Large - Quincy Byrd The

Holland Board of Public Works The Holland Board of Public Works is a municipal utility in Holland, Michigan. It provides electrical power, drinking water, and wastewater treatment. Its service area includes the city of Holland and parts of Park Township, Holland Charter Tow ...

was created in 1883. It provides electricity, water and sewer services.

Education

Higher level academic institutions

* Hope College, a private four-year liberal arts college * Western Theological Seminary, a graduate and professional school *

Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University (GVSU, GV, or Grand Valley) is a public university in Allendale, Michigan. It was established in 1960 as Grand Valley State College. Its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids. The universit ...

, with a campus in Holland (land donated to GVSU by the Meijer family) * Davenport University, with a regional campus in Holland

Charter schools

* Holland Public Schools *

West Ottawa Public Schools West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...

, which serve the townships that comprise Holland's suburban and rural north side * Black River Public School, a charter school with kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and high school students * Vanderbilt Charter Academy (K-8) * Thompson M-TEC (Adult Training), a partnership between the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District and Grand Rapids Community College *Eagle Crest Charter Academy

Private schools

* Holland Christian Schools (includes Holland Christian High School) *Corpus Christi Catholic School *

Calvary Schools of Holland Calvary Schools of Holland (CSH) is a private Christian school located in Holland, Michigan. Calvary Schools educates students ranging in age from junior kindergarten to 12th grade at 2 locations. Calvary Schools employs a model of education bas ...

*Holland Seventh-day Adventist School

Industry

Holland is home to the world's largest pickle factory. The

H.J. Heinz Company The H. J. Heinz Company is an American food processing company headquartered at One PPG Place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company was founded by Henry J. Heinz in 1869. Heinz manufactures thousands of food products in plants on six conti ...

opened the factory at the same location in 1897, and currently processes over 1 million lbs. of pickles per day during the green season. * Adient - automotive seating * Haworth - office furniture * Herman Miller - home & office furniture * Johnson Controls - lithium-ion batteries * LG Chem - lithium-ion batteries * Tiara Yachts - luxury yachts/wind turbines * Kraft Heinz - pickles, sauces, mustards * Magna - engineered glass and mirrors

Transportation

The city is serviced by West Michigan Regional Airport , the

Park Township Airport Park Township Airport was a public airport located in Park Township, 3 mi (5 km) northwest of Holland, Michigan, United States. Built in 1937, the airport was operated by Ottawa Aviation, an organization of local users whose aim was to promote t ...

having closed on August 15, 2020. The airport is not served by regularly scheduled commercial carriers; the nearest airport with airline service is

Gerald R. Ford International Airport Gerald R. Ford International Airport is a commercial airport in Cascade Township approximately southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The facility is owned by the Kent County Board of Commissioners and managed by an independent ...

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

, about northeast. The city also is served by regularly scheduled Amtrak service (the ''

Pere Marquette Jacques Marquette S.J. (June 1, 1637 – May 18, 1675), sometimes known as Père Marquette or James Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Sainte Marie, and later founded Saint Igna ...

'') east to Grand Rapids and west to Chicago with connections to all points east and west. The city and surrounding area is served by the MAX ( Macatawa Area Express) transportation system, which offers both on-demand and high-speed bus service, linking different parts of the city as well as commercial, medical and government locations outside the city. This service evolved from the former "Dial-A-Ride Transportation" (DART) system. The city is served by the following highways: * * * * * The channel between Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan allows pleasure craft and commercial boats, even

bulk freighters A bulk carrier or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo — such as grains, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement — in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, econom ...

, to access Holland's docks to unload coal, salt and iron scrap.

Media

Newspapers

*'' Holland Sentinel'', Holland's local daily newspaper/online edition *'' Grand Rapids Press'', formerly maintained a Holland newsroom and circulation office

Radio

* WHTC, 1450 WHTC and The New 99.7 FM * WYVN, classic Hits for Holland and the Lakeshore, 92.7 FM * WTHS - Hope College radio station, 89.9 FM

Television

*HCTV, Holland local television station

Fine arts

Art

*Holland Area Arts Council

Music

*Holland Chorale, Holland's auditioned chorus, presenting a full concert season of fine choral music *Holland Symphony Orchestra, professional symphony orchestra conducted by Maestro Johannes Müller-Stosch

Athletics

Notable people

Holland is the hometown of four Medal of Honor recipients (only tying with

Pueblo, CO Pueblo () is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 111,876 at the 2020 United States Census, making Pueblo the ninth most populo ...

also with four, both more than any other municipality in the United States) -

John Essebagger Jr. John Essebagger Jr. (October 29, 1928 – April 25, 1951) was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 25, 1951. Essebagger joined the Army from his birthplace ...

Paul Ronald Lambers Paul Ronald Lambers (June 25, 1942 – December 1, 1970) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War. Biography Lambers joine ...

, Matt Urban, and Gordon Douglas Yntema. *

Harry Bannister Harry Bannister (September 29, 1889 – February 26, 1961) was an American stage, film and television actor, and theater producer and director. Biography Born in Holland, Michigan, Bannister began acting in movies and on Broadway in the 1920 ...

, actor * L. Frank Baum (d. 1919), author of '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', had a holiday home named ''The Sign of the Goose'' in the resort community of Macatawa * Franklin Cappon, basketball coach, Michigan and Princeton *

Charles F. Conrad Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

, founder of

Lake Michigan Carferry Service SS ''Badger'' is a passenger and vehicle ferry in the United States that has been in service on Lake Michigan since 1953. Currently, the ship shuttles between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a distance of , connecting U.S. Highwa ...

* Kirk Cousins, quarterback for

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

and NFL's Minnesota Vikings * Brian D'Amato, author (''Beauty'', ''In the Courts of the Sun'' and its sequel ''The Sacrifice Game'') and sculptor *

Robert Danhof Robert J. Danhof (August 24, 1925 – March 1, 2013) was an American jurist. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Danhof received his bachelor's degree from Hope College and his law degree from University of Michigan Law School. He practiced law ...

, jurist *

Hopwood DePree Hopwood DePree (born February 1970) is an American actor, author, comedian, filmmaker, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After learning about the ancestral home of the Hopwood family of Hopwood Hall at Middleton, Greater Manchester, England, h ...

, film producer, co-founder of Waterfront Film Festival * Betsy DeVos, U. S. Secretary of Education, 2017 - 2021 *

Max DePree Max De Pree (October 28, 1924 – August 8, 2017) was an American businessman and writer. A son of D. J. De Pree, founder of Herman Miller office furniture company, he and his brother Hugh De Pree assumed leadership of the company in the early 196 ...

, writer; industrialist; former CEO of

Herman Miller, Inc. Herman Miller, officially MillerKnoll, Inc., is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings, including the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, and the Eames Lounge Chair. Herman Miller is ...

(d. 1951), U.S. Army Corporal, Korean War; Medal of Honor * Kevin Haverdink, NFL player * Gerrard Wendell Haworth (d. 2006), founded office furniture manufacturer Haworth Company *

Pete Hoekstra Cornelis Piet "Pete" Hoekstra (; born October 30, 1953) is a Dutch-American politician who served as the United States Ambassador to the Netherlands from January 10, 2018, to January 17, 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he previously ser ...

, U.S. Congressman from Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, 1993-2011; chairman of House Intelligence Committee, 2004-2007; ambassador to the Netherlands *

Rhoda Janzen Rhoda Marie Janzen Burton née Rhoda Marie Janzen is an American poet, academic and memoirist, best known for her memoir ''Mennonite in a Little Black Dress'' which was a finalist for a Thurber Prize for American Humor in 2010. Early life and e ...

, Hope College professor, author of ''Mennonite in a Little Black Dress'' *

Morley Jennings William Morley "Jopsey" Jennings (January 23, 1890 – May 13, 1985) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. Biography Jennings attended college at Mississippi State University ...

, player and Baylor coach in

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...

, born in Holland *

Alex Koroknay-Palicz Alex Koroknay-Palicz (born July 2, 1981) is an American activist in Washington, D.C. He is the former executive director of the National Youth Rights Association serving in that post from 2000 till 2012. Biography Koroknay-Palicz was born in K ...

, youth rights advocate * Paul de Kruif (d. 1971), science writer (''Microbe Hunters'', etc.) retired to Holland, where he died *

(d. 1970), U.S. Army Staff sergeant, Vietnam War; Medal of Honor * Rob Malda, founder of Slashdot * Lisa McMann, young-adult fiction writer * James Michael, lead singer ( Sixx:A.M.) and producer; co-wrote "

Rest in Pieces "Rest In Pieces" is a song by American rock band Saliva from the album '' Back into Your System''. Rest in Pieces was written by James Michael and Nikki Sixx, both of Sixx: A.M. The music video A music video is a video of variable duratio ...

" by

Saliva Saliva (commonly referred to as spit) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth. In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be ...

* A. J. Muste, a Dutch-born American clergyman and political activist who attended Hope College * David Myers, psychologist, author * Milton J. Nieuwsma, author,

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning screenwriter and producer * Mike O'Brien, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives and former Great Lakes project director for

Bluewater Wind Bluewater Wind is an energy company on the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Coast, United States, and in Great Lakes, the Great Lakes Region, United States, developing offshore Wind power, wind energy projects. Bluewater's staff has experience in the ...

Nathan Oostendorp Nathan Oostendorp is an American technologist, author, and entrepreneur. He is from Holland, Michigan and is a co-founder of the technology news website and community Slashdot and founder of the online community Everything2. Biography Oostendor ...

, founder of Everything2 * Erik Prince, founded Blackwater USA * Ron Schipper (d. 2006), football coach; member of College Football Hall of Fame * Willie Snead, NFL wide receiver *

Herman Stegeman Herman James Stegeman (January 21, 1891 – October 22, 1939) was a player and coach of American football, basketball, baseball, and track and field athletics, and a college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Beloit C ...

(d. 1939), varsity coach and athletics director at the

University of Georgia at Athens , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

(UGA) *

Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released nine solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomi ...

, singer-songwriter; attended Hope College, details the city in the song "Holland" on his 2003 concept album, '' Michigan'' *

Charles Symmonds Charles J. Symmonds (October 6, 1866 – July 16, 1941) was a brigadier general in the United States Army. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal. His award citation reads: :''The President of the United States of America, authorize ...

, U.S. Army general * Matt Urban (d. 1995), U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, WWII; received 29 combat decorations and the Medal of Honor *

Mary Jeanne van Appledorn Mary Jeanne van Appledorn (October 2, 1927 in Holland, Michigan – December 12, 2014 in Lubbock, Texas) was an American composer of contemporary classical music and pianist. Education and career Van Appledorn attended the Eastman School of Musi ...

, composer, pianist, and educator *

Andy Van Hekken Andrew William Van Hekken (born July 31, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Early years He attended Lakeview Elementary School and later Holland High School in Michigan. Professional career Van Hekken was drafted by the ...

, professional baseball player *

Brian Vander Ark Brian Vander Ark is an American singer-songwriter best known as lead singer for the band The Verve Pipe. Music Ark joined the band His Boy Elroy as a guitarist. He eventually quit and started the band Johnny with an Eye with his brother, Bra ...

, lead singer of The Verve Pipe * Luke Witkowski, Defenseman for NHL's

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

* Valerie van Heest, author, explorer, and museum designer, serving on the board of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association. *

William C. Vandenberg William C. Vandenberg Sr. (October 3, 1884June 9, 1971) was the 49th lieutenant governor of Michigan. Early life Vandenberg was born on October 3, 1884, in Holland, Michigan. Vandenberg graduated Holland High School in 1904, and then started ...

(1884–1971), 49th

Lieutenant Governor of Michigan The lieutenant governor of Michigan is the second-ranking official in U.S. state of Michigan, behind the governor. The current lieutenant governor by default is Garlin Gilchrist, a Democrat, who has held the office since January 1, 2019. Proce ...

* Gordon Douglas Yntema (d. 1968), U.S. Army Sergeant, Vietnam War; Medal of Honor *Benjamin Herrera, founder of

Black River Studios Black is a color which results from the absence or complete Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption of visible spectrum, visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or fi ...

Film Production company

Notes

External links

*
Holland Visitors site

Holland Area Chamber of Commerce