Holland is a city in the western region of the

Lower Peninsula The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its s ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. 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 ...

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- 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,

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Gua ...

, 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 Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John ...

separatists, 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 ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Neth ...

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) 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, 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 In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

. The city suffered a major fire on October 8-9, 1871, at the same time as the

Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 1 ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

and the very deadly Peshtigo Fire in

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michi ...

. Due to the Great Michigan Fire (which included the Port Huron Fire of 1871), 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, was elected mayor of Holland while he was still a Hope College student, becoming its youngest

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 A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that Preservation (library and archival science), cares for and displays a collection (artwork), collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, culture, cultu ...

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 National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. 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, 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 named the Holland/

Grand Haven Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand H ...

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 Reformed Church in America 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 fo ...

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 Tulips (''Tulipa'') are a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes (having bulbs as storage organs). The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white (usually in warm ...

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 A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used f ...

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. The Tulip Time Festival has attracted big-name acts in recent years such as:

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice o ...

in 2000, O-Town in 2001, The Verve Pipe in 2004, and Jars of Clay in 2006.

Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the American Bro ...

visited Tulip Time in 2007 along with Bobby Vinton. Comedian

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentri ...

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. Across the channel from the State Park is the Holland Harbor Light, 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 United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, 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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 33,051 people, 12,021 households, and 7,593 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberP ...

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 Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 5.0% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...

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 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, 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, 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 *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 contin ...

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 Haworth () is a village in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, in the Pennines, south-west of Keighley, west of Bradford and east of Colne in Lancashire. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope. Nearby villages inclu ...

- office furniture *

Herman Miller 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 a ...

- home & office furniture *

Johnson Controls Johnson Controls International is an American Irish-domiciled multinational conglomerate headquartered in Cork, Ireland, that produces fire, HVAC, and security equipment for buildings. As of mid-2019, it employed 105,000 people in around 2, ...

- 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 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 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 th ...

, about northeast. The city also is served by regularly scheduled Amtrak service (the '' Pere Marquette'') 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, 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 WHTC (1450 AM) is a news/talk radio station in Holland, Michigan. History The station signed on July 31, 1948 at 6:00 p.m. and originally was owned by six Holland-area businessmen: I.H Marsilje, Nelson Bosman (who served as mayor of Hol ...

, 1450 WHTC and The New 99.7 FM *

WYVN WYVN (92.7 FM, "The Van") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format licensed to Saugatuck, Michigan, with studios in Holland, Michigan and is owned along with WHTC by Midwest Communications. The station began operations on July 4 ...

, 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 The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

recipients (only tying with Pueblo, CO also with four, both more than any other municipality in the United States) - John Essebagger Jr., Paul Ronald Lambers, Matt Urban, and Gordon Douglas Yntema. * Harry Bannister, actor *

L. Frank Baum Lyman Frank Baum (; May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919) was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the ''Oz'' series, plus 41 other novels (not includ ...

(d. 1919), author of ''

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is a children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the magical Land of Oz afte ...

'', had a holiday home named ''The Sign of the Goose'' in the resort community of Macatawa * Franklin Cappon, basketball coach,

and Princeton * Charles F. Conrad, founder of Lake Michigan Carferry Service *

Kirk Cousins Kirk Daniel Cousins (born August 19, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan State and was drafted by the team then known as the Washingto ...

, quarterback for

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

and NFL's

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expan ...

* Brian D'Amato, author (''Beauty'', ''In the Courts of the Sun'' and its sequel ''The Sacrifice Game'') and sculptor * Robert Danhof, jurist * Hopwood DePree, film producer, co-founder of Waterfront Film Festival *

Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos ( ; ' Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist, and former government official who served as the 11th United States secretary of education from 2017 to 2021. DeVos is known for her support for s ...

, U. S. Secretary of Education, 2017 - 2021 * Max DePree, writer; industrialist; former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc. * John Essebagger Jr. (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, U.S. Congressman from Michigan's 2nd Congressional District, 1993-2011; chairman of House Intelligence Committee, 2004-2007; ambassador to the Netherlands * Rhoda Janzen, Hope College professor, author of ''Mennonite in a Little Black Dress'' * Morley Jennings, 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 vo ...

, born in Holland * Alex Koroknay-Palicz,

youth rights The youth rights movement (also known as youth liberation) seeks to grant the rights to young people that are traditionally reserved for adults, due to having reached a specific age or sufficient maturity. This is closely akin to the notio ...

advocate * Paul de Kruif (d. 1971), science writer (''Microbe Hunters'', etc.) retired to Holland, where he died * Paul Ronald Lambers (d. 1970), U.S. Army Staff sergeant, Vietnam War; Medal of Honor * Rob Malda, founder of

Slashdot ''Slashdot'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''/.'') is a social news website that originally advertised itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters". It features news stories concerning science, technology, and politics that are submitted and evalu ...

* Lisa McMann, young-adult fiction writer *

James Michael James Andrew Michael is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, singer, sound engineer and mixer. He is currently the lead singer of the rock band Sixx:A.M. Early life He took piano lessons while growing up and sang in Holland High ...

, lead singer ( Sixx:A.M.) and producer; co-wrote " Rest in Pieces" 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 ...

* 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 The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and former Great Lakes project director for Bluewater Wind * Nathan Oostendorp, 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 (d. 1939), varsity coach and athletics director at the University of Georgia at Athens (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, ''

'' * Charles Symmonds, 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 Mu ...

, composer, pianist, and educator * Andy Van Hekken, professional baseball player * Brian Vander Ark, 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 in the Eastern Conference, and a ...

* Valerie van Heest, author, explorer, and museum designer, serving on the board of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association. * William C. Vandenberg (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 of Michigan, governor. The current lieutenant governor by default is Garlin Gilchrist, a Democrat, who has held the office since J ...

* Gordon Douglas Yntema (d. 1968), U.S. Army Sergeant, Vietnam War; Medal of Honor *Benjamin Herrera, founder of Black River Studios Film Production company

Notes

External links

*
Holland Visitors site

Holland Area Chamber of Commerce