Description
Grandville is located approximately 10 miles southwest of Grand Rapids on the eastern border of Ottawa County. Grandville’s history can be traced back to the days when Ottawa and other Indian tribes inhabited this area along the Grand River, (as evidenced by the Indian Mounds Memorial Park, located about 3 miles to the north just outside of town). The first white settler was Luther Lincoln in 1832, who came down the Grand River with his party and stayed the winter here. In the spring, he purchased land from the White Pigeon land office, and the settlement was given a post in 1834. It was given a depot by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1872, which significantly contributed to the community’s growth. It was organized into a village in 1887 and eventually incorporated into a city in 1933. Today, Grandville has become a commuter suburb in effect, with easy access to Grand Rapids via the Ford Freeway. The railroad is still in operation there too, with the main line from Grand Rapids to Chicago going through the town, paralleling Chicago Drive, Grandville’s main traffic route.
