Grand Rapids Michigan is over 180 years old and in that time, many notable events and firsts have occurred in this "Biggest Small Town" in the Midwest. Gerald R. Ford described it as "The City that Works". It is the kind of town that will have a lost pet turtle story on the local evening news, not just the local accidents and disasters. If you are From Grand Rapids, Live in Grand Rapids, or are considering Moving to Grand Rapids, some of these facts might interest you.
Ottawa Indians were Grand Rapids' first inhabitants and in 1826 the city was settled by French fur traders.
Its name comes from the Grand River, Michigan's largest inland river.
Grand Rapids was originally known as the "Furniture Capital" of the nation. It is known today as the "Furniture Capital" of office furniture manufacturing.
It is headquarters to many national and multi-national headquarters including Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, Amway, Wolverine World Wide -(Hush Puppy Shoes), and Meijer stores.
It is Michigan's second largest city with a metropolitan population of 1,302,372. 
In 1945, Grand Rapids was the first city in the U.S. to add fluoride to its drinking water.
Gerald R. Ford, a native son, became the 38th President of the United States on August 9, 1974.
Kent County is Michigan's largest apple-producing county. It is also a major producer of peaches, celery, carrots, onions, corn, wheat and Christmas trees.
Grand Rapids has two homes in the city designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. One is the Amberg House and the other the Meyer May House which is open to the public three days per week.
Grand Rapids was named an All-American City three times.
"La Grande Vitesse," by Alexander Calder, was placed on Vandenberg Plaza in 1969. The name means "Great Swiftness."
In November 1998, Grand Rapids was named by Fortune magazine as one of the Top 10 Best Cities for Business in the U.S.
It has $500 million in new attractions, meeting facilities and recreational venues.
The 1913 Room at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is the only 5-Diamond restaurant in the Midwest outside of Chicago.
Heritage Hill Historic District, adjacent to downtown, has 60 architectural styles and 1300 homes.
There are 28 public golf courses with many only fifteen minutes from downtown making it one of the top cities in the U.S. in number of public golf courses-to-population ratio. 
There are over 60 restaurants and nightclubs in the downtown area, all are within walking distance.
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has the Midwest's most comprehensive sculpture collection.
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is the second largest airport in Michigan and the 86th largest airport nationally, serving more than 2 million passengers annually.
Each May, the 25K Fifth Third Riverbank Run attracts 10,000 participants from all over the globe.
In April 2004, Grand Rapids was named as one of America's Most Livable Communities by the Partners for Livable Communities.
Grand Rapids ranks fifth-healthiest town for men by Men's Health Magazine from among 101 cities surveyed (October 2002).
Van Andel Arena has been consistently rated in the top tier of world-wide arenas in its class by Amusement Business Magazine.
Grand Rapids was named #6 Fishing City by Field & Stream Magazine, July 2006.
Zondervan Publishing House, located in Grand Rapids, was named one of the top 40 Christian places to work in America by Christianity Today Magazine, 2005.
Grand Rapids is located three hours from Chicago and 35 minutes from the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan.
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Grand Rapids Real Estate is My Real Job
Terry Westbrook's Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2007~Westbrook Realty
Contact me at : 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
picture of LaGrand Vitesse Calder Sculpture during Festival Grand Rapids MI by Terry Westbrook; Meyer May house courtesy of Steelcase, Inc.;lake mich beach scene courtesy of flickr x99elledge; red apples by jo allen courtesy of flickr ~ facts from gr visitors bureau
No, I'm not suggesting Johnny Benson was featured on the Guiding Light or that Kim Zimmer drove in a Nascar Race. Both of these notable people claim Grand Rapids Michigan as their home town, along with the list below. There might be some surprises for those of you that keep track of celebrities. Other famous Grand Rapids natives range from Gerald R Ford, 38th US President to Anthony Kiedis, lead singer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I hope you enjoyed this little trivia list about Grand Rapids, Michigan, not my home by birth but by choice for over 30 years.
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale Featured Grand Rapids Homes
Visit my Website for Grand Rapids and Surrounding Area Information
Grand Rapids Real Estate is My Real Job
Terry Westbrook's Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2007~Westbrook Realty
Contact me at : 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
photo of Kim Z by Soap Digest Weekly - Johnny Benson by JB Fan Club - notable list from Wikipedia
Every year the Butterflies are anticipated in Grand Rapids Michigan by thousands of residents, starting March 1 through April 30th. It is an early glimpse of spring for us, while we still have snow on the ground. Meijer Gardens brings in hundreds of butterfly cocoons, so we can see them hatch, and watch them lazily visit flowers, food, and people on a wintry day here in the north. They are coming again this year ~ If your family hasn't experienced this, you should treat yourself.
We took our grandson, Jeffy, last year and we would like to include you on our butterfly adventure.
Here is a picture of the cocoon hatchery, Butterfly Bungalow. They are kept at a constant high temperature,
so they will hatch. As soon as the group hatches, they are placed in a resting environment until their wings are
dry and ready for flight. They come from Africa, Central and South America, and Asia. Thousands of colorful
butterflies fill the 15, 000 square foot conservatory, lighting on branches, feeding at nectar stations, getting a
drink in the flowing stream, or just enjoying the 80 degree tropical atmosphere.
There are usually additional exhibits and activities for children to enhance the butterfly experience.
One of the butterfly feeding stations in the Conservatory.
A delightful experience for anyone, young or old, capture the Butterfly Experience yourself this year!
If you would like to see more information about Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Please see my other articles ~ Part One - The Sculpture Park, Part Two, The Conservatory, Part Three - The Children's Garden
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale Featured Grand Rapids Homes
Visit my Website for Grand Rapids and Surrounding Area Information
Grand Rapids Real Estate is My Real Job
Terry Westbrook's Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2007~Westbrook Realty
Contact me at : 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
photos by Bonnie Westbrook
Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids Michigan has a very special Children's Garden. Admission is included with your daily or membership ticket. At over 5 acres, it is one of the largest Children's Gardens in the nation. This is a magical place for children of all ages, even the entrance is designed with children in mind: right beside the large entance is a mouse hole arched entrance with a gate. All of the Children's Garden is wheelchair accessible, even Tree House Village.
We try to take our grandson, Jeffy, whenever he comes to visit. Come take a quick photo tour with us of
the Children's Garden.
The Children's Garden has 10 Different Areas to Explore: 
One of the the most fun places for Jeffy was the Great Lakes Garden because it involved WATER, LOTS OF
WATER. He spent a lot of time floating his boat around the Great Lakes!
The Kids Sense Garden was lots of fun, with plants to see, touch, smell, and taste. Even plants with funny
names or appearances are included. The Log Cabin was a great place to explore our ancestors way of living but
on a much smaller scale. Tree House Village is a large interconnected tree houses with lots of places to spy
nature and its inhabitants. Jeffy especially liked the rope bridge, which he could get to swaying. He spent quite
a while in the Rock Quarry, excavating for treasure, or maybe just because he liked to operate the shovel.
After the Sculpture Walk, Labyrinth, and Butterfly maze, we made our way back to the Horse Sculpture before
calling it a day.
Jeffy wanted to pose for this shot.
*There are PALS -Play Activity Leaders -through out the Children's
Garden to make the experience a little more fun and hands on. They
might have boats, shovels, puppets, and other activities to make it a
more educational or enjoyable day. On one visit they had a clay
station set up for the children to make their own animal sculptures.
If you would like to see more information about Meijer Gardens &
Sculpture Park, Please see my other articles ~ Part One - The Sculpture Park, Part Two, The Conservatory,
Part Four - The Annual Butterfly Exhibit
Search Grand Rapids Homes for Sale Featured Grand Rapids Homes
Visit my Website for Grand Rapids and Surrounding Area Information
Grand Rapids Real Estate is My Real Job
Terry Westbrook's Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2007~Westbrook Realty
Contact me at : 1-888-240-1968 x 0 toll free
Website url: Terry Westbrook.com
Email: terry@TerryWestbrook.com
photos by Bonnie Westbrook
The Monterey Grille Restaurant & Lounge in Caledonia Michigan is easy to miss
if you don't know where to look. It is situated in a strip mall at 9175 Cherry
Valley Road. But don't let that stop you from going there. All the locals will be
there, it is one of the best restaurants in the Caledonia area. We always make
it a point to stop for lunch if we find ourselves in Caledonia on business.
The Monterey Grille Restaurant & Lounge is a full service restaurant and lounge, owned & operated
by Bruce & Kerri Higgins. The main dining room is bright with natural light, open with booths and
table seating. They have a large private dining room with a fireplace for large parties or over flow
for large crowds.
The six page menu is extensive, with 2 pages of breakfast items. Their breakfasts have to be one
of the best items and best values in the Grand Rapids area and they serve them until 2:30 pm every
day, and all day on Sundays. A large appetizer selection, salads, sandwiches, grilled pizza, and
pasta dishes list enough variety to please anyone. Their burgers are all half pounders, so you don't
go away hungry. Entrees include Monterey Ribs, Seafood, and other homestyle favorites.
For example, the Surf & Turf, an 8 oz steak served with jumbo stuffed shrimp is $16.95, with 2 side
dishes. The wait staff is always friendly and helpful. If you are in the neighborhood, you can't go
wrong by stopping here for a full dinner or a quick bite.
Don't overlook the Bar & Lounge Area in the Back of the restaurant. If you want to meet some
friends for a few drinks and some lively conversation about the local sports teams, this is the place to go.
Monterey Grille phone 616-891-2928 Fax 616-891-2932
Westbrook Realty ~ Grand Rapids Real Estate
Copyright by Terry Westbrook 2008
All rights reserved
We have received no value or consideration for advertising The Monterey Grille on my blog or for my testimonial.
photos by Bonnie Westbrook
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Our team strives to provide Buyers & Sellers in the Greater Grand Rapids Mi Area the best resources & user friendly tools we can find to make a stress free decision about their real estate investment
As leading real estate professionals in Grand Rapids MI, including Ada MI,
Cascade MI, Caledonia MI, East Grand Rapids MI, Kentwood MI, Lowell MI
and Rockford MI , we can assist you in determining which area of our community
is best suited to your needs as a Grand Rapids Buyer.
Our GRAND RAPIDS WEBSITE contains tons of information just for you.
You can SEARCH FOR HOMES in Grand Rapids, Ada, Cascade, Caledonia,
East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Lowell, Rockford, and all surrounding
WEST MICHIGAN areas.
Grand Rapids Buyers: Search ALL The Listings in the West Michigan market.
We have lots of information for Buyers, whether it is your first time or you are a
seasoned real estate veteran. When your are ready to purchase a home, give
Terry a call at 1-888-240-1988 ext 0.
When you SEARCH LISTINGS on the TerryWestbrook.com web site,
you can save your custom searches and refine them as you become
familiar with Grand Rapids neighborhoods. The search page is
designed to help you, our home buyers, see the current real estate
in the Greater Grand Rapids, Kent County and West Michigan Market.
You can see ALL existing homes offered for sale on the Multiple
Listing Service. Search by location, price, features. When you're ready,
contact Terry at 1-888-240-1968 ext 0 and we'll arrange a tour of
homes just for you.
You can also sign up for a FREE EMAIL REPORT of any new listings
that hit the MLS that meet your requirements DAILY! This customized
free service for our buyers we gladly provide to make searching for
homes easier.
We have lots of RELOCATION FACTS, PHOTOS, and Videos on our
Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog. Get to know the many different areas of
Grand Rapids and West Michigan before you look at homes.
We also offer a RELOCATION Packet that can be customized for you
which includes: Maps, School Information, Shopping, Grand Rapids
Chamber of Commerce info, etc.
Find out if you QUALIFY for a home mortgage and HOW MUCH Home
you can qualify to buy. This is extremely important in today's market.
Pre-qualifying is not difficult and makes the purchase of a home when
you are ready so much easier.
We can make referralls to legitimate lenders and professional
mortagage lenders whom we can refer with confidence.
We offer full service Real Estate Transactions for Buyers & Sellers,
including:
New Home Sales & Construction: There are many
new homes and new home developments ready for
immediate occupancy in the Greater Grand Rapids Area.
The Westbrook Team is well versed in new home construction
and all the details it requires. From making your color selections,
final walk through, to closing the transaction, we have the expertise
to make your new home purchase as easy as possible.
CONTACT Westbrook Realty for timely real estate information in the Kent
County or Grand Rapids market area. TerryWestbrook.com is on top of
market values and the latest in SOLD stats to help YOU get the
best price, whether buying or selling a home in Greater Grand Rapids.
We can guide you through the minefield of a "short sale" if you find yourself
in this financial situation. It can be a daunting project but it is something
that can usually be accomplished. Calling us early is much better than
waiting until your house is in the foreclosure process.
We have provided video tours of some of our local areas so you can get an
idea of what they look like and we have lots of local information. You can get an
idea of what it is like to live here in Kent County.
Click on the communities below to view:
Ada Caledonia Cascade East Grand Rapids
Local Information Blog Articles:
Ada Township Hall Rockford Park #2 EGR Park
Local School Links Watermark Country Club
Caledonia Park #1 Real Food Cafe Rockford Park #3
The Grille Restaurant Forest Hills Foods
"Green" Grand Rapids Famous GR Natives Ada Township Park
Cascade Park Leslie E Tassell Park
GR-Top 50 Cool Cities West Mich Golf GR Micro Brew Pubs
GR Dream Home GR Baseball GR Facts
Foreclosure Home Grand Rapids Golf
We strive to provide information, tools, and resources so Buyers & Sellers can make informed decisions
about real estate investments in Grand Rapids, Ada, Cascade, Caledonia, East Grand Rapids,
Kentwood, and Rockford. Relocating to Grand Rapids? We would like you to have the benefit of our
30+ years of experience in marketing, negotiating, and finalizing real estate investments with as little
stress and discomfort as possible to the Greater Grand Rapids Mi area. If you have a home to sell or
are looking for a home to buy, contact Terry 1-888-240-1968 ext.0 or terry@terrywestbrook.com
Terry is a very dedicated realtor! Our family can not say enough good about him. He was patient, persistent, creative and very knowledgeable in the selling of our home.
Our home was on the market during the time when homes in Michigan were not selling. We had an old farm house with acreage on a very busy road__ not an easy home to sell even in good economic times. With Terry's persistence and dedication we fortunately were able to sell our house. Terry even persisted on working coming right out of surgery. He completed the buy/sell agreement for our home a day after he was discharged out of the hospital. What dedication!!!
Our family would highly recommend Terry for selling or buying a home. He developed a personal relationship not only with my husband and I but also with our two teenage sons. What a wonderful realtor to have during a "stressfull" time for our family. Thank you so much Terry for all you did for us!!
Mary Beth, Mike, Kenzie & Dalton 
After six disappointing months with another company, we signed with Terry. The activity increased immediately and he sold our home quickly and easily. Tom & Joan
Terry helped us sell our house, then buy property to build a new one. Our family is now enjoying our wonderful new home. Jeff & Heather
When I started looking at buying a home in Grand Rapids, I met with a couple of realtors, and in a matter of 2 years, I had only been shown 3 houses. So, I decided to try looking on my own. I spent a lot of time looking in the paper, and just driving around. I went with a good friend one day to look at a house I had seen in the paper, and ended up driving around for quite a while trying to find it. She said, "Chris you can't do this on your own, it's too time consuming. You need someone to do all this looking for you. We'll call my realtor when we get to my house." Being a full-time working, single mom, I knew she was right. I was very apprehensive about making this call, as her house was substantially more expensive than the price range I was in the market for. So, my thoughts were that I would just be "small potatoes" in her realtor's eyes, and he would probably not spend much time assisting me. Especially since his commission would depend on the price of the house. But, we made the call and I set an appt to meet with him. We sat down, and he asked me lots of questions, and gave me some information about different areas in Grand Rapids. He took notes on what I was looking for (no other realtor had done that) and we scheduled an appt. to look.
The first day we went to look at homes, he handed me a color portfolio with helpful guidelines for what to look for in a home, and information with photos of 9 houses we were going to look at that day! I was amazed. From then on, he would send me information on new listings, and I would give him my feedback.
Since I am divorced, there were several hurdles that I had to jump to be able to buy a home. My realtor was helpful in getting me with the right people in order to take care of those issues, and he was patient as I did so.
Today, my young son and I have a beautiful home, where we've painted his bedroom room to his liking, he has a nice yard to play in, and friendly neighborhood children to play with. What I once thought was far out of my reach is now a reality, and I am so thankful to my realtor for all the help to get us here. I am also thankful for my good friend for pushing me to make the call in the first place. Realtor: Terry Westbrook ~ Christine
I have to thank you for the super job you did getting me so well settled. It could have been a very traumatic time but everything moved as " smooth as glass. " Your preparation was awesome, too. I sold real estate for only 2 years and I wasn't near you in the work you did for me. You sold my house and have me so well tucked in the new one in about one month! Has to be a record. Thank you and Bonnie, too for everythng. I can recommend you very happily -
Loretta M.
Just a note to let you know how much I appreciated everything you did for me in purchasing my condo - the circumstances were not great & the problems were many but you made it all happen pretty smoothly and always with a smile on your face. You have a great way of making sure we all "get with the program!"
-Lin C.
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