Although the skyline of the city has changed with the competition to build the tallest building in Grand Rapids, one item remains the same – the many steeples of the churches that are the foundation of our ancestors who settled along the banks of the Grand River.
Each of these represents our past and the immigrants that settled in our area to give Grand Rapids the nickname “Furniture City”.
In this series you will follow the Steeple Chase throughout this great city and view the awe inspiring architecture of our forefathers. The distinct architectural styles represent the great churches of Europe from which these immigrants fled to find a new life in the United States.
This is not meant to promote any one religion, but to show how all have blended together within the City of Grand Rapids to make this one great place to live.
West Leonard Christian Reformed Church
The West Leonard area of Grand Rapids was settled by immigrants many of which were from the Netherlands. According to the 1880 census, the Dutch population of Grand Rapids represented 22% of the total resident.
In 1889, the seventh Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids was established at its current location on West Leonard. Following the fire of 1908 in which the original church was destroyed, the current building was built. The new building was completed in 1909 utilizing boulders from the Grand River. Over the years, additions have been made to accommodate the growth of the church population. (source: http://dutch-reformed.wikia.com/wiki/West_Leonard_Christian_Reformed_Church,_Grand_Rapids,_Michigan, http://www.wlcrc.org/ )