In
the early part of 1847, an eager group of immigrants
in search of religious freedom made plans to fulfill
their dream. The group was led by wealthy landowner,
James Vande Luyster. Mr. Vande Luyster decided to sell
all his holdings in Holland, Netherlands in order to
purchase the site of the original village, some 16,000
acres of what is now Zeeland, Michigan Township. He
then arranged for three ships to make their way to Holland,
Michigan. The first ship to arrive was Vande Luyster’s
group, which arrived on June 27, 1847. This ship was
followed shortly thereafter by the Steketee group on
July 4, 1847, and Reverend Van Der Meulen’s group
on August 1st of the same year. There were a total of
457 immigrants who embarked on this journey.
Naturally,
the first building to be assembled was a church. However,
a few short months later the immigrant count had more
than doubled and a larger church was soon provided.
The Village of Zeeland, Michigan was plotted in 1849,
with the school district being organized the following
year in 1850.
Close
to twenty-five years into its existence, Zeeland,
Michigan had already acquired a sawmill, a wagon factory,
blacksmith shops, grocery stores, and a post office.
The village officially became a city in 1907 with
a population of nearly 3,000. By 1922, The Zeeland,
Michigan Record, the local newspaper, reported six
churches in the vicinity, three of which were English-speaking.
There was a two-story brick kindergarten building,
a two-story brick grade school, and a brick house
building. The city also had four furniture factories,
one large manufacturing plant, and several mills and
smaller manufacturing industries at that time.
Zeeland
continues to distinguish itself as a small town where the
townspeople are exceptionally dignified, and also an industrious
community without fear of entrepreneurship.
