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Big Rapids

MICHIGAN

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Set among rolling hills along the Muskegon River, Big Rapids takes its name from the waterway's strong local currents, readily known to regional lumbermen passing new-cut logs to downriver sawmills. Big Rapids, initially settled in the mid-19th century, was known as "Leonard" early on, but a subsequent plat gave the town its lasting name. Logging was prominent from inception, and the town's rural character was enlivened in the latter part of the century by an influx of German and Scandinavian settlers. It was also around this time that Woodbridge Ferris arrived in Big Rapids and established a small school that has since grown into Ferris State University, one of the area's largest employers and a 10,000-student-strong institute especially noted for its health sciences programs. (New York-born Ferris later served as Michigan's governor and as a US senator.) These days, the seat of Mecosta County (in the lower peninsula's west-central region) is a haven for nature lovers, and folks from all around enjoy Big Rapids' stretch of river and its abundant natural attractions. Hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails call out irresistibly, as do the town's many parks and golf courses. Boating and fishing also prove immensely popular, and canoeing – and especially, tubing – along the Muskegon are summertime musts. A charming downtown area proves appealing as well, thanks to a fun mix of shops and restaurants, and the Historical Museum lays out the town's past for interested visitors.

 

 

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