Page 410 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

408  THE GREA T LAKES

j Lansing k Grand Rapids
* 119,128. ~ £ @ n 500 E * 197,800. ~ £ @ n 171
Michigan Ave, (888) 252-6746. Monroe Ave NW, Suite 545, (800) 678-
∑ lansing.org 9859. ∑ experiencegr.com
A government and industrial Grand Rapids owes its
center, this city benefits from reputation as a major furniture
its proximity to the Michigan manufacturing center to the
State University in adjacent Grand River that flows through
East Lansing. Selected as the the heart of the city. The water-
state capital in 1847, the sub- powered lumber mills that
sequent arrival of railroads in were set up along its banks in
1871 and the completion of the 19th century formed the
the downtown statehouse in foundation for the growth of
1879 fueled the city’s growth. fine furniture makers such as
The Michigan Historical Herman Miller and Steelcase.
Museum recounts the con struc- East of downtown is the
tion of the Second Renaissance fashionable Heritage Hill
Revival-style State Capitol and Neighborhood, a historic
University of Michigan campus, traces the state’s history from district. Grand Rapids Public
Ann Arbor the prehistoric era Museum explores the history
h Ann Arbor to the present of the town
through various
and has a
* 114, 000. ~ £ @ n 315 W inter active exhibits. planetarium.
Huron St, (800) 888- 9487. Lansing’s status as a Affiliates include
∑ visitannarbor.org major automotive Exhibit from the the 1909 Meyer
manufacturing center is May House, one of
A picturesque, mid-size city, linked to the business Olds Museum Frank Lloyd Wright’s
with a vibrant pedestrian- founded by Ransom E. last Prairie-style
friendly downtown, Ann Arbor Olds, who began building family homes. A scenic
is a bastion of laid-back liberal- prototype vehicles here in 1885. gathering spot is the spacious
ism and environmental activism He later produced the Curved Frederik Meijer Gardens and
on the western fringe of Detroit. Dash Olds, considered by many Sculpture Park, with 300
The city’s independent streak to have been the world’s first sculptures including works by
springs from the professors mass-produced automobile. August Rodin, Edgar Degas, Henry
and students affiliated with The R.E. Olds Transportation Moore, and Alexander Calder.
the University of Michigan, Museum has the distinction of Also in town is the Gerald
the city’s largest employer. showcasing an original 1901 R. Ford Museum. It traces the
Music, film, and art festivals Curved Dash Olds Runabout and career of the 38th president,
are a year-round tradition. One a variety of classic Oldsmobiles who grew up in Grand Rapids,
of the nation’s largest outdoor from the 1930s and 1940s. Also where his father ran a paint and
art fairs is held in the city. in the collection is the last model, varnish company. The museum
This annual July event attracts manufactured in 2004. Displays includes a holographic tour of
more than 1,000 artists and change quarterly. the White House and a replica
500,000 art fans and dealers. of the Oval Office.
The Hands On Museum E R.E. Olds Transportation
introduces children to science, Museum E Grand Rapids Public Museum
math, and technology in fun, 240 Museum Dr. Tel (517) 372-0529. 272 Pearl St NW. Tel (616) 929-1700.
interactive ways. Inside the nine Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon– Open hours vary. & 7
galleries are at least 250 inter- 5pm Sun. Closed Nov–Mar: Sun. & ∑ grmuseum.org
active exhibits; in one gallery
preschoolers can dress up like
firefighters and splash in water.
The 2,800-acre (1,133-ha)
Gothic central campus of the
University of Michigan
straddles Washtenaw Avenue,
southeast of downtown.
The Kelsey Museum of
Archaeology, on the main
campus, houses a variety of
Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and
Near Eastern artifacts. Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1909 Meyer May House in Grand Rapids
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp422–4 and pp425–7

408-409_EW_USA.indd 408 11/2/16 2:46 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm