Grand Journey 16
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A8 THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010 THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS BY TED ROELOFS THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS ADA — For a tiny, unincorporated village, Ada has some story to tell. Two rivers — the Grand and Thornapple — converge here. Na- tive Americans and fur traders found obvious advantages in the rivers’ con- fluence. Its famed covered bridge over the Thornapple stands as a reminder of a span completed just after the Civil War. Across M-21 from the cozy down- town, a corporation saw benefits to the location as well. Founded by high school pals Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos, Amway Corp. now reports annual worldwide sales exceeding $8 billion. Their philanthropy has left an in- delible imprint on Grand Rapids, from its downtown hotels, public museum, arena and convention center to medi- cal and research facilities like Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and the Van Andel Institute. It is fitting that the Van Andel Museum Center and DeVos Place convention center sit on opposite banks of the river that shaped the very community that nur- tured their early years. And so it is also fitting that this vil- lage retains its hey-neighbor charm, a quality that Godwin’s Ada Village Hardware manager Bob Weiland ap- preciates just about every day. “The community is pretty active, and we like to support each other in most things. We do see a lot of famil- iar faces that come in here. “We always joke that Saturday morning almost feels like a little community day. They will come in here, standing in the aisles, and chit-chatting about what has been happening.” Long before Amway and its direct- marketing vision took flight, a fur trader named Rix Robinson in 1821 acquired a trading post on the Grand near where it meets the Thornapple. In 1832, Robinson made his home in Ada and thus became the first white man to live in the village. Robinson bought the post from Magdelaine LaFramboise, grand- daughter of an Ottawa Indian chief and daughter of a French-Canadian fur trader. By the 1860s, the community sup- ported general stores, a flour mill, a sawmill, hotels, a blacksmith, a car- riage maker, a boot and shoe store, two churches, a doctor, three justices of the peace and an attorney. No single feature says Ada like its covered wooden bridge over the Thornapple, originally completed in 1867 In 1979, the roof collapsed under the weight of heavy snow. The bridge was restored using funds raised by private donations. Not long after, the bridge was destroyed by fire. Local residents would not give up. With their help and donations from Amway, a replica bridge was completed. Nestled inside one of Kent County’s wealthiest townships, the community has flourished in its own quiet way. Each May, Arts in Ada brings thou- sands of visitors drawn by the works of dozens of local artists. Its farmers’ market and array of local produce are a foodie destination each Tuesday from June through September. In sum- mer, music lovers gather on the lawn of the Averill Historic Museum for a free concert series. Resident Betsy Ratzsch, 65, finds just about what she needs here. “I have lived in a village in England, and it’s very much like a village in England,” said Ratzsch, owner of a pottery store kitty-corner from the hardware store. The store is situated in one of the village’s historic homes, its creaking floors dating back to 1834. It has been a private residence, a hair salon, res- taurant and narrowly escaped a house fire next door nearly a century ago. “I appreciate history. It has a lovely feel to it,” Ratzsch said. E-mail: [email protected] FACT SHEET Ada Some fast facts: Farmers once drove wagons loaded with stones to hold the covered bridge over the Thornapple River to its foundation during high water. Chief Hazy Cloud Park, a 120-acre park on the Grand River near M-21, is a popular fishing spot. On the opposite side, Roselle Park is habitat for abundant bird life and bird watchers. At 480 feet long, 58 feet wide, and crumbling from 53 years of traffic, the M-21 bridge over the Grand at Ada will be rebuilt in 2011. Motorists will cross on a two-lane temporary span until the project is finished. PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ On the waterfront: Betsy Ratzsch holds a bowl from her “Grand River Vista” pottery line. Her pottery store has been open just down the road from the river for 15 years. Where two rivers and lots of neighbors meet AROUND THE BEND: ADA SHOCK THERAPY STORY AND PHOTOS BY REX LARSEN THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS A s the Grand River Expedition surveyed the Grand River from above the water this week, a Department of Natural Resources and Environment crew took a look at what was going on below the surface. The DNRE crew used two boats. One was equipped with booms and submersible electrodes that deliver a 200-volt, 6-amp current beneath the water to attract fish and temporarily stun them. A chase boat picked up the fish with soft nets; the fish then were put into holding tanks for data gathering before being released to the river a short time later. A two-mile stretch of the river near the Portland State Game Area was randomly selected for testing. Scott Hanshue, a fisheries manage- ment biologist from the DNRE’s Plainwell office, said it has been five years since similar comprehensive research has been done. Hanshue’s team counted the species, measured their length and, for the game fish, snipped a tiny piece of dorsal fin to test growth rates. “We will take our data and com- pare it to other sites on the Grand River and around the state,” he said. “We want to see if the results meet our expectations. Growth rates tell us how well the fish community is doing,” he said. “All the species we saw are very sensitive to pollution. This stretch of the river is clean and some of the nicest parts on the river.” STATE FISHERY OFFICIALS SAMPLE GRAND RIVER, LIKE WHAT THEY FIND Fish (temporarily) out of water: DNRE staffer Mike Wilson, above, tosses a greater redhorse sucker into the holding tank as he, research biologist Todd Wills, and other DNRE staffers conducted research on the Grand River in the Portland State Game Area. At right, from left, Wills Wilson and Olin Gannon follow the edges of the Grand River using a boom boat with underwater electrodes putting out 200 volts and 6 amps to attract and stun fish for easy netting. Working the river: Department of Natural Resources and Environment specialists Scott Hanshue, left, and Jay Wesley explain to members of the Grand River Expedition 2010 how the crews shock fish, net them and collect data. At far right, a small piece of dorsal fin is snipped from a smallmouth bass to calculate its age. ON m live home: Mlive.com VIDEO: Watch the fish-shocking operation and check other installments of this series, mlive.com/grandriver Photos from this series are available for purchase. Call The Press library at 616-222-5475
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On the waterfront: Betsy Ratzsch holds a bowl from her “Grand River Vista” pottery line. Her pottery store has been open just down the road from the river for 15 years. Working the river: Department of Natural Resources and Environment specialists Scott Hanshue, left, and Jay Wesley explain to members of the Grand River Expedition 2010 how the crews shock fish, net them and collect data. At far right, a small piece of dorsal fin is snipped from a smallmouth bass to calculate its age. P
Transcript of Grand Journey 16
A8 THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010 THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
BY TED ROELOFS
THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
ADA — For a tiny, unincorporated village, Ada has some story to tell.
Two rivers — the Grand and Thornapple — converge here. Na-tive Americans and fur traders found obvious advantages in the rivers’ con-fl uence. Its famed covered bridge over the Thornapple stands as a reminder of a span completed just after the Civil War.
Across M-21 from the cozy down-town, a corporation saw benefi ts to the location as well. Founded by high school pals Jay Van Andel and Rich DeVos, Amway Corp. now reports annual worldwide sales exceeding $8 billion.
Their philanthropy has left an in-delible imprint on Grand Rapids, from its downtown hotels, public museum, arena and convention center to medi-cal and research facilities like Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and the Van Andel Institute. It is fi tting that the Van Andel Museum Center and DeVos Place convention center sit on opposite banks of the river that shaped the very community that nur-tured their early years.
And so it is also fi tting that this vil-lage retains its hey-neighbor charm,
a quality that Godwin’s Ada Village Hardware manager Bob Weiland ap-preciates just about every day.
“The community is pretty active, and we like to support each other in most things. We do see a lot of famil-iar faces that come in here.
“We always joke that Saturday morning almost feels like a little community day. They will come in here, standing in the aisles, and chit-chatting about what has been
happening.”Long before Amway and its direct-
marketing vision took flight, a fur trader named Rix Robinson in 1821 acquired a trading post on the Grand near where it meets the Thornapple. In 1832, Robinson made his home in Ada and thus became the fi rst white man to live in the village.
Robinson bought the post from Magdelaine LaFramboise, grand-daughter of an Ottawa Indian chief
and daughter of a French-Canadian fur trader.
By the 1860s, the community sup-ported general stores, a fl our mill, a sawmill, hotels, a blacksmith, a car-riage maker, a boot and shoe store, two churches, a doctor, three justices of the peace and an attorney.
No single feature says Ada like its covered wooden bridge over the Thornapple, originally completed in 1867
In 1979, the roof collapsed under the weight of heavy snow. The bridge was restored using funds raised by private donations. Not long after, the bridge was destroyed by fi re. Local residents would not give up. With their help and donations from Amway, a replica bridge was completed.
Nestled inside one of Kent County’s wealthiest townships, the community has fl ourished in its own quiet way. Each May, Arts in Ada brings thou-sands of visitors drawn by the works of dozens of local artists. Its farmers’ market and array of local produce are a foodie destination each Tuesday from June through September. In sum-mer, music lovers gather on the lawn of the Averill Historic Museum for a free concert series.
Resident Betsy Ratzsch, 65, fi nds just about what she needs here.
“I have lived in a village in England, and it’s very much like a village in England,” said Ratzsch, owner of a pottery store kitty-corner from the hardware store.
The store is situated in one of the village’s historic homes, its creaking fl oors dating back to 1834. It has been a private residence, a hair salon, res-taurant and narrowly escaped a house fi re next door nearly a century ago.
“I appreciate history. It has a lovely feel to it,” Ratzsch said.
E-mail: [email protected]
FACT SHEET
AdaSome fast facts:
Farmers once drove wagons �loaded with stones to hold the covered bridge over the Thornapple River to its foundation during high water. Chief Hazy Cloud Park, a 120-acre �park on the Grand River near M-21, is a popular fishing spot . On the opposite side, Roselle Park is habitat for abundant bird life and bird watchers.At 480 feet long, 58 feet wide, �and crumbling from 53 years of traffic, the M-21 bridge over the Grand at Ada will be rebuilt in 2011. Motorists will cross on a two-lane temporary span until the project is finished.
PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ
On the waterfront: Betsy Ratzsch holds a bowl from her “Grand River Vista” pottery line. Her pottery store has been open just down the road from the river for 15 years.
Where two rivers and lots of neighbors meetAROUND THE BEND: ADA
SHOCKTHERAPY
STORY AND PHOTOS BY REX LARSEN
THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
A s the Grand River Expedition surveyed the Grand River from
above the water this week, a Department of Natural Resources and Environment crew took a look at what was going on below the surface.
The DNRE crew used two boats. One was equipped with booms and submersible electrodes that deliver a 200-volt, 6-amp current beneath the water to attract fi sh and temporarily stun them. A chase boat picked up the fi sh with soft nets; the fi sh then were put into holding tanks for data gathering before being released to the river a short time later.
A two-mile stretch of the river near the Portland State Game Area was randomly selected for testing.
Scott Hanshue, a fi sheries manage-ment biologist from the DNRE’s Plainwell offi ce, said it has been fi ve years since similar comprehensive research has been done. Hanshue’s team counted the species, measured their length and, for the game fi sh, snipped a tiny piece of dorsal fi n to test growth rates.
“We will take our data and com-pare it to other sites on the Grand River and around the state,” he said. “We want to see if the results meet our expectations. Growth rates tell us how well the fi sh community is doing,” he said.
“All the species we saw are very sensitive to pollution. This stretch of the river is clean and some of the nicest parts on the river.”
STATE FISHERY OFFICIALS SAMPLE GRAND RIVER, LIKE WHAT THEY FIND
Fish (temporarily) out of water:DNRE staffer Mike Wilson, above, tosses a greater redhorse sucker
into the holding tank as he, research biologist Todd Wills, and
other DNRE staffers conducted research on the Grand River in
the Portland State Game Area. At right, from left, Wills Wilson and Olin Gannon follow the edges of
the Grand River using a boom boat with underwater electrodes
putting out 200 volts and 6 amps to attract and stun fish for
easy netting.
Working the river:Department of
Natural Resources and Environment specialists Scott
Hanshue, left, and Jay Wesley explain
to members of the Grand River
Expedition 2010 how the crews shock fish, net them and collect
data. At far right, a small piece of dorsal fin is snipped from a smallmouth bass to
calculate its age.
ON mlivehome: Mlive.com
VIDEO: Watch the fish-shocking operation and check other �installments of this series, mlive.com/grandriver
Photos from this series are available for purchase.�Call The Press library at 616-222-5475
P
