Zeeland, Michigan
Zeeland is a city of 5,665 people in Ottawa County, Michigan, founded in 1847.
Why visit Zeeland
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Benjamin Van Raalte House, Max and Esther De Pree House, Hoogland Park and Huizenga Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Zeeland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Zeeland
Zeeland is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,719 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the western edge of Zeeland Charter Township. It is about 5 miles (8 km) east of Holland and 24 miles (38 km) southwest of Grand Rapids.
From the Wikipedia article Zeeland, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Benjamin Van Raalte House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Private house located at 1076 Sixteenth Street in Holland, Michigan
Max and Esther De Pree House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
House in Zeeland, Michigan
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes16
El Rancho Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant
17 East Main Avenue, Zeeland
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 11:00-21:00
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.6 mi
261 South State Street, Zeeland
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 1.1 mi
8531 Homestead Drive, Zeeland
Fr-Su 06:00-23:00; Mo-Th 05:00-23:00
4 more on the map.
History
In 1847, nearly 500 Dutch citizens sailed for America ostensibly to achieve religious freedom, although their decision to immigrate was probably also influenced by other factors, such as dire economic conditions in their home province of Zeeland, Netherlands and their opposition to modern scientific and social advances of the time.
The emigrants were led by Jannes Van de Luyster, a wealthy landowner who sold his holdings in the Netherlands to advance money for the members to pay their debts and buy passage to America. Their settlement, some 16,000 acres (65 km2) of land once occupied by the Odawa people, was named after their home province of Zeeland.
Van de Luyster arranged for three ships to sail for the United States. He came on the first ship, arriving on June 27, 1847. He was followed by the Steketee group on July 4, and Reverend Van Der Meulen's group on August 1 of that year. The total number of settlers was 457.
The first building was a church. The town of Zeeland was platted in 1849, and the school district was organized the following year.
Within twenty-five years, Zeeland had acquired a sawmill, a wagon factory, blacksmith shops, grocery stores, and a post office.
From the History section of Zeeland, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship14
Third Christian Reformed Church
Church · Reformed · 0.4 mi
10 West Central Avenue
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries33
Healthcare2
Map of Zeeland
90 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 20°F | 1.9 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 20°F | 1.8 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 28°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 37°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 3.8 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 3.5 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 2.8 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.1 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 4.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 34°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 37°F | 26°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Holland Tulip City Ap (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ottawa County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-06-18: Flooding (Flood)
- 2008-07-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 25 miles away.
- Holland 5 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Beechwood 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Hudsonville 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Jenison 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Allendale 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Grandville 15 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Byron Center 15 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Wyoming 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Cutlerville 17 mi east, about 28 min by car
- Walker 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Zeeland, Michigan, WMrapids, CC0
- Benjamin Van Raalte House, Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hydrangea arborescens leaf, Cablehollow, CC BY 4.0
- Max and Esther DePree House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS059-E-93933 - View of the Province of Ontario, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-149723 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-94619 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-13427 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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