Native American Settlement

Native Americans who lived in the vicinity of the Grand River near the ledges were of Pottawatomi, Chippewa, and Ottawa ancestry. They dug clams in the river, mined coal on the river banks, hunted for deer, turkey, fox, and bear, and fished for black bass. Their name for the ledges translated into English as "Big Rocks".

Modern Settlement

Based on early records, Hugh Heward was the first white man to explore this area by water and record his findings. His journal describes the sandstone ledges as having high banks, some pine trees and heavy woods with the finest places possible for making syrup, and the existence of several small islands. In 1847 Henry Trench settled in what would later become downtown Grand Ledge. After a few years he returned east. In 1850 settlers named their village Grand Ledge, and erected a post office. By 1869, a railroad reached the north end of the village. In 1871, the village was incorporated by the state of Michigan.

Golden Age

In 1891 Mudge built a roller coaster on the Islands, probably the state's first. Located on the first island below the bridge was an animal park with bears and deer. The second island was the center of the resort activities, with its hotel, picnic area, and fountain. The second and third islands were joined with a causeway, and a pavilion served as a ballroom and theatre for Vaudeville acts. The Resort featured a merry-go-round and a bandstand.

Mudge's most notable improvement was the construction of “The Round House”. This three-story pagoda tower was built on the edge of Second Island, with half its foundation on island soil and the rest projecting over the river. During the construction, he kept the purpose of the unusual structure secret. This caused much speculation in the local community. Mudge eventually revealed that it was designed to have the second story rotate at a slow speed, while the third story rotated faster and was topped by a centrifugal swing that would whirl the adventurous rider out over the river.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth islands were left wild, and the seventh was a picnic spot, accessed by boat. As many as 75 boats plied the Grand River at Grand Ledge, and sidewheel riverboats ran between Second Island and the dam. The dam, constructed in 1887, ensured the proper water level for the operation of steamboats. As many as nine hotels provided accommodations for visitors and the Pere Marquette Railroad offered excursion rates to the Seven Island Resort which, according to early records, was second in popularity only to the Petoskey resort areas.

The Spring Flood of 1893

A flood damaged the Round House in 1893. The construction was nearly complete by then, but the rushing waters pushed chunks of ice into its overhanging foundation. The structure was pushed off the foundation, but remained nearly in place, at a precarious angle. Although the building was saved, the mechanism that was to rotate its upper portions was so damaged that repairs were never initiated. The Round House remained on the site, becoming the most recognizable symbol of the entire resort era. “The building has come to be called Mudge’s Folly. This has a double meaning. While a folly can be a costly and foolish undertaking, it can also describe a picturesque structure built as an ornament, but without a real purpose.”.^[4]

Highways

• M-43 – runs east to its intersection with Interstate 69, WNW of downtown Lansing.
• M-100 – runs north–south, to connect Grand Ledge with Interstate 69 on the south and Interstate 96 on the north.^[6]

Airport

Abrams Municipal Airport (FAA LID: 4D0) is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) north of the central business district of Grand Ledge. The airport is accessible by road from Eaton Highway and is located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) south of Interstate 96, just east of M-100.

Railroads

CSX Transportation now operates the original railroad built through the town as part of their Plymouth Subdivision between Plymouth, MI and Grand Rapids, MI. A small yard remains active for local shippers, including a Lowes distribution center. The remnant of a branch line to Ionia begins here to serve a large grain elevator several miles north of town. As of 2022, one local freight and two through freights pass through town daily. Passenger service between Detroit and Grand Rapids, then provided by predecessor Chesapeake & Ohio, ended after April 30, 1971.

The railroad crosses the Grand River adjacent to the Ledges on a spectacular high bridge. One of the largest railroad bridges in the state of Michigan, it remains a sought after landmark for railfans and general tourists alike.

2010 census

As of the census^[7] of 2010, there were 7,786 people, 3,357 households, and 2,063 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,181.0 inhabitants per square mile (842.1/km²). There were 3,656 housing units at an average density of 1,024.1 per square mile (395.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White, 0.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.

There were 3,357 households, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.5% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 38.8 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 7,813 people, 3,262 households, and 2,123 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,199.2 inhabitants per square mile (849.1/km²). There were 3,405 housing units at an average density of 958.4 per square mile (370.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.33% White, 0.44% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.78% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.61% of the population.

There were 3,262 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,043, and the median income for a family was $55,727. Males had a median income of $44,255 versus $29,503 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,438. About 6.3% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.