Editing Ottawa County, Michigan (section)

== History ==
Before European settlers arrived, this area was home to the [[Potawatomi]] and [[Ottawa (tribe)|Ottawa]] people for centuries. The Grand River was used as a trade route into the interior of Michigan. Much of what we know about the Native American presence in Ottawa County comes from the excavation of archeological artifacts at places like the [[Battle Point Site]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Look into the Michigan Tribes {{!}} Central Michigan University |url=https://www.cmich.edu/ess/cid/NAP/HP---ToBeAChippewa/Pages/Michigan_Tribes.aspx |access-date=November 30, 2021 |website=www.cmich.edu}}</ref>

The city dates its European-American founding to French colonial settlers. A [[fur trading]] outpost called ''Gabagouache'' was first established by [[Madeline La Framboise#Fur trading|Madeline La Framboise]] and her husband Joseph.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2013 |title=Madeline La Framboise |url=https://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2013/01/madeline-la-framboise.html |access-date=November 30, 2021 |website=History of American Women |language=en-US}}</ref>

The first permanent settler of the county was a [[Presbyterian]] minister, [[William Montague Ferry]], who settled in Grand Haven in 1834.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Seibold |first=David H. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/183327308 |title=Grand Haven in the Path of Destiny: A History of Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and Adjoining Townships |publisher=Grand Haven Historical Museum |year=2007 |isbn=9781424319008 |edition=1 |location=Grand Haven, MI |oclc=183327308}}</ref> Grand Haven quickly grew and became an important port for trade and travel. Ferry is often referred to as the "father" of Ottawa County.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bartholomew |first=Henry |title=Collections of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan together with reports of county pioneer societies |publisher=Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford, Co. State Printers |year=1908 |location=Library of Congress |page=307}}</ref>

Dutch settlers started arriving in the area in 1847, led by [[Albertus van Raalte]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Moore |first=Charles |title=History of Michigan |publisher=The Lewis Publishing Company |year=1915 |volume=I |pages=529–31}}</ref> These Dutch Settlers moved into the Holland area. This area was already inhabited by many Odawa (Ottawa) people as well as the [[Old Wing Mission]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thomson |first=S. Harrison |date=March 1952 |title=The Brethren of the Common Life. By Albert Hyma. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1950. Pp. 222. $3.50. |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0009640700004224/type/journal_article |journal=Church History |language=en |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=80–81 |doi=10.2307/3162077 |jstor=3162077 |s2cid=161497248 |issn=0009-6407}}</ref> Within just a few years, the new Dutch settlers had forced out the Ottawa people and the Old Wing Mission.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Swierenga |first1=Robert P. |title=Old Wing Mission: The Chronicles of the Reverend George N. and Arvilla Powers Smith, Missionary Teachers of Chief Wakazoo's Ottawa Indian Band in Western Michigan, 1838-1849 |last2=Van Appledorn |first2=William |publisher=A.C. Van Raalte Institute for Historical Studies |year=2007 |location=Holland, MI}}</ref>