Grand Rapids, MI Cash Advance

The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan began as a fur trading post and a blacksmith shop in 1826. As the fur trade grew, the city became a popular destination for pioneering settlers, mostly from New England, looking to start a new life. Over time, a robust lumber and furniture industry was established. When the railroads came through in the 1850’s, Grand Rapids developed into a manufacturing center, especially in the automobile and aviation industries. Because of this rapid industrial growth in the later part of the nineteenth century, Grand Rapids had access to technologies not available in other parts of the country. For example, it became the first city to use a hydro electric generator and the first city to implement fluoride into its water supply.

In the State of Michigan, Grand Rapids is only second in population to Detroit with a metro area exceeding one million residents. As result of its size, Grand Rapids serves as the central hub for culture and entertainment in western Michigan. The city is the home of several museums and fifteen microbreweries that helped give it the nickname of “Beer City, USA” in 2012. Residents and tourists alike can also take advantage of the many historical sites that are scattered throughout the city and nearby countryside which give the Grand Rapids an eclectic mixture of the old and the contemporary.