Musings of Holland, Michigan

We staying in the Holland, Michigan area only 3 days.  Thursday, we set up.  Friday, I didn't family history research at the county vital records office and it rained all day and Saturday, the day we planned to get out and do some fun exploring also rained.  I was so disappointed.  As I mentioned earlier, my great-grandmother was born in Holland so I really wanted to see what it had to offer and imagine what her life may have been like here.

Web Photo

Web Photo:
Holland, Michigan in Spring during Tulip Time

The first thing I set off to do was to go to the county vital records office.  I didn't have a birth certificate for my great-grandmother and I wanted one.  The clerk let me into the records room and brought me all the birth records from 1865 - 1890.  The only two records for the Wainwrights were Demetrius L Wainwright born in May 2, 1874 and Ada C Wainwright born on Sept 2, 1871 (my great-grandmother's sister).  My great-grandma said her birthday was May 2, 1874 or 1875 and this record was clearly for a MALE child, Demetrius.  We had put a Demetrius in the family records and thought he was great-grandma's twin, but after combing through every single handwritten page AND noting that the records were written up to a year after the fact, I soon realized that Demetrius L was actually Beatrice, my great-grandma.  Someone had goofed and her birth was recorded as a male and instead of Beatrice D, it was Demetrius...very close in the sound of the name.  WHY did this happen?  I don't know.  I told the clerk how this was in error but she just shrugged her shoulders and left.  So, now, I'll get great-grandma's death certificate and sent that to the Ottawa County Vital Records and hopefully they can make a change or notation in the record.  There were MANY corrections and changes, so possibly the person writing down the records in the old handwritten books had a hearing problem.  At least it solves the question, did great-grandma have a twin.

When I finally finished my research late Friday afternoon of all the birth, marriage and death records, all I could walk away with was these two birth certificates.  So, there was for sure no brother, and great-grandmas record is incorrect.  When I got back to the rig, it was about 4 pm and pouring rain, so Scott and I just stayed inside and watched movies.

Saturday, we also stayed inside.  It was still pouring rain.  I was so very disappointed.

Sunday, the rain had subsided but all we had time to do was go to church for one hour and then we had time to drive into Holland and explore the town.  A lady at church said we HAD to go to Holland State Park and since we had to be out of the campground by noon, we drove over to the park and take a look.  Holland is a city on the shores of Lake Macatawa and at Holland State Park is the Big Red Lighthouse in the channel connecting Lake Michigan to Lake Macatawa.  We couldn't leave the truck and didn't know how to get over to the lighthouse (and didn't have time to do it) so we took a photo and it's a bit blurry.  Holland also has cute Dutch things: wooden shoes, the De Zwaan windmill, tulips during the spring and Nelis' Dutch Village.  We missed seeing all of these things, but at least we were in the Netherlands last spring.  Here are some photos of the Lighthouse and Lake Macatawa as best we could take while driving.

Web Photo - Mine was too blurry.

Holland is a beautiful town.  The downtown is large and vibrant.  The town is cute with the lake and darling homes and cottages.  It's a super clean city, too.  I want to be sure to make another trip to Holland...possibly in the spring or summer next year.  I really want to be here more.  It's a quaint and charming place to visit.  You should plan a visit here!  I can't wait to go back!