document
Catalog Number
T88-0289.4
Description
A bill to incorporate the village of Zeeland, in the county of Ottawa, Michigan.
History
In 1847 a group of immigrants from the Netherlands were seeking religious freedom. The group was led by wealthy landowner, Jannes van de Luyster. The approximately 1600 acres of land was originally occupied by the Odawa people. The community was named after their former home, the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. Van de Luyster arranged for 3 ships to transport 457 immigrants to make their way to the area. Zeeland was platted in 1849, with a school district being organized the next year in 1850. The Village of Zeeland officially became a city in 1907 with a population of almost 3,000.
