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Kent County Porch Notes
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- History and cultureThe "Supercenter" — That Giant One-Stop Store — Was Invented in Grand RapidsMeijer pioneered the American supercenter in Grand Rapids in 1962 — the one-stop store that Walmart and others would later chase.
- History and cultureThe Motor City Also Kept Your Food Cold: The Kelvinator StoryKelvinator, founded in Detroit in 1914, didn't invent the refrigerator — but it made it practical, controlling 80% of the U.S. market by 1923.
- History and cultureThere are miles of old mine tunnels under Grand RapidsOld gypsum mine tunnels run under parts of Grand Rapids, Wyoming, and Grandville, and some are still used for storage.
- Cars and drivingThe 'Michigan Left' — Why You Turn Right to Go LeftMichigan's oddest turn makes you drive past your street and U-turn back — and it cuts crashes by 30 to 60 percent.
- Rules and licensesRenting out a home? Your city may make you register it and pass an inspectionMany Michigan cities require rental homes to be registered and inspected before a tenant can legally move in.
- Money and taxesWhich Grand Rapids-area cities charge a local income tax?In Kent County, Grand Rapids and Walker charge a local income tax, while most nearby suburbs do not.
- History and cultureWhy Does Michigan Have So Many Places Named After Foreign Places?Michigan's map is full of foreign and classical town names — Paris, Moscow, Athens, Rome — left over from an 1800s naming boom, and locals pronounce most of them their own way.
- Cars and drivingOvernight parking in west Michigan: two cities, two rulesGrand Rapids' seasonal rule applies only on signed streets; Kalamazoo generally bars paved-street parking from 2 to 6 a.m. unless an exception applies.
- History and cultureThe Ridge: where most of Michigan's apples growThe Fruit Ridge northwest of Grand Rapids — centered on Sparta — grows roughly six of every ten Michigan apples, with orchards, cider mills, and U-pick farms everywhere.
- Cars and drivingWhy car-insurance quotes change across west MichiganA move across west Michigan can change your car-insurance quote, even though ZIP codes themselves can no longer define an insurer's rating territory.
- History and cultureTwo Kent County covered bridges and a rebuilt neighborKent County has the 1871 Fallasburg and 1867 Ada covered bridges; nearby White's Bridge in Ionia County was rebuilt after a 2013 fire.
- OutdoorsNinety-two miles, no cars: the White Pine Trail townsThe Fred Meijer White Pine Trail runs 92 miles from Grand Rapids' edge to Cadillac, giving a string of small towns a linear state park for a main street.
- Rules and licensesCan you run an Airbnb here? Your city or township decidesMichigan leaves short-term rental rules to each city or township, so Airbnb and Vrbo rules can change from one community to the next.
- Money and taxesBuying in a township? Watch for special assessments on top of your taxesMichigan township buyers should check for special assessments that can add separate road, sewer, water, lighting, sidewalk, or drain charges.
- Money and taxesIn Michigan, you get two property-tax bills a year — not oneMost Michigan property owners get separate summer and winter tax bills, with local rules deciding what lands on each bill.