Michigan's only president is buried in downtown Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is the hometown of Gerald R. Ford — the 38th president, and the only U.S. president ever from Michigan. Ford also holds a one-of-a-kind record: he’s the only person to serve as both vice president and president without being elected to either job. He became vice president in 1973 when Spiro Agnew resigned, then president in 1974 when Richard Nixon resigned — so voters never picked him for either office. Downtown, right on the Grand River, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum tells his story, with a full-size replica of the Oval Office. President Ford and First Lady Betty Ford are both buried on the museum grounds. One thing that confuses people: the museum is in Grand Rapids, but Ford’s presidential library — the research archive with his papers — is a separate building 130 miles away in Ann Arbor. They’re one institution in two cities; the place to visit is Grand Rapids.

You can visit: the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is at 303 Pearl Street NW in Grand Rapids — fordlibrarymuseum.gov.