It is home to Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, institutions of the Reformed Church in America.

It is home to a number of prominent companies, including Herman Miller, Haworth, and Adient.

In 1846, Reverend George Smith established the Old Wing Mission as an outreach to the native population.

While generally unsuccessful in converting the Native population, the two groups worked together relatively closely for a short time.

[6] Holland was settled in 1847 by Dutch Calvinist separatists, under the leadership of Dr. Albertus van Raalte.

[7] Dire economic conditions in the Netherlands compelled them to emigrate, while their desire for religious freedom led them to unite and settle together as a group.

[10] The Dutch were unwilling to accept the Ottawa people's mix of Catholic and Native culture.

[12] Chief Peter Waukazoo and Reverend George Smith decided to move the community and the Ottawa Mission from Holland up to Northport (on the Leelanau Peninsula),[13] voyaging on boats and canoes.

In Holland's early history, Van Raalte was a spiritual leader, as well as overseeing political, educational and financial matters.

However, one of the theories are rather fantastical and fairly unlikely, that burning methane gas from a passing comet lead to the fires.

The most likely explanation remains that strong winds strengthened a small brush fire, first igniting the nearby forests before burning the town itself.

[2] Holland has a Midwestern humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb/Dfa) that is influenced by the Great Lakes, and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 5b.

The city is perhaps best known for its Dutch heritage, which serves not only as a part of the city's cultural identity, but the local economy as well: the Tulip Time Festival in May and various Dutch-themed attractions augment the nearby Lake Michigan shoreline in attracting thousands of tourists annually.

The Settlers House Museum, a building that survived the great fire, contains furnishings and relics from the 19th century.

[citation needed] Holland's downtown is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Holland boasts an annual Fiesta, organized by Latin Americans United for Progress, usually on the Saturday closest to May 5 (Cinco de Mayo).

[33][34] About one million tourists visit Tulip Time each year,[35] for which the community finds innovative ways to enhance self-funded projects.

The Tulip Time Festival has attracted big-name acts in recent years such as: Christina Aguilera in 2000, O-Town in 2001, the Verve Pipe in 2004, and Jars of Clay in 2006.

The 8th Street business district features a thermal snow-melting system which uses cooling water from the local electric plant.

In 1988, the city rebuilt the entire street and sidewalk system, installing the thermal pipes underneath.

The city manager is responsible for selecting all department heads, preparation of the budget and supervision of all employees through their appointments.

The city is served by the following highways: The channel between Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan allows pleasure craft and commercial boats, even bulk freighters, to access Holland's docks to unload coal, salt and iron scrap.

Holland is the hometown of four Medal of Honor recipients [42] (tied with Pueblo, Colorado which has four,[43] both more than any other municipality in the United States) – John Essebagger Jr., Paul Ronald Lambers, Matt Urban, and Gordon Douglas Yntema.