The school colors are orange and black, and the athletic teams are referred to as the Bengals.

On April 30, 1923 the Grand Rapids Board of Education voted to purchase two city blocks, about 6 acres (2.4 ha) of land, between Alexander Road and Iroquois and Cadillac Drives in Grand Rapids for $28,000.

In September 1925, the doors of Ottawa Hills High School opened to about 650 students and thirty teachers under the direction of the first principal, Henry D. MacNaughton.

In 1939–40 the high school enrollment had reached 1,801, and the crowding increased as the elementary grades took over some of the rooms on the third floor.

When Creston and Grand Rapids Central High School were merged in 2013, and City High-Middle School relocated to the former Creston campus at the same time, many Creston student-athletes were invited to join their new Central classmates, as well as all City student-athletes residing east of the Grand River, on Ottawa Hills' athletic teams.