[13][14] Into the 1830s, the Grand River Band of Ottawa had a village at the mouth of the Thornapple led by Nebawnaygezhick ("Part of the Day").

By 1836, with the fur trade in decline, Robinson facilitated a treaty between local tribes and the Federal government that opened much of the area, including the Thornapple basin, to white settlement.

[17] Robinson later purchased hundreds of acres around the mouth of the Thornapple for the Ottawa to continue living on.

[15] As with many rivers in 19th and early 20th century America, the Thornapple had significant logging, milling, and manufacturing activity along it.

From the headwaters in Eaton County to Thornapple Lake, the river is creeklike, with narrow banks and tangled undergrowth restricting easy passage.

However, from the lake to the first dam impoundment below Irving, is a 14-mile (23 km) stretch of river that is suitable for family outings and float trips.

A large number of species inhabit the river, among them: sunfishes (largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass bluegill, crappie, pumpkinseed, and warmouth), bowfin, brown bullhead, minnows (common carp, chub, dace, and shiner), suckers (white sucker and redhorse), perches (yellow perch, walleye, darter), brook stickleback, northern pike, longnose gar, trout (brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout), and lampreys (American brook lamprey and chestnut lamprey).

[23] People use the recreational facilities on the river to observe these species for pleasure and knowledge seeking.

On the lower reaches of the river, especially in the several impoundments behind the dams, there is significant recreational watercraft usage,[24] both powered and sail, as well as personal water craft, although no provisions for specific clearances under bridges have been made, and the dams do not have locks, so portaging or trailered transport is required to move craft from one reach to another.