Big Rapids, Mecosta County, Michigan, USA

Big Rapids is a community in Mecosta County, Michigan, set within the lake plains, river valleys and glacial terrain of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The Muskegon River and Ferris State University are central features of this western Michigan city. Much of its historic form emerged as timber, farming, railroads and industrialization guided nineteenth- and twentieth-century growth, with later suburban and commercial growth adding new layers. Manufacturing, education, health care, agriculture and regional services remain central. Visible layers of landscape and history continue to shape the community’s identity.