Granted, my opinion may be a bit slanted, as I know the Flat better than any other river except the Thornapple. Years ago, a friend and I canoed from Belding to Lowell, a distance of eleven miles as the crow flies. But a river isn’t a crow, and its ideas of how to get from point A to point B involve many a twist and turn. Going by memory and looking at the map, I’d say that my buddy and I covered roughly twenty miles in what amounted to a full working day of paddling—so precisely an eight-hour shift that we could have punched time cards by it.

Years later, I and my pastor at the church I attended dropped a couple of kayaks into the water up at Greenville and drifted downstream all the way down to Belding. The crow on that day would have had an easy five-mile flight, but the river had its own creative ideas about how to accomplish the trip. Not having looked at a map, neither of us were prepared for all those curves through the state game land, and particularly for the diversion we encountered on what we thought was the last leg of the journey. At a rough guess, I’d say we paddled twelve miles that day.

But time on the Flat River is always time well spent. With high, wooded banks punctuated by marshy shores and open fields, and with broad, lazy backwaters above its dams, the Flat offers an ever-changing feast of scenery for kayakers and canoeists. Among its most distinctive and picturesque views are its two covered bridges.

Five river miles upstream from Fallasburg Park lies Whites Bridge. A historical marker tells its story:

 This picturesque covered bridge, one of the last of its kind in Michigan, was built in 1867 by Jared N. Brazee and J. N. Walker, builders of several covered bridges in this area. The name of the bridge derives from the White family, a prominent pioneer family. The crossing of the river here was known as White’s Crossing before the first primitive bridge was built. In 1840, a bridge of log-corduroy construction was erected. It was replaced by this covered bridge, costing $1,700. It is of the through-truss type with a gable roof. The hand-hewed trusses are sheeted over with rough pine boards. Wooden pegs and handcut square iron nails are used to secure the various parts of the bridge. White’s Bridge has been in constant use since 1867, proof that it was well made.

Just upstream lies the Whites Bridge Dam. The stretch of river that begins below the dam and flows below Whites Bridge past Fallasburg Park and on into Lowell is, in my opinion, one of the prettiest pieces for kayaking—or canoing, though when the water is low, parts of it are a bottom-scraper.

Once you reach Fallasburg Park, look for the Flat River’s second, better-known covered bridge. The Fallasburg Bridge lies at a curve of the road on the southeast fringe of the park, right by the historical village of Fallasburg. If you live anywhere in Kent County, and if you enjoy picnicking at parks and outdoors activities, then chances are good you not only know of this beautiful old bridge, but have driven over it at one time or another. It’s a sturdy and serviceable tribute to the craftsmanship of the pioneer era in Michigan. Just be careful not to speed across it. A sign on the bridge advises motorists that there’s a $5.00 fine for proceeding any faster than a walker’s pace!

The covered bridges of the Flat River. Rustic, rugged, and elegant, they’re a part of Michigan history—a reminder of simpler times when beauty, form, and function came together in things that were made to last.

Driving through town you cannot help but notice the towers on the turn of the century industrial buildings. All located along the banks of the Flat River, these former silk mills have become landmarks to the community, paying tribute to the rich heritage of the area.

The most striking tower is located at the corner of Bridge and Main Street. This clock tower, which was built in 1903, has four clock faces with cast iron Roman numerals and wooden hands. The tower  is now showing some signs of  age. It is missing some windows, has peeling paint, brick that is deteriorating and the long overdue building maintenance are all signs of an uncertain future. That’s a shame. Belding should save it’s tower and cause it’s chimes to ring on the hour and half hour again.

Yes,  they still build clock towers today.  Occasionally  you see them  on a school’s campus, a shopping center, or wherever an architect wants to make a statement. But, they do not even remotely come close to stature of  this  handsome monument  that towers over this Michigan City.

For more about the rich history of Belding visit the Belding Chamber of Commerce website. They have done a nice job with it.

For a little more background about towers, check out Wikipedia about Clock Towers.

For a little more of my perspective about Belding, stay tuned for more.

The city of Ionia is full of beautiful historical buildings. Stately Victorian homes line the central city streets.  Several historical private residences line the hillside overlooking the Grand River Valley. One of my favorite homes is the spectacular Mission Style home built for Governor Green, governor of Michigan from 1927-1931.

The Ionia County Courthouse was built in 1886. Built of Ionia sandstone, this 3 ½ story landmark is even more beautiful on the inside with its black and white marble floors, oak wainscoting, butternut and walnut stairway and fourteen marble fireplaces throughout the building.

Ionia is full of many other historical government buildings just waiting to be explored, as well as Main Street with the Victorian streetscape. One of my favorite buildings in Ionia is the Ionia Theater a beautiful old building, still operating as a theater today.   

What many may not know,  is that Ionia was the home to the first J.L. Hudson store, located right on Main Street. Later, the J.L. Hudson store branched out and became a nationwide corporation.

The annual Ionia Free fair is located in town along the Grand River shoreline. It is the largest of its kind and has been operation at its current location since 1868.

Today Ionia being the county seat, enjoys a vibrant and diverse economy. It is home to several Michigan prisons, providing employment for many throughout the county. Growth is evident south of town along the M66 corridor.

There is so much to discover in this quiet city, it will be may well be a subject of a more detailed post at a later date.

Developed in 1983, this 4500 acre state park has something for everyone with it’s lightly rolling terrain and a nice mix of open land, hardwoods and pine plantations. The centerpiece of the park is the 140 acre Sessions Lake with depths of 40 feet. This wonderful manmade lake was stocked with rainbow trout, brown trout, catfish, bluegill, crappies, walleye, largemouth bass and small mouth bass. The no wake lake is just perfect for the serious fisherman. A nice paved boat launch with plenty of parking and vault style toilet is located on the south end of the lake.

All kinds of trails are found in this park. A wooded lake trail of 3.65 miles circles around the lake, crossing streams and thru the woods, making it perfect for hiking or cross-country skiing in the winter months. There are also designated snowmobile trails when there are four or more inches of snow on the ground.

There are fifteen miles of equestrian trails, complemented by an equestrian campground consisting of 49 sites with electric. Horses are allowed only on the designated fifteen miles of trails. A second campground is found within the area with 100 sites with electric, complete with a modern toilet/shower building.

For the mountain biker, there are 9 miles of trails between Riverside Drive and the riverfront of the Grand River. And a favorite of mine, a dog trial area, that has become very popular with regional clubs.

Remember Pleasantville from your first grade reader—that idyllic community of gracious lawns, a sunlit body of water, and a perennially happy neighborhood where John and Jean romped with Spot, their dog? Your introductory reader may have used different names, but you know the town, you know the kids, and surely you remember good old Spot. (See Spot run. Funny, funny Spot!)

There are views in Portland, Michigan, that I’d swear come right from Pleasantville. Not, mind you, that the entire town is the stuff of my old elementary school reader, but parts of it catch at something inside  me and sweep me back to that long-ago, mythical setting on Pleasant Street. A view from across the river at a picture- book yard…the chatter of softball players and spectators of every age (Portland is the ball-playingest community I’ve ever seen!)…a beautifully conceived system of paved trails, complete with a couple of renovated railroad bridges, that hug the banks of two rivers…

Walk those trails, and, trust me, you’ll find yourself in Pleasantville.

Until you get to Duke’s Cafe.

Duke’s Cafe is not Pleasantville—the food has too much attitude. But Duke’s is most definitely Portland.

Situated at the confluence of the Looking Glass and Grand Rivers, Duke’s is a destination place if you love Cajun cooking. We are talking here of unapologetic bayou food—of rip-your-lips-off gumbo, unrepentant andouille sausage, and eye-popping jambalaya that takes no prisoners and feels no remorse. This is stuff you have to kill twice and then drown with a Killian’s or a frosty glass of ice tea.

Of course, if you prefer less drama in your meal, Duke’s offers plenty of milder, more traditional fare. Whatever your taste, the porch is the place to kick back and enjoy your dinner on a clear, mellow evening in June, with the Grand River flowing by on one side and the Looking Glass on the other.

Afterwards, take a stroll down the river walk, stop and watch a few innings of one of the ball games, and then top off your expedition with a trip to the ice cream shop just across the bridge from Duke’s. Grab a cone or a tin roof sundae, sit in the shade on the porch, watch the river glide past you, and listen to the chatter of voices drifting across the water. You can’t find a more pleasant way to conclude a lazy summer evening.

But then, what would you expect? You’re in Pleasantville.

The fourteen foot wide Whites Bridge on Whites Bridge Road spans 120 feet over the Flat River. Built in 1870, it is actually the third bridge on this site. It was built at a reported cost of $1,700.00, and other than some siding repairs and cedar shingle replacement, the bridge remains intact.

This beautiful bridge is one of only three historical covered bridges in Michigan that you can still drive across.