Cascade Charter Township is situated in the southeastern section of
Kent County, approximately 10 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. One of
the most defining features of the Township is the Thornapple River,
which divides the Township into east and west halves. Originally a
part of Ada Township, Cascade sought separation in 1848. The first
town meeting was held April 3, 1848 at Ezra Whitney’s Public House.
There were fifty voters present. The first elected officers were:
Supervisor Peter Teeple, Clerk J.R. Stewart, Treasurer Asa Denison,
School Inspectors James A. Woodworth and Thomas I. Seeley, Highway
Commissioners Ezra Whitney and F.A. Marsh, Justices of the Peace
Leonard Stewart and Zerah Whitney, and Constables Moris Denison, G.R.
Carson, William Cook and Peter Whitney.
Cascade quickly began to grow, and in 1854 the first General Store
and Post Office were built. St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Cascade
Flour Mill were built in 1856. By 1876, Cascade’s population had
reached 1,200. In 1890, a Township hall was built. This original hall
is still used for Township Board meetings and stands as the Township
Museum.
Today, Interstate I-96 makes its way through the Township, as does
the new Southbelt Freeway, M-6. In addition, Gerald R. Ford
International Airport is situated on approximately 2400 acres within
the Township boundaries. Commercial establishments within the Township
include large supermarkets, several hotels, restaurants, retail plazas
which offer a wide variety of goods and services and many professional
office buildings. Products produced by manufacturers in the Township
include metal and plastic products for the automotive and aerospace
industries, tools and dies, packaging materials, publications and
furniture and wood products. Cascade Township continues to grow to our
present population of just over 15,000.
