A Major West Michigan City Was Almost Called ‘Plaster Creek’

Place names change over time. It's a normal thing over time. San Francisco was once Yerba Buena, Atlanta was once Terminus and New York City began its existence at New Amsterdam.

There are examples around Michigan of course. Kalamazoo was originally Bronson and well known Eastpointe evolved from East Detroit.

In West Michigan, a key city almost had a very different name. That city is the Grand Rapids suburb of Kentwood. The city was created in 1967 incorporating the former Paris Township to prevent annexation into the already existing cities of Grand Rapids and Wyoming.

Of course the city could have been called Paris after the former township. Another name strongly considered was Plaster Creek.

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That waterway, crossed by many Grand Rapids area drivers may be more prevalent in the region that most realize.

Plaster Creek begins a 25 mile journey in the Grand Rapids area as it rises near Caledonia in southern Kent County. It meanders (alot) northward past 76th and 68th Streets and into the City of Kentwood at 60th Street near the Paris Park Nature Preserve.

It meanders (a lot more) through Kentwood going behind the city center where the City Hall, Police Department, Library and Farmer's Market are located.

It meets Little Plaster north of 36th between Shaffer and Broadmoor behind the Huntington Glen Apartments.

After that confluence Plaster Creek turns west and flows out of the city west of Breton south of 32nd.

With so many twists and turns, it's easy to see why Plaster Creek could have been the name of Kentwood.

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In the end, the city fathers chose Kentwood to align with the already established Kentwood Public Schools - an interesting fact to know. It's not a chicken-and-egg situation. The schools were named before the city.

As for Plaster Creek, it flows through Wyoming, best known for passing through Ken-O-Sha Park and along Plaster Creek Blvd. The creek enters Grand Rapids near the US 131 bridge and meets the Grand River near the city's wastewater facility and impound lot.