UPDATE: See what has happened to the signs as of 9 pm on Sunday, April 17th at the end of the article.

It seems there is no spell checker when it comes to making road signs for alongside the interstate.

Over the weekend, several people have posted pictures of two different green and white signs with west Michigan cities spelled incorrectly. If this had happened a few weeks earlier, one might think it was an April Fool's prank.

Who wants to go to Grand Radips?

Grand Rapids Road Sign Error
Photo: David Hastings Sr. via Facebook
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The first is a sign located on 48th Avenue in Coopersville that points towards the entrance ramp to Eastbound I-96 towards...what the sign says is "Grand Radips". Radips? Really? How did someone miss that error?

I have to wonder about just how many people saw that sign before it found itself hanging on those wooded poles. There had to be someone who typed in the city, someone who printed out the letters and affixed them to the sign, the person loading the sign onto a truck for delivery, the people hanging the sign along the road -- and not one of those people noticed that "Rapids" was spelled incorrectly?!

Which way to Cooperville?

Coopersville Road Sign Error
Photo: Davie Hastings Sr. via Facebook
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Then there is another sign not too far from the first one that is also incorrect. This one is in the same area and gives directions to "Cooperville". Cooperville? Hey can we buy an "S" here? It is Coopersville!

The town is named after a Benjamin Cooper, so Cooperville really could be correct, but for years it has been referred to as Coopersville -- with an "S".

According to the City of Coopersville website:

In 1850, Benjamin Cooper offered the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad right-of-way on his land. In exchange for this, the railroad agreed to build only this depot for five to six miles in any direction. The building of this train depot helped establish the new town of Coopersville. The first train passed through the blossoming town of Coopersville on its way to Grand Haven in the fall of 1858.

I have seen no mention from anyone on just when -- or if -- these signs will be replaced with the correct spellings of "Rapids" and "Coopersville".

SUNDAY, APRIL 17th, 2022 - 9 PM UPDATE:

Here is what you will find as of 9 pm on Sunday evening...

Cooperville Sign Error
Photo: Scott Winters/Townsquare Media
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This sign remains unchanged. It can be seen on the exit ramp to 68th Avenue off of westbound I-96. The sign is on the side of the road about halfway up the off ramp.

Grand Rapids Sign Error
Photo: Scott Winters/Townsquare Media
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This sign was tough to get a good picture of because the sun had set and it was taken from a moving car. The sign has been modified. There is now a piece of green material covering up the misspelling of "Grand Rapids". It also covers up the arrow. This sign can be seen as you are traveling south on 48th Avenue and turning onto the on ramp to eastbound I-96.

More ABCs

While we are dealing with letters, let's look at the ABC's of Grand Rapids (not Radips!) history...

ABC's of Grand Rapids

Here is an interesting, alphabetical look at the people and places that played a part in Grand Rapids history.

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