Hastings is located in central/northern Barry County at the junctions of M-43 and M-37. It is the county seat as well as the county's largest city. The area, originally inhabited by the Ojibway, Potawatomi and Ottawa, because of its superb hunting, was eventually visited by white settlers in the early 1830's. Eurotas P. Hastings became the first owner of land here in 1836. He sold his plot to a development firm on the County Commission's promise that his plot would become the county seat. This happened in 1841, after the developers built saw and grist mills to attract settlers. Located on the Thornapple River, this community was an ideal spot for distributing lumber.
Today, Hastings has grown into a major urban area with many diversified types of businesses. It also shares significant commuter traffic to the major metropolitan areas of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The downtown district, including the elaborately built turn of the century courthouse, has retained a distinct Victorian architectural atmosphere, with many unique shops and restaurants. If you're looking for a change, Hastings is a great place to come for shopping or for a night out on the town. C'mon down and check it out for yourself!
From the beginning Hastings was supplier to the prosperous farmers who came to town to do their Saturday shopping. Today it’s the commercial hub for thousands of county residents. Hardware stores, farm implement dealers, food markets, restaurants, jewelers, shoe emporiums, dry goods shops have done business along State Street since the city was a village. The contemporary "downtown" is more than ever an important shopping complex, with ample adjacent parking areas. In 1993 the Downtown Development Authority’s Streetscape project unified and beautified the main business district. Additional shops, offices and restaurants extend out to the big shopping mall that occupies the former County Fairgrounds.
Local financiers and business people have always had their eye on industrial development. At one time or another the city has been home to a whip company, a felt boot factory, a bookcase factory, a manufacturer of croquet sets and baseball bats and a furniture maker. The first locally financed and continuously successful enterprise was the International Seal and Lock Company, now the Viking Corporation (car seals and automatic sprinkler systems). Other "homegrown" enterprises include the Hastings Manufacturing Company (piston rings and Casite), Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, Flexfab Horizons International (flexible tubing), ProLine (archery), Viatec (corrosion and pollution control systems), Felpausch (food chain), and Hastings Fiberglass Products. No longer locally owned, but still a major employer, is E. W. Bliss (metal forming presses). Part of being "the best" is stable employment for about 2,000 people in the manufacturing establishments located in Hastings.
An excellent consolidated school system recently won voter support in a local election. There are four public elementary schools, a Middle School, a High School (accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the University of Michigan) plus Special Education and Adult and Community Education programs. Public Education serves some 3,500 individuals from Hastings and surrounding townships.
A Catholic school along with other Christian schools also operate in the Hastings area. High education is available at many institutions in nearby communities. Among them are Kellogg Community College, with a campus located just west of Hastings and also in Battle Creek; Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo; Kendall School of Design in Grand Rapids; Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids; Lansing Community College in Lansing; Cooley Law School in Lansing and Michigan State University in Lansing. Some college credit courses are also available through the Hastings High School Adult Education program.
Pennock Hospital offers a wide range of medical/surgical services, as well as a senior housing complex, known as Pennock Village, The Health & Fitness Center and a day care center. Pennock continues its growth and development with the recently completed Family Birthing Center, and new surgical suites. With over 60 specialty-trained physicians on the medical staff, a broad spectrum of medical/surgical specialties are represented.
Recreation: The City owns and operates five parks. The Largest and busiest is Fish Hatchery Park, site of fish derbies, concerts, ball games, tennis matches, picnics and loafing. Tyden Park near downtown Hastings is in the process of renovation. A major attraction is the Thornapple River which winds its way through the park. On the North end of town we have Bob King Park which features "Tangle Town" a handicap accessible play structure constructed in the Spring of 1997 due to the efforts of the Circle of Friends. This group coordinated the entire project from the donated materials and volunteer labor, to the meals and child care provided for people volunteering their efforts. The play structure features something for everyone. There are 11 public golf courses within a half hour drive. There is a 4 screen movie theatre located in the City of Hastings.
Fifteen minutes from Hastings is Charlton Park, scene of Civil War battle re- enactments, antique auto shows, folk life festivals and home of a sixteen building Historic Village. The museum houses one of the state’s outstanding collections of agricultural and rural artifacts. Nearby are picnic pavilions, a ball diamond, beaches and boat launches on Thornapple Lake.
Gilmore’s Car Museum, within an easy half hour drive, offers big red barns, double-decker busses and a dazzling collection of antique automobiles.
Yankee Springs Recreation Area is twelve miles away with three miles of frontage on Gun Lake, picnic areas, campgrounds, foot trails, an area for snowmobiling, cross-country ski trails and the Devil’s Soup Bowl. Adjacent is Yankee Springs State Game Area with 3,000 acres open for hunting.
(Courtesy of MultiMag and the city of Hastings)
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