[History Hounds] Grand Rapids, The Furniture City: An Enduring History with Matthew Daley, Grand Valley State University

Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, a group of cabinetmakers and entrepreneurs remade a Michigan river town  into the center of furniture production in the United States. Yet, far from a simple story of luck and perseverance, the city’s success was achieved by vision, skill, trials, and struggle—including the furniture strike of 1911. Far more than a place to buy chairs and tables, “Furniture City, U.S.A.” is the product of a community’s shared determination.

We'd like to thank the Historical Society of Michigan (HSM), which supports local history organizations, like us! They are continuing to make their History Hounds Lecture Series available online for free to members of HSM’s member organizations. Register for this remote presentation by 3:00pm the previous day. Click here to register. Select “A member of an Organizational Member of HSM” to enjoy this presentation at no charge.