To spot the Third Reformed Church, look for the tall, gray, pointed tower with a bell and brown trim, nestled among the bare trees-a little like something from a wintertime fairy tale.
Now, let’s step back to the year 1847, when hardy Dutch settlers first arrived in Holland-probably carrying more wooden shoes than they had luggage. The original First Reformed Church was bursting at the seams with new neighbors, so by 1867 they split off and built this very church. Imagine the joy at the opening on a cold Valentine’s Day in 1868-hearts were warm, even if the Michigan winter wasn’t. But disaster struck in 1871 when a fierce forest fire swept through, gobbling up most of Holland, including the church itself. You can almost hear the crackling of burning timbers and the determined muttering of townsfolk. Refusing to give up, the congregation called on architect John R. Kleyn, and by 1874, the new church, standing 125 feet tall on a sturdy sandstone base, rose from the ashes. This place-painted light gray with buttresses and huge windows-has been a symbol of resilience ever since. In 1967, they even gave it a facelift-because even churches need a makeover now and then.
