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Allendale Charter Township Population: 2000() 1990() Change()
Allendale is geographically located in the center of Ottawa County in Western Michigan. Allendale is bordered by Tallmadge Township, Polkton Township (City of Coopersville), Robinson Township, Blendon Township and Georgetown Township.
Allendale is approximately 10 miles west of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and 10 miles east of beautiful Lake Michigan.
The first European to set foot in what is now Allendale was Pierre Constant, a French fur trader who had been hired by the British Fur Company in 1810. Here he established a trading post to buy furs from the Chippewa. Pierre did what many other fur traders did to cultivate friendship with the native Chippewa...he married a Chippewa woman.
In 1843, Richard and Rebecca Roberts made the first land purchase, to be actually lived on by the owner, in Allendale. Their land was located near where Pierre Constant's trading post had been. The Roberts and their hired man established a sawmill, a blacksmith shop, a store, and a spoke mill to make spokes for buggies and wagons. Their eldest daughter, was the first pioneer child born in this territory.
Soon other settlers followed the Roberts. In the winter of 1848-49, a meeting was held at the home of Alexander Milne for the purpose of drafting a petition requesting to become an organized Township, originally called the Township of Malta. Those attending the meeting, along with Alexander Milne, were James Scott, Johnson Balcom, Alexander Scott, Robert Scott, John Hanna and Henry M. Reed. James Scott drew up the petition which was signed by all of them. The petition was presented to the legislature by Henry Pennoyer of Grand Haven, who was then State Senator. Senator Pennoyer substituted the name Allandale instead of Malta. Since that time, there has been a slight change in spelling from Allan to Allen. |
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