The A. C. Van Raalte Institute (VRI) is an internationally recognized leader in historical research. The VRI research fellows focus on Dutch American history of the 19th and 20th centuries; the history of Holland, Michigan, and its subcultures; and the history of 麻豆传媒官网.
The VRI, a part of 麻豆传媒官网, honors the memory and vision of the Rev. Dr. Albertus
C. Van Raalte, the founder of Holland, Michigan, and cofounder of Hope, through historical
research and publications.
The VRI鈥檚 senior research fellows conduct their work on Hope's campus in the Theil-Nyenhuis Research Center, which includes the Elton Bruins Memorial Library, containing over 1,700 books and pamphlets. Their scholarly work on Dutch American history in North America and around the globe is published through Van Raalte Press.
A book detailing the first 50 years of Hope Summer Repertory Theatre needs your participation!
Members, attendees, benefactors and volunteers are asked to contribute their stories
about productions over the years.
Summer Rep Seeking Stories
workP. 616.395.7678
vanraalte@hope.edu
Hope by the Numbers
- 1847The year Van Raalte settled
The Dutch Calvinists who settled on the shores of Lake Michigan at the mouth of Black Lake had seceded in 1834 from the Netherlands Hervormde Kerk; they had a clear sense of destiny, kept careful records of life in the colony and preserved key documents.
Find books about the history of Holland - 11Resources
The 11 senior research fellows conduct their work in the beautiful Theil-Nyenhuis Research Center, which includes the Elton Bruins Memorial Library, containing over 1,700 books and pamphlets.
Learn more about resources and researching - 5Attempts to dig the Holland Harbor
Van Raalte led five attempts to dig a harbor to grow the economy of the colony. Each attempt was defeated by siltation, until federal funds finally provided a way for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the task.
Read Swierenga鈥檚 鈥淗olland, Michigan鈥� - 2003Visiting Researchers
Since 2003, numerous visiting research fellows have worked with the VRI, producing dozens of papers and lectures on Dutch-American immigrant history.
Peruse the lectures