A Farm Album from the Michigan Dutch Colony

Based on oral histories, historic documents, and other sources, and illustrated with historic photographs, this book tells the story of the community of Netherlanders who came to Western Michigan during the mid–1800s. It begins with the background in Europe preceding the wave of emigration, and continues through the journey to America, the terribly difficult early pioneering years, settlement of “The Dutch Colony” (the area surrounding Holland, Michigan), and life during the decades that followed. It looks generally at the broad picture of life in the Dutch Colony, but illustrates the general story by focusing on the farming community of Vriesland, and, more specifically, by following one family through the generations.

Note—One of the co-authors of this book, Alma Holwerda, is presently confronting the challenge of breast cancer. She has written about her experience, in the hope that it might be of interest to others and to improve awareness of some of the pitfalls that patients sometimes face. Here is her story—