What Was Grand Rapids Airport Called Before it Was Named for Gerald Ford?

Thousands of travelers fly in and out of Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. The facility is the second largest airport in the state. If you're a West Michigan resident, it's likely you've flown into or from GRR Airport as some point.

But when did the airport in Grand Rapids become named for America's 38th president and was was it called before?

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Gerald R. Ford received the honor of having his hometown airport named in his honor in December of 1999. Ford lived until 2006 so was able to enjoy the honor during his life. The airport is owned by Kent County, so it was the county's board of commissioners. It was their vote that bestowed the new name.

It's the owner of the airport that gives away the airport's original name. The field was originally the Kent County Airport dating back to the first air travel in Grand Rapids in the 1920s.

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In 1977 Kent County Airport was upgraded to Kent County International Airport. The county commissioners made this name change after the US Customs service opened an office within the airport to allow for cross-border travel.

The airport has been at the end of 44th Street in Cascade township since the early 1960s. Prior, the county's airport was closer to downtown Grand Rapids between 32nd and 36th Streets near Jefferson.

Even earlier, when the first air travel arrived in Grand Rapids, flights came into the old Comstock Park State Fairgrounds north of Grand Rapids.

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