Wyoming was born when the township of Byron split in two in 1848. It's not named after Wyoming state (believe it or not), but rather after Wyoming County in Pennsylvania, where many of the residents originated from.
Wyoming is a quiet and tranquil place to live in, and has many orchards and farms. The corn fields and cider mills come to life during the fall season. If you have a young family, close your eyes, and imagine your little ones playing in the hay, picking apples and watching cider being made. Picture them jumping around in the myriad parks which dot the city, while you spend some quiet time in the gardens in the area. With indoor and outdoor recreational activities to suit every palate, Wyoming has a little something for everyone.
Moving to Wyoming
Consider Your Budget
Wyoming has activities to suit every taste bud, including museums, art galleries, parks, gardens, farms, sports arenas, libraries and beaches. With over 600 acres of parks, it plays host to the Kent District Library, and is a few miles away from the popular VanAndel Museum. A mere half hour away from Lake Michigan, the Frederik Meijer Gardens and shopping districts are enough to tempt you to move your baggage and call Wyoming your home.
A medium-sized city located in Michigan state, Wyoming has a population of approximately 73,000 residents and 14 constituent neighborhoods. It is the seventeenth largest community in Michigan and has a mix of white and blue-collar jobs to offer its citizens. Wyoming is an ethically diverse city. Considering the healthy lifestyle it offers, and the proximity to almost everything you need, Wyoming is a reasonably priced residential area, with a medium cost of living index.
Understanding the Pitfalls
Wyoming often experiences extreme climatic conditions, with strong summers and equally strong winters. If you have health problems, consider your medications and the medical facilities in the area, in case the climate does not agree with your body.
Secure a Relationship
In order to secure your house rental, and your relationship with your landlord, it is advisable that you keep your documents in order and neatly filed to present to the owner of the house for rent. Besides your income documents and salary statement proofs, it would be good if you could provide some references to strengthen your landlord’s belief in your financial reputation.
Neighborhoods of Wyoming
Get to know your surroundings before you head to Wyoming, fall in love with the place, and decide to call it home. With many family-friendly neighborhoods, Wyoming is the perfect place to raise your kids. Let’s take a look at some of the popular neighborhood areas of this lovely city.
Grand Haven: This lakeshore neighborhood of Wyoming has a distinct Dutch influence. It is perfect for someone seeking solitude and a calm ambiance. The summers bring frenzied activity and hordes of tourists to the beaches, but the winters are quieter and the streets not too full of visitors.
Walker: This area is vibrant and buzzing. This west Michigan town is a mini business district with old family-held businesses, like the Betz Foundry, Bissell, and Meijer enterprises, living alongside modern businesses on the major retail corridor situated on Alpine Avenue.
Kentwood: With five walking trails and many parks, this is yet another ideal location to live.
Grandville: Lying to the north of Wyoming, Grandville is a premier furniture manufacturing city in the USA. Known worldwide by its nickname of "Furniture City", this town houses many popular furniture brands like the Widdicomb Furniture Company, among others.
East Grand Rapids: This is a city situated in Kent County and centered around Reeds Lake.
Forest Hills: It is known by many as an upper middle class bedroom community in suburban Grand Rapids.
Holland: Situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Holland is a beautiful coastal neighborhood region of Wyoming. As its name suggests, it is the home of many Dutch settlements in Michigan. The Tulip City is also known for the highly popular Hope College, and the Holland Museum, which houses displays that highlight the city's rich history. The town's major shopping district lies around the Westshore Mall on the northern region of the city. Whoever said that shopping is enough to increase your happiness couldn't have been more right. In 2010, Holland city was ranked the second healthiest and therefore happiest town in the USA by the Well-being Index.
Muskegon: Home to the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, which hosts the beautiful West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Muskegon also has one of the founding chapters of the Barbershop Harmony Society. The Muskegon Museum of Art is considered to be one of the finest art museums in the Midwest region. A World War history buffs dream locale, Muskegon is also the home of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum, where one can revel in the USS Silversides, which is a World War II submarine, the USCGC McLane, which is a Prohibition-era United States Coast Guard cutter, and the USS LST-393, which is a World War II amphibious landing ship.
Wyoming has many other popular neighborhoods that offer good living options, and include towns and areas like Jenison, Cutlerville, Northview and Ionia.
Living in Wyoming, MI
Things to Do and See around Town
When you feel the need to nurture your artistic side, head down to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Wyoming. Featuring various programs in theater, film, the visual arts, literature, dance and music, this 25,000-square-foot art center holds a theater accommodating 165 seats, a community dark room, many artist studios, three art galleries, and the Urban Clay Studio.
The Voigt House Museum is not to be missed. Make a day trip and visit this huge and gorgeous Victorian mansion, which houses the original furnishings, while also offering various programs on how life used to be in the area during the Victorian era. Keep free a Tuesday, or any of the second and fourth Sundays in every month, and take a walk down historical lane.
Plan a visit to "La Grande Vitesse", which is an abstract monumental outdoor sculpture, built in 1969 by Alexander Calder. This massive sculpture is made of steel and stands tall at 43 feet in height, 54 feet in length, and 30 feet in width. Weighing 42 tons, the statue is painted in a bright red hue, popularly known as Calder red, named after the artist and his signature print.
Plan a quiet day out at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and once youre done with exercising your mind, put on your running shoes and exercise your body, jogging down to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, which is situated about 130 miles from the museum.
Wyoming plays host to one of the oldest history museums in the USA. Founded in 1854, this iconic museum was originally known as the "Grand Rapids Lyceum of Natural History". Keep a weekend aside to visit this delightful part of history. After your fill of the years gone by, pick up a souvenir at the gift store or enjoy some pastries at the cake shop housed in the same premises. If time still permits, walk into the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium in the building, and be amazed by the wonder of the star-studded sky.
Let your kids have a fun day out at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, where they can exercise their minds as well as have a ball. This museum has many permanent as well as changing temporary displays. Your little one can be privy to a live beehive, play with bubbles, and walk through a maze of mirrors.
While they are at it, you can visit the Grand Rapids Art Museum and admire the many art collections ranging from the Renaissance period to contemporary; it even has some modern art pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, like Richard Diebenkorns 1963 Ingleside. Featuring American and European art styles, the museum has in its kitty over 5000 works of art, including more than 3500 drawings, prints and photographs.
Get the kids off your back by letting them spend their energy and be thrilled at the John Ball Zoological Garden, which is an urban park in Wyoming city. Housing many different animals found around the word, this zoo stands placed on the ravines and bluffs along the west edge of the John Ball urban park.
A place filled with museums, art galleries, and blessed with gorgeous scenic beauty, Wyoming is a nice place to set up home. With many indoor and outdoor recreation options, this city also allows you some much needed peace and quiet. Here's hoping you find your dream property rental within the land of the Rockies!