Letters: Here's hoping LG expansion will preserve Old Wing Mission House

Here's hoping LG expansion will preserve Old Wing Mission House

I am excited to learn that LG Energy Solution plans to expand its Holland facility for a second time. I am a strong supporter of clean energy, of which battery storage is a critical part. It is wonderful to see that a manufacturing facility in Holland is on the leading edge of this critical technology.

However, I am concerned that the Old Wing Mission House, built in 1846 for the Rev. George Smith family, may be lost because of LG’s expansion plans.

The Old Wing Mission House, the remaining building of the Old Wing Mission complex and located at 5298 147th Ave., is the oldest building in Holland and is one of the oldest in Western Michigan. The house is on both the State and National Lists of Historic Places. The building is small (24 by 30 feet), but its historical importance is immense.

In 1839, at the invitation of Odawa Chief Joseph Waukazoo, Rev. Smith established a Mission on recently purchased Native American land in Allegan County. The Smith family originally lived in a log cabin. However, in 1844, Isaac Fairbanks began the construction of the Old Wing Mission House, which the Smith family occupied in 1846.

This house provided shelter to Rev. Albertus Van Raalte on that fateful New Year’s Day in 1847 that started the immigration of the Dutch into the area. It also survived the Holland Fire of 1871, however the Mission barn, which was near the house, was lost (I could go on and on, but I won’t).

It proudly takes its spot with Pillar Church, the Cappon House, and the De Zwaan Windmill as one of the most significant historical buildings in the Holland area.

The house has been cared for and treasured by private hands for many years, however, I fear this may soon come to an end. If this occurs, I believe it would be appropriate to keep this house where it is and use it as the centerpiece in a small park to serve as a refuge in this growing industrial area. Another option would be to move it to a safe haven, such as Windmill Island, thus allowing it to continue to tell the story of Holland.

I hope LG, the city and the Holland community can work together to save this historical treasure.

Rick Bosch

Holland

Nurse Ratched vs. Adeline Hambley

Nurse Mildred Ratched, who you seem to take delight in calling herself, is a cold battle axe and vindictive woman. Her character is a metaphor for institutional corruption and complete power over others. She is one cruel person. Will this be your legacy for which others remember you?

In watching the board of commissioners and committee meetings, your actions have resembled this character and are most unfortunate. I know you can do better. At times, you talk the talk that you care about our community and those most in need of assistance from our health department, but your votes have shown you follow the Ottawa Impact beat, which is anything but kind, scientific or interested in developing a healthy community for the masses.

Now you are on the precipice of terminating our talented, well-educated and qualified health officer on charges that you and your base created and have worked repetitively, and diligently to remove. None of these charges were proven in testimony. Instead, it was clear to anyone but the most ardent OI believer, that the incompetent one in our county is the very one the board appointed, Mr. John Gibbs.

How many times did he arrive to budget meetings unprepared and unable to explain what is required of our health department? How many times sworn under oath did he “not remember,” “not recall,” or “need to check my calendar"?

Monday, Nov. 28, do not be Nurse Ratched, be one with the community-at-large, who supports Ms. Adeline Hambley. Vote no to terminating our health officer.

Janine Chittenden BSN, RN

Grand Haven

Hispanic residents have an obligation to assimilate

As a Hispanic growing up in Holland, I recall our schoolteacher telling us that unlike some monogenous countries, ours was a “melting pot” because of our heterogeneous society blended with a diverse population from many nations making us strong similar to iron and carbon when melted together to make steel. This made me appreciate seeing the Statute of Liberty, visiting Ellis Island’s Immigration Processing Center Museum, and reading the famous quote: “Give me your tired, your poor…” What a great country in which we can all come together and assimilate without losing our distinct heritage, values, and customs, I thought!

Unfortunately, my heart breaks as I watch our country moving backward for the past several years. Instead of assimilating, we have placed so much emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and equity that we have unintentionally introduced separatism. Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream for his children to be judged by the content of their character has been trampled upon. And instead of seeing each other as Americans, like tribe group rivals, we have become divisive fighting each other with the race card as our weapon of choice and the implementation of affirmative action with the expectation of equity results instead of on a merit basis.

Assimilation means celebrating our uniqueness but living in this country also means learning to integrate absorbing our American cultural traits. We cannot survive as a nation with diverse groups pulling in different directions. Embracing our flag, history, constitutional freedoms, capitalism, family core values, caring and standing up for our principles and truth while paying tribute to all the men and women in uniform who sacrificed their lives for us is what being an American is all about. Sadly, if we do not assimilate embracing these core principles, like Rome, our last American history’s chapter will be sealed.

Rosendo Rey Longoria

Holland

Huizenga needs to give it up on the hyperpartisan shenanigans

I recently received an email from Bill Huizenga asking me to answer a survey question. Since the only options were yes, no or unsure, I decided he isn't really interested in my answer. The question was "Should Republicans continue to investigate President Biden for financial misdealings."

If I could have answered with a statement, I would have said, "Yes, but only if you are also going to investigate the financial dealings of Clarence Thomas, Trump's children and their dealings in China and Saudi Arabia, and Trump himself for all the fraud and underhanded dealings he has committed." The Republicans don't really care about financial wrongdoing or for that matter any wrongdoing if it's someone from their party. They wouldn't even censure George Santos who has been proven to be a serial liar.

Their continued harping on the Bidens is a means to distract their base from focusing on the real issues facing our country. Bill Huizenga should be ashamed for continuing to pander to that constituency.

Pamela Nordhof

Hamilton

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letters: Hoping LG expansion will preserve Old Wing Mission House