Remember the Time a Michigan Pothole Became a Local Celebrity?

Here’s a bit of Michigan history you won’t find in a museum – and it probably won’t make any textbooks either. Back in late 2023, a massive pothole in Grand Haven became a local legend when frustrated residents started decorating it with everything from recliners and rubber duckies to a full-blown Christmas tree.

If you’re a true Michigander, you know how frustrating potholes can be – especially this time of year. And while you’ve got to appreciate the good-natured way locals dealt with the Grand Haven pothole, you’re probably just glad it wasn’t in your neighborhood.

Michigan Pothole Goes Viral

Grand Haven resident Cory Denny was the one who brought the pothole to internet fame. He first discovered that someone had placed a recliner in the giant opening in the road near the local Applebee’s and started posting pictures to a community Facebook page.

SEE ALSO:  Burton Resident Attempts to Slow Traffic in His Neighborhood

From there, the impromptu roadside spectacle quickly went viral, capturing the stubborn, tongue-in-cheek spirit that only Michiganders can appreciate.

Giant Grand Haven Pothole Takes on a Life of Its Own

Residents were amused by the creative ways people decorated the pothole. One man even posed as if he were fishing, while others added random furniture and speakers to give it a "living room" vibe. Hundreds of people stopped by to take pictures, turning a neighborhood nuisance into a local tourist attraction.

Viral Pothole Finally Gets Fixed

Getting the pothole fixed, however, turned out to be a bigger challenge. Grand Haven’s Director of Public Works said that because the crater was on a private road, the city couldn’t handle the repairs.

In the end, it was a local resident and college student who stepped up to solve the problem. Bode Wilson, who runs a property service in the area, took it upon himself to fill the massive hole. “Big potholes like that can cost you a lot of money,” Wilson told WZZM-TV.

The pothole may be gone, but its memory will live on – and because this is Michigan, we'll probably see more craters in the near future.