"Grand" US Cities Trivia Quiz

Answer: Grand Prairie, TX

Some attractions of Grand Prairie include:

- Traders Village (1973), the self-purported largest flea market in Texas.
- Prairie Lights, a two-mile-long seasonal display with over 3,000,000 lights on more than 500 displays.
- Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark (2018), one of the largest waterparks in Texas.

Answer: Grand Junction, CO

Grand Junction, CO, is by far the largest of the Grand Junctions listed. Its 2020 US Census tallied 65,560 people, making it the most populous city in western Colorado (which encompasses the portion of the state west of the Continental Divide). It is also the county seat of Mesa County, Colorado.

The name comes from the city being at the confluence (junction) of the previous Grand and Gunnison Rivers, which then formed the Colorado River. The Grand River was re-designated as the upper Colorado River in 1921, though its headwaters are still called Grand Lake in Grand County, Colorado.

Grand Junction, TN, straddles the border between Hardeman and Fayette Counties, Tennessee. Its population was 325 in the 2010 US Census. It's called the "Bird Dog Capital of the World", having the National Bird Dog Museum.

Grand Junction, IA, is a city in Greene County, Iowa. Its 2020 US Census count was 725 people. It was named because of its location at the junction of the Keokuk & Des Moines and Chicago & Northwestern railroads.

Grand Junction, MI, is an unincorporated settlement in Columbia Township, MI, within Van Buren County, Michigan. It was also named for being at the junction of two railroads, though only one now survives.

Answer: Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids, MI, was founded on the banks of the Grand River, where there was once a set of rapids, at an altitude of 610 feet above sea level. Ships could navigate on the river from Lake Michigan up to this fall line, stopping because of the rapids.

It is the second-most populous city in Michigan after Detroit, with a 2020 US Census count of 198,893.

Answer: Grand Island, NY

Grand Island is an island town in Erie County, New York. Its 2020 US Census population is 21,389. It is entirely surrounded by the Niagara River, which forms the famous Niagara Falls a few miles north.

It was part of a plan in 1945 to make a new World Peace Capital. The plan was to place the United Nations headquarters on Navy Island, a Canadian island northwest of Grand Island. Then bridges would tie the two islands together. This was considered an ideal location because it would place the United Nations across the international border of two peaceful nations. However, the plan was turned down, and UN HQ was placed in New York City.

Grand Island, NE, is a city in central Nebraska, with a 2020 US Census count of 53,131. It was originally founded by French traders as La Grande Isle, which was formed by the Wood and Platte Rivers. In the 19th century, Union Pacific railroad laid out a town called Grand Island Station, which was built slightly inland from the island. So it is no longer strictly an island city.

Though Hawaii is an all-island state (137 volcanic islands), none are called "grand", though the largest island -- Hawaii -- is often called the "Big Island".

Northwest Washington State is home to the San Juan Islands. None of these is called "grand", though.

Answer: Grand Canyon Village

Grand Canyon Village has a 2020 US Census population of 2,004 people. It is located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, in Coconino County, Arizona. It was established in 1901 by the Santa Fe Railroad. Many of its buildings date from this founding period.

Answer: Grand Forks, ND

Grand Forks, ND is the county seat of Grand Forks County, North Dakota. Its 2020 census population is 59,166, placing it third-most populous city in North Dakota, behind Fargo and Bismark.

In 1954, Grand Forks Air Force Base was established, which brought thousands of new jobs to the area.

Answer: Grand Haven, MI

Grand Haven, MI, is the country seat of Ottawa County, Michigan. Its 2020 census population is 11,011 people.

The 1930s criminals "Baby Face" Nelson and Homer Van Meter committed their first bank robbery at Grand Haven Bank.

Answer: La Grande, OR

La Grande, OR, has a 2010 census population of 13,082. Its current name comes from its location in Grande Ronde Valley. This was named by French settler Charles Dause to describe the area's beauty.

Answer: Rio Grande, OH

Rio Grande, OH, is named after the border river between Mexico and Texas. However, its pronounced "RYE-oh" instead of the Spanish "REE-oh". Its 2020 US Census count was 724 people.

The first Bob Evans restaurant was located in Rio Grande. The Bob Evans farm is also located here.

Macho Grande is the sight of a fictional battle in which Ted Striker was a combatant in the "Airplane!" movies.

Answer: Rancho Grande, NM

This community has drastically shrunk in population; its 2010 population was 142. It is located along US-180 in Catron County, NM.