Alpine Township's roots are in harvesting. Native Americans harvested cranberries near a lake by the same name, Cranberry Lake. After logging out the forested area of the township, starting 160 years ago, farmers found peach trees, then apples, and a variety of fruit grew well on the rolling hills of this area referred to as "the Ridge." The name Alpine came from the combination of two words, all pine, in reference to the trees that grew in abundance in the township. Today Alpine Avenue has become a major commercial district on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, in western Michigan.