As with many rivers in 19th and early 20th century America, the Thornapple had significant logging, milling, and manufacturing activity along it.
In 1957, as part of a M-21 Grand River bridge replacement project, the mouth of the Thornapple and lower channel were relocated about 500 feet upstream on the Grand, and land that had been the site of Robinson's first home in Ada and trading post was inundated [REF].