The Grand Rapids Ski Club was founded in 1954, with Carl L. Duvall as its first president. The group met at the Public Museum building on Jefferson Street. Property was leased west of Richmond Park, followed after a couple of years by the purchase of property and building of a clubhouse on East Leonard, across from the Grand Rapids Golf Club, in the early 1960s. Snowmaking equipment was later installed to deal with light fall years.

Area high school teams originally practiced at this club. But, with the opening of the Cannonsburg Ski area, the teams and others went there and the club died out. The current Greater Grand Rapids Ski Club, founded in 1969 as the Lincoln Ski Club, ran parallel to the original Grand Rapids Ski Club.