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Kalamazoo, Michigan

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This article refers to the city in Michigan. For the community with the same name in West Virginia, see Kalamazoo, West Virginia. For the 2006 comedy movie, see Kalamazoo?.
Kalamazoo is a city in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 77,145. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County6.

Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University a nationally recognized research institution that has benefited from the local presence of Pfizer and Stryker Corporation. This has enabled the school to offer strong programs in both its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Haworth College of Business.

The city is also home to Kalamazoo College (often referred to as "K-College"), a prestigious liberal arts school located adjacent to Western's campus.

Contents

Name origin

The city is named after the Kalamazoo River, but no one is certain as to where the name Kalamazoo actually comes from. A lack of evidence means that the truth will likely never be found, but there are a number of theories and folk etymologies accounting for the name:

  1. It is derived from the Potawatomi word negikanamazo, which is variously translated as "otter tail" or "stones like otters." This could refer to area wildlife. This interpretation was apparently suggested by Henry Schoolcraft.
  2. Another popular account is the legend of a Potawatomi named Fleet Foot. In order to win his bride, he was required to run from his settlement to a point on the river and back before a pot of water boiled away. This event is thought to have occurred in 1810, a couple of decades before the first permanent white settlers. The Potawatomi word kikalamezo appears on an 1823 atlas of the area. The word translates as "boiling pot" or "place where the water boils," and refers to the Fleet Foot legend.
  3. The "boiling pot" translation may also refer to various nearby bends in the river that resemble pots.
  4. An alternate translation of kikalamezo is "mirage" or "reflecting waters," and could refer to the once-clear waters of the river, which are now somewhat clouded by pollution.
  5. The current name used by the local Ojibwa and Odawa tribes for Kalamazoo is Giikanaamozoog, meaning "They have been smoked/cured." The explanation given for this name is that the dark waters of the Kalamazoo River have a smokey appearance.
  6. Yet another possibility is that it meant a place to ford the river. The city was originally established near one of the few places in the area where it was easy to cross by wading.
In his 1986 Indian Names in Michigan, Virgil Vogel explained when Kalamazoo County was formed on July 30, 1830, it "was allegedly named from the 'Indian' name of the river, Ke-kanaamazoo, 'the boiling pot'." There had been various transliterations of the term. In the 1821 Treaty of Chicago, the village of Match-e-be narh-she-wish, was described as at the head of the "Kekalamazoo river" (this village became the present-day city). Vogel suggests that the word "may be from the Miami, because of the presence of l." Vogel cites Father Chrysostam Verwyst stating the name Kalamazoo comes from Ojibwe as a "corruption of Kikanamsoso" meaning "it smokes, or he is troubled with smoke" and pronounced "kee-kah-nah-mo-zo or kee-kau-nau-mo-zo". Vogel also cites William R. Gerard as concurring in this opinion, that "Kalamazoo is a slight alteration of older Ojibwe kikalâmoza, meaning 'he is inconvenienced by smoke in his lodge'." Vogel further cites Gerard as dismissing Schoolcraft's opinion that the name was from negikanamazoo, or "otters beneath the surface" as an "etymological absurdity". However, Vogel also suggests that both Verwyst and Gerard accounts also "deserve this label". Vogel also dismisses the view that the name means "mirage or reflecting river".

Instead, Vogel suggests the following interpretations for the source of Kalamazoo as more credible:

The common phrase "from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo" resulted from the strange name, and has served to enter it into pop culture. Today, t-shirts are sold in Kalamazoo that feature the phrase "Yes, there really is a Kalamazoo". There are numerous songs that reference the city name in lyrics and title, including "Down on the Corner" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash, "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" by Glenn Miller, "Kalamazoo" by Ben Folds, "Kalamazoo" by Primus, and "Kalamazoo" by Luna. The word also features in the opera "Einstein on the Beach" by Philip Glass.

History

At the time explorers first began arriving, the area was home to the Potawatomi Indians. The 1821 Treaty of Chicago ceded all the territory south of the Grand River to the United States federal government. However, the area around present-day Kalamazoo was reserved as the village of Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish. On the September 19, 1827, Treaty with the Potawatomi, the tract that became the city was also ceded. The village had been a fur trading center.

In 1829, Titus Bronson, originally from Connecticut, was the first white settler to build a cabin within the present city limits. He platted the town in 1831 and named it the village of Bronson (not to be confused with the much-smaller Bronson, Michigan about fifty miles (80 km) to the south-southeast).

Bronson was frequently described as "eccentric" and argumentative and was later run out of town. The village of Bronson was renamed Kalamazoo in 1836 (due in part to an incident resulting in Bronson's being fined for stealing a cherry tree). Today, a hospital and a park, among other things, are named after Titus Bronson.

Kalamazoo legally incorporated as a village in 1838 and as a city in 1883.

In 1959, Kalamazoo designed the first pedestrian mall in the U.S.[link], lending it the nickname "Mall City".

Geography

The Arcadia Creek winds through the western part of Kalamazoo and through the downtown area.
Enlarge
The Arcadia Creek winds through the western part of Kalamazoo and through the downtown area.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 65.2 km² (25.2 mi²). 63.9 km² (24.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (1.99%) is water. including several lakes. To the south is its largest suburb, Portage, Michigan, which includes the largest collection of major stores in the area. It is located approximately halfway between Detroit and Chicago.

The city has Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport, which also serves Battle Creek, Michigan, used by several airlines. There is a downtown Amtrak passenger station, which also serves as a bus (coach) station. The Kal-Haven Trail, heavily used by bicyclists and snowmobilers, extends nearly to downtown.

Kalamazoo is served by highways Interstate 94, U.S. Highway 131, Michigan State Highway 43 and Michigan State Highway 96. It was on the original Territorial Road in Michigan of the 1800s, which started in Detroit and ran to Lake Michigan. Much of that, but not all, later became Old U.S. 12—the "old" designation came about when I-94 was built parallel to it—and also was called Red Arrow Highway after a World War I army division. The name "U.S. 12" was shifted south to what once was U.S. 112 between Detroit and Chicago. Some parts of Old U.S. 12 outside of town, especially in Van Buren County and Berrien County to the west, are still called Red Arrow Highway. The term "Old U.S. 12" has faded from use.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 77,145 people, 29,413 households, and 14,353 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,206.9/km² (3,125.4/mi²). There were 31,798 housing units at an average density of 497.5/km² (1,288.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.77% White, 20.64% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.38% from other races, and 3.18% from two or more races. 4.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 29,413 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.6% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 27.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,189, and the median income for a family was $42,438. Males had a median income of $32,160 versus $25,532 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,897. About 13.6% of families and 24.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The campus of Kalamazoo College.
Enlarge
The campus of Kalamazoo College.

Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University, (often referred to simply as "Western") which is located on the western edge of the city. The college has four campuses in Kalamazoo, (West Campus, East Campus, Parkview, and Oakland Drive) as well as several satellite campuses throughout Michigan. West Campus has by far the largest concentration of university students, programs and school services. The school is one of the 50 largest universities in the nation, and one of the top 100 public universities in the country. In 2005, the university had over 26,000 students and employed over 1,200 faculty. Also in 2005, Western ranked #2 Wireless Campus in the U.S. in a national survey done by the Intel Corporation.

Western Michigan University is also the home of the International Congress on Medieval Studies, held each year in May, and organized by the Medieval Institute. The Congress brings some 3,000 professors and students from around the globe to present and discuss a variety of topics on the Middle Ages. Graduate students play an important role in its organization.

Kalamazoo College, the first educational institution in the state of Michigan and a pioneer in the field of coed education, resides next door to Western. The school was ranked #1 in Study Abroad programs by US News & World Report 2003 Edition America's Best Colleges, with 80% of students spending at least one term abroad. It was also the #1 school in 2005 for recruitment into the Peace Corps (per capita).

Kalamazoo is also the home to Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Davenport University. It also had been the home of Nazareth College, which closed in the 1990s.

Due to very generous private donations from several anonymous individuals, every resident graduate of the Kalamazoo Public Schools is provided with a scholarship for up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fee costs for four years at any public university or community college in Michigan, starting with the class of 2006. The program has become known as "the Kalamazoo Promise."

To receive any assistance, a student must live within the Kalamazoo Public School District boundaries and would have had to attend since at least ninth grade. Sixty-five percent of that student's tuition would be paid.

The scale goes up from there, with eighth graders receiving 70 percent of their tuition paid, 75 percent for seventh graders, 80 percent for sixth, 85 percent for fifth, 90 percent for fourth, and 95 for first through third graders. Resident students attending schools in the district from kindergarten through high school graduation will have 100 percent of their tuition and fees paid.

Economy

Breweries

Kalamazoo has three popular local breweries and brewpubs producing a variety of beer styles, from light bodied wheat ales to stouts and barley wines.

The most famous is Bell's, originally established as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company in 1985 by its flamboyant founder, Larry Bell.[link] The brewery has expanded from its original Kalamazoo location, which houses the Eccentric Cafe, to a modern, state-of–the-art brewery located in nearby Comstock.

Kraftbrau Brewery[link], located within one block of Bell's downtown brewery, is Bell's most notable local rival. Olde Peninsula is a downtown brewpub featuring a small selection of craft beers to accompany its diverse menu.

Flavorings

The A.M. Todd Company, one of the lead producers of peppermint oil and other flavorings, is headquartered in Kalamazoo.[link] Its founder, Albert M. Todd, was elected to the United States House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Congress.

Kalamazoo is also home to Kalsec, another flavorings company, which is family-owned and managed by some of Todd's descendants.[link]

Historical

In the past, Kalamazoo was known for its production of windmills, buggies, automobiles, cigars, stoves, paper, and paper products. Agriculturally, it once was noted for celery and bedding plants. Although much has become suburbanized, the countryside still continues to produce significant quantities of farm crops.

One notable business founded in Kalamazoo was the Gibson Guitar Corporation (which spawned the still-local Heritage Guitars). The company was incorporated originally as "Gibson Mandolin - Guitar Co., Ltd" on October 11, 1902, by the craftsman Orville Gibson. Gibson originally produced some of the finest hand-crafted mandolins. This quality and attention to detail followed into the guitars the company began making later. The Gibson guitar is known for its quality and sought after world-wide by professional musicians and collectors alike. Operations were moved gradually from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee, (Electric Division) and Bozeman, Montana, (Acoustic Division) in the 1980s. Some workers from the original factory stayed in Kalamazoo to create the Heritage Guitar company.[link]

Other notable businesses founded in the city include the Shakespeare Company, a fishing and tackle manufacturer; and the Checker Motors Company, an automobile manufacturer, which is now a division of General Motors, best known for the Checker Cab.

The eponymous Kalamazoo Stove Company used to have such slogans as "A Kalamazoo direct to you."

Medical

Kalamazoo was home to The Upjohn Company, a pharmaceutical manufacturer now part of Pfizer. Many of Upjohn's complexes remain, most centered in downtown and neighboring Portage, and Pfizer remains a rather large employer in the area, although they did cut many jobs from the plants leaving many middle-class residents jobless.

Michigan State University has a branch of its medical school and several post-doctoral residency training programs in Kalamazoo.

The city is also home to the Stryker Corporation, a surgical and medical devices manufacturer.

Research

The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research organization, has operated in Kalamazoo since its establishment in 1945. The Institute conducts research into the causes and effects of unemployment and measures for the alleviation of unemployment. The Institute also publishes Business Outlook for West Michigan [link], a quarterly journal that provides economic analyses and forecasts on the West Michigan economy.

Other

Other notable Kalamazoo businesses include: The Farmer's Market, located on Bank Street, is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, May through November. A wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers are sold from stalls by area growers. Saturday is much busier than Tuesday. [Directions]

Culture

Largely due to its college-town influence, Kalamazoo has always been notable as a center for the arts. Among the local theater groups are the Kalamazoo Civic Players, New Vic Theatre and Barn Theater in nearby Augusta, along with others. There are also productions by college students. Big-name stars and groups often perform at the State Theatre, Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University, and Wings Stadium. There are a number of art galleries, the most prominent being the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. The city is also home to the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

An annual event is "Eccentric Day" at Bell's Eccentric Cafe which celebrates the brewery's Eccentric Ale. The celebration is in December on the Friday marking the end of finals at Western Michigan University.[link]

The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum—generally called the Air Zoo—is located at the airport. It is the first museum of its kind in the world with its "museum-meets-indoor-amusement-park" theme. It boasts many historical and rare aircraft, including the world's only remaining SR-71B Blackbird. Many of its antique planes are airworthy.

Downtown is the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, a "hands-on" museum aimed largely at children which also has a planetarium and a nationally recognized Challenger Learning Center, both of which are heavily influenced by the direction of Bay Ari-Gur. It also features a mural painted by renowned artist James "Jungle" Powell. Northeast of town is the Gilmore Car Museum, which includes cars used in Walt Disney movies. In 2001, the Kalamazoo Public Library was awarded "Library of the Year" by Library Journal. The city's library system is comprised of four branch libraries in addition to its central location, as well as the bookmobile system.[link]

Kalamazoo is also the birthplace of the Moped Army, a nationwide moped club. The Kalamazoo branch, the Decepticons, hosts an annual Memorial Day event which attracts riders from all over the United States.

Despite the name and a Woody Woodpecker cartoon, there is no zoo in Kalamazoo, besides the mentioned aviation museum called the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. The City closed its only zoo in 1974 when the [Milham Park Zoo], located within the large park of the same name, was closed.

Adjacent to Milham Park is the [Milham Park golf course], which is rated among the best municipal golf courses in the country. Completed in 1936, the 18-hole, par 72 course features a pro-shop and restaurant, all within the city limits of Kalamazoo.

Waldo Stadium, on the campus of Western Michigan University.
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Waldo Stadium, on the campus of Western Michigan University.

Sports

The Western Michigan University Broncos, who compete in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference play at various venues throughout the city, most notably Waldo Stadium (football), Lawson Arena (hockey), University Arena (basketball) and Hyames Field (baseball).

Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College also have teams.

The United States Tennis Association Boys 18 and 16 National Tennis Championships are hosted every summer by Kalamazoo College.

There are three minor-league teams:

The Wolverine, eastbound, crosses Academy Street in Kalamazoo. The campus of Kalamazoo College lies to the right.
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The Wolverine, eastbound, crosses Academy Street in Kalamazoo. The campus of Kalamazoo College lies to the right.

Transportation

Kalamazoo has both rail and bus service, provided by Amtrak and Greyhound, respectively. On the southern end of the city is the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. Flights on American Eagle, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlines, and United Express connect people to many hub cities in the midwest.

{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="2" style="margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center;" |- style="background:#F0F0F0;" | Preceding station | Amtrak routes | Following station |- style="text-align: center;" | Dowagiac, Michigan | The Wolverine
(#350) | Battle Creek, Michigan |- style="text-align: center;" | Battle Creek, Michigan | The Wolverine
(#351) | Chicago, Union Station |- style="text-align: center;" | Niles, Michigan | The Wolverine
(#352, #354) | Battle Creek, Michigan |- style="text-align: center;" | Battle Creek, Michigan | The Wolverine
(#353) | Niles, Michigan |- style="text-align: center;" | Battle Creek, Michigan | The Wolverine
(#355) | Dowagiac, Michigan |- style="text-align: center;" | Dowagiac, Michigan | The Blue Water
(#364) | Battle Creek, Michigan |- style="text-align: center;" | Battle Creek, Michigan | The Blue Water
(#365) | Dowagiac, Michigan

Public bus services within the city are provided by Kalamazoo Metro Transit. [link]

Notable people

External links

References

State of Michigan
Capital Lansing
State Government Governor - Legislature - Supreme Court
Regions Upper Peninsula: Copper Country | Keweenaw Peninsula
Lower Peninsula: Central Michigan | Metro Detroit | Michiana | Northern Michigan | The Thumb | Southern Michigan | Western Michigan
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Largest Urban Places Ann Arbor | Battle Creek | Bay City | Canton | Clinton Township | Dearborn | Detroit | Flint | Grand Rapids | Kalamazoo | Lansing | Livonia | Midland | Pontiac | Rochester Hills | Saginaw | Shelby | Southfield | Sterling Heights | Taylor | Troy | Warren | West Bloomfield | Westland

 

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