Kalamazoo, Michigan
Encyclopedia
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans
of the Hopewell culture
, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium
. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound
in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to decline after the 8th century and was replaced by other groups. The Potawatomi
culture lived in the area when the first European explorers arrived.
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
, passed just southeast of the present city in late March 1680. The first Europeans to reside in the area were itinerant fur trade
rs in the late 18th and early 19th century. There are records of several traders wintering in the area, and by the 1820s at least one trading post had been established.
During the War of 1812
, the British established a smithy and a prison camp in the area.
The 1821 Treaty of Chicago
ceded 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 Potawatomi
Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish
. Six years later, as a result of the 1827 Treaty of St. Joseph, the tract that became the city was also ceded.
In 1829, Titus Bronson
, originally from Connecticut
, became the first white settler to build a cabin within the present city limits. He plat
ted 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, frequently described as "eccentric" and argumentative, was later run out of town. The village was renamed Kalamazoo in 1836, due in part to Bronson's being fined for stealing a cherry tree. Today, a hospital and a downtown park, among other things, are named for Bronson.
Kalamazoo was legally incorporated as a village in 1838 and as a city in 1883.
On August 27, 1856, Abraham Lincoln
spoke at a rally in Bronson Park, promoting the presidential candidacy of John C. Fremont
, who was running on the ticket of the new Republican Party
. It was Lincoln's only public speech during his only visit to Michigan.
In 1959, the city created the Kalamazoo Mall
, the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States, by closing part of Burdick Street to auto traffic. The Mall was designed by Victor Gruen
, who also designed the country's first enclosed shopping mall
, which had opened three years earlier. Two of the mall's four blocks were reopened to auto traffic in 1999 after much debate.
An F3 tornado
struck downtown Kalamazoo on May 13, 1980, killing five and injuring 79.
, with a small portion, about 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), on the opposite bank. Several small tributaries of the river, including Arcadia Creek and Portage Creek, wind through the city. The northeastern portion of the city sits in the broad, flat Kalamazoo Valley, while the western portions climb into low hills to the west and south. Several small lakes are found throughout the area.
The city covers 25.2 square miles (65.3 km²), of which 24.7 square miles (64 km²) is land and 0.5 sq miles (2%) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau
.
The city's suburban population is located primarily to the south, in the city of Portage
, and to the west in Oshtemo Township
and Texas Township, Michigan.
At least part of the municipal water supply for Kalamazoo is provided by the watershed contained within the Al Sabo Preserve
in Texas Charter Township, Michigan
, immediately southwest of Kalamazoo.
Another watershed, Kleinstuck Marsh, is popular with hikers and birdwatchers. Kleinstuck Marsh is south of Maple Street, between Oakland Drive and Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo's major north-south artery.
of 2008, there were 76,145 people, 29,413 households, and 14,353 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3125.4 PD/sqmi. There were 31,798 housing units at an average density of 1,288.2 per square mile (497.5/km²). 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.
style of government. The City Commission
is the representative body of the city, and consists of seven members, elected on a non-partisan basis every two years. Whoever receives the most votes during an election becomes the council president and ceremonial mayor
of the city. The member that receives the second highest number of votes becomes vice mayor. The current mayor, Bobby J. Hopewell, was elected November 13, 2007, beating Hannah McKinney
, who automatically became vice mayor.
In the November 3, 2009, election voters returned Hopewell as mayor and McKinney as vice-mayor.
The City Manager
is the city's chief administrative officer. The manager is hired by, and answers to, the City Commission
.
The city of Kalamazoo is commonly divided into 22 neighborhoods, many of which are served by a neighborhood association
. The Neighborhood Development Division of the city's government works with these associations to invest federal, state, and local funds, including those from the Community Development Block Grant
program, in community improvements and economic growth.
Kalamazoo is home to Western Michigan University
. The college has four campuses in Kalamazoo, (West Campus, East Campus
, Parkview Campus and Oakland Drive Campus
) as well as several satellite campuses throughout Michigan. West Campus, located just west of downtown, has the largest concentration of university students, programs and school services. In 2005, Western Michigan ranked #2 Wireless Campus in the U.S. in a national survey done by the Intel Corporation.
Each May, WMU hosts the International Congress on Medieval Studies
. Organized by the Medieval Institute's faculty and graduate students, the Congress brings some 3,000 professors and students from around the globe to present and discuss a variety of topics related to the Middle Ages
.
Kalamazoo College
, a private liberal arts college founded in 1833 is located on a hill opposite WMU's original campus.
Kalamazoo is home to Kalamazoo Valley Community College
, Davenport University
, and Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC). It had also been the home of Nazareth College
, which closed in 1992.
The public schools are managed by Kalamazoo Public Schools
. 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. This program is known as the Kalamazoo Promise
. Books and room and board are not included.
and brewpubs that produce a variety of beer
styles.
Perhaps the best-known is Bell's Brewery, established as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company in 1985 by Larry Bell. The brewery has expanded from its original Kalamazoo location, which houses the Eccentric Cafe, to another brewery in nearby Comstock. Bell's beer is sold by retailers in many parts of the country.
oil and other flavorings, is headquartered in Kalamazoo. Its founder, Albert M. Todd
, was elected to the United States House of Representatives
for the 55th Congress
.
Kalamazoo is also home to Kalsec, another flavorings company, which was founded by Paul H. Todd, Jr.
, Albert Todd's grandson and U.S. Representative in the 89th Congress
. Founded as the Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Company, Kalsec is owned and managed by Todd family descendants.
In the past, Kalamazoo was known for its production of windmills, mandolin
s, buggies
, automobiles, cigars, stoves, paper
, and paper products. Agriculturally, it once was noted for celery
and bedding plants. Although much has become suburbanized, the surrounding area still produces farm crops.
Kalamazoo was the original home of Gibson Guitar Corporation
, which spawned the still-local Heritage Guitars
. The company was incorporated as "Gibson Mandolin - Guitar Co., Ltd" on October 11, 1902, by the craftsman Orville Gibson
. One budget model was named the Gibson Kalamazoo Electric Guitar
. 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.
Kalamazoo was once known as the "Paper City" because of the paper mills in and near the city. The Allied Paper Corporation
operated several mills and employed 1,300 people in Kalamazoo during the late 1960s. As the forests of West Michigan were logged out, paper mills closed.
Early in the 20th century, Kalamazoo was home to the brass era automobile
company Barley
.
Kalamazoo was also headquarters of the Checker Motors Company, the former manufacturer of the Checker Cab, which also stamped sheet metal parts for other auto manufacturers. Checker closed on June 25, 2009, a victim of the Late-2000s recession.
was a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm founded in 1886 in Kalamazoo that is now part of the Pfizer
Corporation. Most of Upjohn's original facilities remain, many have been renovated and some new buildings have been constructed. The bulk of the facilities exist in Portage
, Michigan
, but many also exist in Downtown Kalamazoo.
Michigan State University
has a branch of its medical school and several post-doctoral residency training programs in Kalamazoo. Resident training programs in Pediatrics
, Internal Medicine
, Combined Internal Medicine
/Pediatrics
, General Surgery
, Family Medicine
, Orthopedic surgery
, Emergency Medicine
, Psychiatry
, and a fellowship in sports medicine are centered at The Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (KCMS) founded by Michigan State University.
The city is also home to the Stryker Corporation, a surgical and medical devices manufacturer.
Kalamazoo has two hospitals: Bronson Methodist Hospital
, and Borgess Medical Center.
, 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, a quarterly journal that provides economic analysis and forecasts on the West Michigan economy
.
The city has an Arts Council. On the first Friday of each month, the council organizes the Art Hop, in which patrons circulate among downtown businesses.
Groups often perform at the downtown State Theatre, Western Michigan University
's Miller Auditorium, and Wings Stadium
.
The annual "Eccentric Day" at Bell's Eccentric Cafe celebrates the brewery's Eccentric Ale on the December Friday that marks the end of finals at Western Michigan University.
There is no longer a zoo
in Kalamazoo. The Milham Park Zoo closed in 1974.
Next to Milham Park is the Milham Park Golf Course. Completed in 1936, the 18-hole, par-72 course is entirely within the city limits of Kalamazoo.
In 2002, the Kalamazoo Public Library
was named "Library of the Year" by Library Journal. The library includes a main location and four branch libraries, and until 2010, a bookmobile
system.
, The Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) encourages and educates animation
artists, promotes Kalamazoo's animation industry, and provides community entertainment. In addition to a biannual festival, KAFI sponsors events such as film screenings and workshops throughout the year.
KAFI's first festival drew 235 submissions and nearly 1,000 attendees in 2002. A second festival was held in 2003. Since then, an every-other-year schedule has been adopted. The 2007 festival attracted more than 500 entries from 37 countries. In addition to an animated film competition with $15,000 in prizes awarded, the festival features events for students, artists, educators, filmmakers and the general public. Past KAFI award winners include Bill Plympton
, Chris Landreth
and John Canemaker
.
, whose collection has more than 3,600 works and a focus on 20th-century American art. The KIA regularly mounts temporary exhibitions.
Downtown is the Kalamazoo Valley Museum
, a "hands-on" museum aimed largely at children; it has a planetarium
and a Challenger Learning Center.
Northeast of town, in Hickory Corners, is the Gilmore Car Museum
, which includes cars used in Walt Disney
movies.
The Kalamazoo Air Zoo, just south of town, has several dozen aircraft on display, from biplanes to jets.
, New Vic Theatre
, Farmer's Alley Theatre, Crawlspace Theatre Productions, and the Barn Theatre
in nearby Augusta
. Plays and musicals are also performed at Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University.
, founded in Kalamazoo in 1902, spurred local musicians playing in everything classical to folk, to modern rock. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
, founded in 1921, is directed by Raymond Harvey. The city also hosts the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and a Bach
Festival.
The local and indie music scene has produced pop stars such as RCA recording artists The Verve Pipe
and Metal Blade recording artists Thought Industry
.
Kalamazoo plays host to four non-collegiate teams:
The Western Michigan University
Broncos, who compete in the NCAA
Division I Mid-American Conference
, play at the following on-campus venues:
Hyames Field played host to the first two College World Series
held in 1947 and 1948. Future U. S. President George H. W. Bush was a first baseman for Yale in the 1947 series.
The Kalamazoo College
Hornets and Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Cougars also have several collegiate athletic teams.
Kalamazoo is the hometown of New York Yankees
all-star shortstop Derek Jeter
, Green Bay Packers
wide receiver Greg Jennings
, and free agent running back T.J. Duckett. Washington Nationals
pitcher Scott Olsen
and Chicago White Sox
first baseman and gold glove winner Mike Squires
was born in Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo was also the hometown of longtime Detroit Tigers
owner John Fetzer
, who owned the American League team from 1961 through 1984, when he sold the franchise to Domino's Pizza
founder Tom Monaghan
.
The United States Tennis Association
Boys 18 and 16 National Tennis Championships are hosted every summer by Kalamazoo College
. The event has featured such players as Jimmy Connors
, John McEnroe
, Jim Courier
, Andre Agassi
, Pete Sampras
, Michael Chang
, James Blake
and Andy Roddick
, before they turned professional.
.
The main office of Business Review Western Michigan, a business-to-business
publication, is located downtown next to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Located on campus, but completely independent of the university, Western Herald
is the morning, weekday, student-run newspaper at Western Michigan University, distributed free of charge on-campus and around the greater Kalamazoo area. Unlike most college newspapers, the Herald is funded entirely by advertising dollars and does not receive any student activity fees or other funding from the university or taxpayers.
The Index is the weekly student newspaper of Kalamazoo College.
, West Michigan's CBS
/ CW affiliate, is licensed and operates out of Kalamazoo but serves the entire West Michigan region. The station was originally owned and operated by famous broadcasting pioneer (and former Detroit Tigers owner) John Fetzer
, as "WKZO-TV". Along with television, Fetzer introduced Kalamazoo to radio in 1931, when AM 590 WKZO signed on the air. Fezter also created Kalamazoo's first cable television
system, then known as Fetzer Cable; it is a predecessor of Kalamazoo's current cable franchise, Charter Communications
.
The Public Media Network, located in downtown Kalamazoo, hosts media outlets including Charter cable channels 19, 20, 21, 22, and 95 where daily public access programs are produced and aired to the public.
Kalamazoo is part of the West Michigan television market, which also includes Grand Rapids and Battle Creek. Most channels that serve the entire market are receivable in Kalamazoo, including WWMT, WOOD-TV
(NBC
), WXMI
(Fox
), WZPX
(Ion) and WLLA
(religious). Some channels based in the northern part of the market reach Kalamazoo through a satellite or translator, such as WTLJ
Muskegon (religious, through W26BX), WGVU-TV
Grand Rapids (PBS
, through WGVK), and WXSP-CA
Grand Rapids (MyNetworkTV
, through WOKZ-CA). WOTV
in Battle Creek broadcasts ABC
programming for the southern part of the market, including Kalamazoo. Charter offers all West Michigan channels on its system to Kalamazoo subscribers, including WZZM, the ABC affiliate for Grand Rapids and the northern part of the market.
is the college student-run, commercial free radio station at Western Michigan University. It is known for playing obscure and rarely heard underground music of all styles as well as some local news and talk. Broadcasting 100 watts on 89.1 FM, WIDR can be heard from about a 20-mile radius from campus.
WMUK
is also on Western Michigan University's campus. It hosts many local music programs including jazz and classical performances as well as programming from NPR
. WMUK broadcasts 50,000 watts in high definition on 102.1 FM.
WKDS
is West Michigan's only high school student-run radio station. The station signed on in 1983 at 89.9 on the FM dial, broadcasting from Loy Norrix High School
. The call letters stood for Kalamazoo District Schools (now Kalamazoo Public Schools). For most of its history, WKDS broadcasted only during daytime hours and not at all on the weekend. In Fall of 2004, the station began broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in an attempt to prevent an outside organization to take over the time WKDS was off the air. WKDS was part of a county wide Education For Employment program for years. The radio station is still owned by Kalamazoo Public Schools
although the EFE program has been discontinued. High School students from around the area continue to operate the station.
FM radio stations which serve Kalamazoo include:
AM radio stations which serve Kalamazoo include:
Radio Stations from Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, and Lansing are also heard in Kalamazoo.
Kalamazoo is served by highways I-94
, US 131
, M-43
and M-96
. It was on the original Territorial Road in Michigan of the 19th century, 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.
, heavily used by cyclists and snowmobilers, extends to downtown Kalamazoo. It runs 34 miles (54.7 km) between South Haven, Michigan
, to a trailhead just west of Kalamazoo. Between that trailhead and South Haven the trail is run by Van Buren County, even the parts within Kalamazoo County. A trail pass is no longer required.
The section east of the trailhead was opened in 2008 and extends to downtown Kalamazoo. It's known as the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail
and is run by Kalamazoo County. No pass is required on that section.
.
Kingston, Jamaica
Numazu
, Japan
Pushkin
, Russia
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
of the Hopewell culture
Hopewell culture
The Hopewell tradition is the term used to describe common aspects of the Native American culture that flourished along rivers in the northeastern and midwestern United States from 200 BCE to 500 CE. The Hopewell tradition was not a single culture or society, but a widely dispersed set of related...
, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium
1st millennium
File:1st millennium montage.png|From left, clockwise: Depiction of Jesus, the central figure in Christianity; The Colosseum, a landmark of the once Roman Empire; Gunpowder is invented during the latter part of the millennium, in China; Chess, a new board game, takes on popularity across the globe;...
. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound
Mound
A mound is a general term for an artificial heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. The most common use is in reference to natural earthen formation such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. The term may also be applied to any rounded area of topographically...
in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to decline after the 8th century and was replaced by other groups. The Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
culture lived in the area when the first European explorers arrived.
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
, passed just southeast of the present city in late March 1680. The first Europeans to reside in the area were itinerant fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
rs in the late 18th and early 19th century. There are records of several traders wintering in the area, and by the 1820s at least one trading post had been established.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, the British established a smithy and a prison camp in the area.
The 1821 Treaty of Chicago
Treaty of Chicago
The Treaty of Chicago may refer to either of two treaties made and signed in Chicago, Illinois between the United States and the Ottawa, Ojibwe , and Potawatomi Native American peoples.-1821 Treaty of Chicago:...
ceded the territory south of the Grand River
Grand River (Michigan)
The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
to the United States federal government. However, the area around present-day Kalamazoo was reserved as the village of Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
Chief Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish
Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish was the chief of a Potawatomi Indian group...
. Six years later, as a result of the 1827 Treaty of St. Joseph, the tract that became the city was also ceded.
In 1829, Titus Bronson
Titus Bronson
Titus Bronson is regarded as the eccentric founder of the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan.In 1829, Titus Bronson, originally from Connecticut, was the first white settler to built a cabin within the present city limits...
, originally from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, became the first white settler to build a cabin within the present city limits. He plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
ted the town in 1831 and named it the village of Bronson—not to be confused with the much-smaller Bronson, Michigan
Bronson, Michigan
Bronson is a city located in west central Branch County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census.Bronson is situated on U.S. Route 12 about southwest of Coldwater...
, about fifty miles (80 km) to the south-southeast.
Bronson, frequently described as "eccentric" and argumentative, was later run out of town. The village was renamed Kalamazoo in 1836, due in part to Bronson's being fined for stealing a cherry tree. Today, a hospital and a downtown park, among other things, are named for Bronson.
Kalamazoo was legally incorporated as a village in 1838 and as a city in 1883.
On August 27, 1856, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
spoke at a rally in Bronson Park, promoting the presidential candidacy of John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
, who was running on the ticket of the new Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. It was Lincoln's only public speech during his only visit to Michigan.
In 1959, the city created the Kalamazoo Mall
Kalamazoo Mall
The Kalamazoo Mall, the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States, is a section of Burdick Street in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan....
, the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States, by closing part of Burdick Street to auto traffic. The Mall was designed by Victor Gruen
Victor Gruen
Victor David Gruen, born Viktor David Grünbaum , was an Austrian-born commercial architect best known as a pioneer in the design of shopping malls in the United States.- Biography :...
, who also designed the country's first enclosed shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, which had opened three years earlier. Two of the mall's four blocks were reopened to auto traffic in 1999 after much debate.
An F3 tornado
Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980
The Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980 struck downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, on May 13, 1980. The tornado, which touched down at 4:09 pm, was rated F3 on the Fujita scale. The tornado killed 5 people and injured 79. Damage was estimated at $50,000,000....
struck downtown Kalamazoo on May 13, 1980, killing five and injuring 79.
Geography
Most of the city is on the southwest bank of a major bend in the Kalamazoo RiverKalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
, with a small portion, about 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), on the opposite bank. Several small tributaries of the river, including Arcadia Creek and Portage Creek, wind through the city. The northeastern portion of the city sits in the broad, flat Kalamazoo Valley, while the western portions climb into low hills to the west and south. Several small lakes are found throughout the area.
The city covers 25.2 square miles (65.3 km²), of which 24.7 square miles (64 km²) is land and 0.5 sq miles (2%) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
.
The city's suburban population is located primarily to the south, in the city of Portage
Portage, Michigan
Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 46,292 at the 2010 census. It is the smaller of the two main cities included in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 326,589 as of 2010.Portage is adjacent to the...
, and to the west in Oshtemo Township
Oshtemo Township, Michigan
Oshtemo Charter Township is a charter township of Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 17,003 at the 2000 census...
and Texas Township, Michigan.
At least part of the municipal water supply for Kalamazoo is provided by the watershed contained within the Al Sabo Preserve
Al Sabo Preserve
Al Sabo Preserve is an area of northeastern Texas Township, in southwestern Kalamazoo County, Michigan. It comprises of marsh, forest, streams, and rolling hills...
in Texas Charter Township, Michigan
Texas Charter Township, Michigan
Texas Charter Township, officially named the Charter Township of Texas, is a charter township of Kalamazoo County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 10,919...
, immediately southwest of Kalamazoo.
Another watershed, Kleinstuck Marsh, is popular with hikers and birdwatchers. Kleinstuck Marsh is south of Maple Street, between Oakland Drive and Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo's major north-south artery.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2008, there were 76,145 people, 29,413 households, and 14,353 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3125.4 PD/sqmi. There were 31,798 housing units at an average density of 1,288.2 per square mile (497.5/km²). 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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Government
Kalamazoo government is administered under a Commission-ManagerCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
style of government. The City Commission
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
is the representative body of the city, and consists of seven members, elected on a non-partisan basis every two years. Whoever receives the most votes during an election becomes the council president and ceremonial mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the city. The member that receives the second highest number of votes becomes vice mayor. The current mayor, Bobby J. Hopewell, was elected November 13, 2007, beating Hannah McKinney
Hannah McKinney
Hannah McKinney is the current vice-mayor and former mayor of Kalamazoo, Michigan. She was elected mayor in 2005, after previously serving as the vice-mayor under Robert Jones. Dr. McKinney was mayor at the time that the Kalamazoo Promise was announced. The current mayor, Bobby J. Hopewell, was...
, who automatically became vice mayor.
In the November 3, 2009, election voters returned Hopewell as mayor and McKinney as vice-mayor.
The City Manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
is the city's chief administrative officer. The manager is hired by, and answers to, the City Commission
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
.
Neighborhoods
The city of Kalamazoo is commonly divided into 22 neighborhoods, many of which are served by a neighborhood association
Neighborhood association
A neighborhood association is a group of residents or property owners who advocate for or organize activities within a neighborhood. An association may have elected leaders and voluntary dues....
. The Neighborhood Development Division of the city's government works with these associations to invest federal, state, and local funds, including those from the Community Development Block Grant
Community Development Block Grant
The Community Development Block Grant , one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development...
program, in community improvements and economic growth.
Education
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. The college has four campuses in Kalamazoo, (West Campus, East Campus
East Campus (Western Michigan University)
East Campus is a collection of buildings and facilities situated on the hilltop campus that is the original site of Western Michigan University. It includes some of WMU's athletic facilities including Waldo Stadium, Hyames Field, Ebert Field and the Donald Seelye Athletic Center...
, Parkview Campus and Oakland Drive Campus
Oakland Drive Campus
Oakland Drive Campus is a campus of Western Michigan University. It is the university's newest land acquisition. The campus, acquired in 1998, was originally state property used by the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital. The hospital is still leased to the state and remains in operation,...
) as well as several satellite campuses throughout Michigan. West Campus, located just west of downtown, has the largest concentration of university students, programs and school services. In 2005, Western Michigan ranked #2 Wireless Campus in the U.S. in a national survey done by the Intel Corporation.
Each May, WMU hosts the International Congress on Medieval Studies
International Congress on Medieval Studies
The International Congress on Medieval Studies is an annual academic conference held for scholars specializing in, or with an interest in, medieval studies. It is sponsored by Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is held during the first half of May...
. Organized by the Medieval Institute's faculty and graduate students, the Congress brings some 3,000 professors and students from around the globe to present and discuss a variety of topics related to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
, a private liberal arts college founded in 1833 is located on a hill opposite WMU's original campus.
Kalamazoo is home to Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
-History:The community college district was established by voters in 1966, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968, and currently enrolls more than 13,500 students. With the selection of Marilyn J...
, Davenport University
Davenport University
Davenport University is a private, non-profit, multi-location university located at 14 campuses throughout Michigan and online. It was founded in 1866 by Conrad Swensburg and currently offers Master's Degrees, Bachelor's Degrees, Associate's Degrees, diplomas, and post-grad certification programs...
, and Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center (KAMSC). It had also been the home of Nazareth College
Nazareth College (Michigan)
Nazareth College was a Catholic college in Kalamazoo, Michigan that operated from 1924 until 1992.-Origins:Nazareth Academy opened in 1897 and based on the charter that was issued, it provided for the future extension of the school to the collegiate level. On May 7, 1913, Monsignor O’Brien...
, which closed in 1992.
The public schools are managed by Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools are located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Graduates of the district are eligible to receive scholarships through the Kalamazoo Promise, a program launched in 2005 and funded by anonymous donors....
. 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. This program is known as the Kalamazoo Promise
Kalamazoo Promise
The Kalamazoo Promise is a pledge by a group of anonymous donors to pay up to 100 percent of tuition at any of Michigan's state colleges or universities for graduates of the public high schools of Kalamazoo, Michigan. To receive the minimum 65% benefit, students must have lived within the Kalamazoo...
. Books and room and board are not included.
Economy
Breweries
Kalamazoo has three local breweriesBrewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
and brewpubs that produce a variety of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
styles.
Perhaps the best-known is Bell's Brewery, established as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company in 1985 by Larry Bell. The brewery has expanded from its original Kalamazoo location, which houses the Eccentric Cafe, to another brewery in nearby Comstock. Bell's beer is sold by retailers in many parts of the country.
Flavorings
The A.M. Todd Company, one of the lead producers of peppermintPeppermint
Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint and spearmint . The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world...
oil and other flavorings, is headquartered in Kalamazoo. Its founder, Albert M. Todd
Albert M. Todd
Albert May Todd was a businessman and politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He became known as the "Peppermint King" for founding a flourishing business in peppermint....
, was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the 55th Congress
55th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:* Republican: 206 * Democratic: 124* Populist: 22* Silver Republican: 3* Silver: 1* Independent Republican: 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Garret Hobart * President pro tempore: William P...
.
Kalamazoo is also home to Kalsec, another flavorings company, which was founded by Paul H. Todd, Jr.
Paul H. Todd, Jr.
Paul Harold Todd, Jr. was a politician, soldier and business executive from the U.S. state of Michigan.Todd was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the son of Paul H. Todd, mayor of Kalamazoo in 1937, and the grandson of Albert M. Todd, former U.S. Representative and the "Peppermint King" founder of the...
, Albert Todd's grandson and U.S. Representative in the 89th Congress
89th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Senate :* President of the Senate: Hubert Humphrey , starting January 20, 1965* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden - Majority leadership :* Majority Leader and Democratic Conference Chairman: Mike Mansfield...
. Founded as the Kalamazoo Spice Extraction Company, Kalsec is owned and managed by Todd family descendants.
Historical
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
s, buggies
Horse and buggy
A horse and buggy or horse and carriage refers to a light, simple, two-person carriage of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, drawn usually by one or sometimes by two horses...
, automobiles, cigars, stoves, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, and paper products. Agriculturally, it once was noted for celery
Celery
Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac , depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall...
and bedding plants. Although much has become suburbanized, the surrounding area still produces farm crops.
Kalamazoo was the original home of Gibson Guitar Corporation
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
, which spawned the still-local Heritage Guitars
Heritage Guitars
Heritage Guitars is a guitar manufacturer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States.-History:Heritage Guitars was founded in 1985 by former employees of the Gibson guitar factory...
. The company was incorporated as "Gibson Mandolin - Guitar Co., Ltd" on October 11, 1902, by the craftsman Orville Gibson
Orville Gibson
Orville H. Gibson was a luthier who founded the Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1896, makers of guitars, mandolins and other instruments....
. One budget model was named the Gibson Kalamazoo Electric Guitar
Gibson Kalamazoo Electric Guitar
The Kalamazoo Electric Guitar was an electric guitar produced by Gibson during the 1960s and 1970s under Gibson's parent company Chicago Musical Instruments. A budget model, it had a body that was made of Medium-Density Fiberboard and inexpensive components.-The Kalamazoo:There were two prominent...
. Operations were moved gradually from Kalamazoo to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, (Electric Division) and Bozeman, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, (Acoustic Division) in the 1980s. Some workers from the original factory stayed in Kalamazoo to create the Heritage Guitar
Heritage Guitars
Heritage Guitars is a guitar manufacturer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States.-History:Heritage Guitars was founded in 1985 by former employees of the Gibson guitar factory...
company.
Kalamazoo was once known as the "Paper City" because of the paper mills in and near the city. The Allied Paper Corporation
Allied Paper Corporation
-Allied Paper Mills:Allied Paper Mills was incorporated in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA during 1921 when three local paper companies merged. These were the Monarch Paper Company in Kalamazoo, the King Paper Company in Kalamazoo and the Bardeen Paper Company in Otsego...
operated several mills and employed 1,300 people in Kalamazoo during the late 1960s. As the forests of West Michigan were logged out, paper mills closed.
Early in the 20th century, Kalamazoo was home to the brass era automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
company Barley
Barley Motor Car Co.
Barley Motor Car Co. was a manufacturer of automobiles in Kalamazoo, Michigan and Streator, Illinois. It manufactured the Roamer automobile and, briefly, the Barley , and the Pennant ....
.
Kalamazoo was also headquarters of the Checker Motors Company, the former manufacturer of the Checker Cab, which also stamped sheet metal parts for other auto manufacturers. Checker closed on June 25, 2009, a victim of the Late-2000s recession.
Life Sciences
The Upjohn CompanyUpjohn
The Upjohn Company was a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm founded in 1886 in Kalamazoo, Michigan by Dr. William E. Upjohn, an 1875 graduate of the University of Michigan medical school. The company was originally formed to make friable pills, which were specifically designed to be easily digested...
was a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm founded in 1886 in Kalamazoo that is now part of the Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
Corporation. Most of Upjohn's original facilities remain, many have been renovated and some new buildings have been constructed. The bulk of the facilities exist in Portage
Portage, Michigan
Portage is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 46,292 at the 2010 census. It is the smaller of the two main cities included in the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 326,589 as of 2010.Portage is adjacent to the...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, but many also exist in Downtown Kalamazoo.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
has a branch of its medical school and several post-doctoral residency training programs in Kalamazoo. Resident training programs in Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, Internal Medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
, Combined Internal Medicine
Internal medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Physicians specializing in internal medicine are called internists. They are especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes...
/Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Pediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
, General Surgery
General surgery
General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
, Family Medicine
Family medicine
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
, Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery
Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
, Emergency Medicine
Emergency medicine
Emergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
, Psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, and a fellowship in sports medicine are centered at The Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (KCMS) founded by Michigan State University.
The city is also home to the Stryker Corporation, a surgical and medical devices manufacturer.
Kalamazoo has two hospitals: Bronson Methodist Hospital
Bronson Methodist Hospital
Bronson Methodist Hospital is a Magnet hospital located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, and is the flagship of the Bronson Healthcare Group, a non-profit healthcare system serving all of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana...
, and Borgess Medical Center.
Research
The W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment ResearchW. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Founded in 1945, the W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research is an independent research organization based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Its purpose is to find and promote solutions to employment-related problems.- Background :...
, 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, a quarterly journal that provides economic analysis and forecasts on the West Michigan economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
.
Other
Other notable Kalamazoo businesses include:- The Farmers' MarketFarmers' marketA farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, located on Bank Street, is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, May through November. - National City (Kalamazoo was formerly the corporate HQ of First of America Bank, which merged with National City Bank in 1997), National City has since been purchased and merged with PNC BankPNC Financial ServicesPNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial services corporation, with assets of approximately $264.3 billion...
which still maintains a large corporate building in Texas Township, and several downtown along with branches in the region.
Culture
Groups often perform at the downtown State Theatre, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
's Miller Auditorium, and Wings Stadium
Wings Stadium
Wings Stadium is a 5,113-seat multi-purpose arena, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena opened in 1974 and is home to the Kalamazoo Wings, an ice hockey team in the ECHL....
.
The annual "Eccentric Day" at Bell's Eccentric Cafe celebrates the brewery's Eccentric Ale on the December Friday that marks the end of finals at Western Michigan University.
There is no longer a zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in Kalamazoo. The Milham Park Zoo closed in 1974.
Next to Milham Park is the Milham Park Golf Course. Completed in 1936, the 18-hole, par-72 course is entirely within the city limits of Kalamazoo.
In 2002, the Kalamazoo Public Library
Kalamazoo Public Library
The Kalamazoo Public Library is an independent district library in Kalamazoo, Michigan, that serves about 120,000 people, has a salaried staff of 90, and spends about $10 million annually. The library consists of the central branch downtown, and four branch libraries.-History:Kalamazoo Public...
was named "Library of the Year" by Library Journal. The library includes a main location and four branch libraries, and until 2010, a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
system.
Animation festival
A project of Kalamazoo Valley Community CollegeKalamazoo Valley Community College
-History:The community college district was established by voters in 1966, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968, and currently enrolls more than 13,500 students. With the selection of Marilyn J...
, The Kalamazoo Animation Festival International (KAFI) encourages and educates animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
artists, promotes Kalamazoo's animation industry, and provides community entertainment. In addition to a biannual festival, KAFI sponsors events such as film screenings and workshops throughout the year.
KAFI's first festival drew 235 submissions and nearly 1,000 attendees in 2002. A second festival was held in 2003. Since then, an every-other-year schedule has been adopted. The 2007 festival attracted more than 500 entries from 37 countries. In addition to an animated film competition with $15,000 in prizes awarded, the festival features events for students, artists, educators, filmmakers and the general public. Past KAFI award winners include Bill Plympton
Bill Plympton
William "Bill" Calvin Plympton is an American animator, former cartoonist, director, screenwriter and producer best known for his 1987 Academy Award-nominated animated short Your Face. and his series of shorts Guard Dog, Guide Dog, Hot Dog and Horn Dog.- Biography :Bill Plympton was born in...
, Chris Landreth
Chris Landreth
Chris Landreth is an American animator working in Canada, best known for his work on the 2004 film, Ryan. He has made many CGI animated films since the mid-90s, including The End, Bingo, The Listener, Caustic Sky: A Portrait of Regional Acid Deposition, and Data Driven The Story Of Franz...
and John Canemaker
John Canemaker
John Cannizzaro Jr. , better known as John Canemaker, is an independent animator, animation historian, author, teacher and lecturer. In 1980, he began teaching and developing the animation program at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts', Kanbar Institute of Film and Television Department...
.
Museums
The city's most prominent art museum is the Kalamazoo Institute of ArtsKalamazoo Institute of Arts
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is a non-profit visual arts museum and school in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Admission to most exhibitions and programs is free.-History:...
, whose collection has more than 3,600 works and a focus on 20th-century American art. The KIA regularly mounts temporary exhibitions.
Downtown is the Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is a "hands-on" museum located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The museum is largely aimed at families, and focuses on science, technology, and history...
, a "hands-on" museum aimed largely at children; it has a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
and a Challenger Learning Center.
Northeast of town, in Hickory Corners, is the Gilmore Car Museum
Gilmore Car Museum
The Gilmore Car Museum, located in Hickory Corners in the U.S. state of Michigan, houses a collection of classic automobiles. The collection ranges from the 1899 Locomobile, to muscle cars of the 1960s, as well as alternative fuel cars like the Stanley Steamer, and the Western Michigan University...
, which includes cars used in Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
movies.
The Kalamazoo Air Zoo, just south of town, has several dozen aircraft on display, from biplanes to jets.
Theater
Kalamazoo's theaters and performing groups include the Kalamazoo Civic PlayersKalamazoo Civic Players
The Kalamazoo Civic is the third largest community theater organization in the United States. The Kalamazoo Civic Players was established in 1929. Founders of the theatre included Dorothy Dalton, Norman Carver Sr., Howard Chenery, Ruth Noble, Paul Fuller, Louise Carver, and Jean Huston. In 1929,...
, New Vic Theatre
New Vic Theatre
The New Vic Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.-History:...
, Farmer's Alley Theatre, Crawlspace Theatre Productions, and the Barn Theatre
Barn Theatre
The Barn Theatre is the home of the Ross Valley Players, the oldest continually-operating community theater group on the West Coast. Located in Ross, California, the Barn Theatre was converted from a barn in the 1930s to a theatre....
in nearby Augusta
Augusta, Michigan
Augusta is a village in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 899 at the 2000 census. The village is mostly within Ross Township, though a small portion extends south into Charleston Township....
. Plays and musicals are also performed at Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University.
Music
The Gibson Guitar CorporationGibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
, founded in Kalamazoo in 1902, spurred local musicians playing in everything classical to folk, to modern rock. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1921 and is now the third largest professional orchestra in Michigan. During the 2005–2006 concert season, the orchestra played for more than 100,000 people in more than 30 concerts...
, founded in 1921, is directed by Raymond Harvey. The city also hosts the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and a Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
Festival.
The local and indie music scene has produced pop stars such as RCA recording artists The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.-History:...
and Metal Blade recording artists Thought Industry
Thought Industry
American progressive metal band Thought Industry in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1989 by vocalist/bassist Brent Oberlin, drummer Dustin Donaldson , guitarist Christopher Lee Simmonds , and guitarist Steve Spaeth who replaced original Desecrater guitarist, Dan Roe...
.
Sports
- The Kalamazoo KingsKalamazoo KingsThe Kalamazoo Kings are a professional baseball team based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the United States. The Kings are a member of the Eastern Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
minor-league baseball team plays games at Homer Stryker FieldHomer Stryker FieldHomer Stryker Field is a stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The baseball field is located in Kalamazoo's Mayors Riverfront Park. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Kalamazoo Kings minor league baseball team. It originally opened in 1963, making it the oldest ballpark in...
and is a member of the independent Frontier LeagueFrontier LeagueThe Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either...
. - The Kalamazoo WingsKalamazoo WingsThe Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium....
(aka K-Wings) minor-pro hockey team plays games in Wings StadiumWings StadiumWings Stadium is a 5,113-seat multi-purpose arena, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena opened in 1974 and is home to the Kalamazoo Wings, an ice hockey team in the ECHL....
and has played since 19741973 in sports1973 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Gustav Thöni, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Pröll, Austria-American football:* O.J...
. The team is currently a member of the ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
. - The Kalamazoo OutrageKalamazoo OutrageKalamazoo Outrage was an American soccer team based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
is a soccer club and has men's, women's and junior teams and is a member of United Soccer LeagueUnited Soccer LeagueThe United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
. Former USA international team player John HarkesJohn HarkesJohn Harkes is an American former soccer player. Harkes was the first American ever to play in the English Premier League, and the second American to score at Wembley Stadium. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He appeared in two FIFA World Cup tournaments, and won two MLS Cup...
played with the Owls in the 1990s, as well as current international player Frank SimekFrank SimekFranklin Michael "Frank" Simek is an American soccer player who plays for English League One side Carlisle United.-Playing career:Born in St...
.
The Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
Broncos, who compete in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
, play at the following on-campus venues:
- Waldo StadiumWaldo StadiumWaldo Stadium is a stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Opened in 1939, it now has a capacity of 30,200 spectators.-History:...
(footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
) - Lawson ArenaLawson ArenaHarry W. Lawson Ice Arena is a 3,667-seat multi-purpose arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The arena's first game was on November 15, 1974 against Algoma University College of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Western Michigan University Broncos ice hockey team.The building is...
(hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
) - University ArenaUniversity Arena (Western Michigan University)University Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Located in Read Fieldhouse, the arena opened in 1957 and is home to the Western Michigan University Broncos men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, and gymnastics teams...
(basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
) - Hyames FieldHyames FieldRobert J. Bobb Stadium at Hyames Field is a baseball stadium located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is currently the home to the baseball team of Western Michigan University...
(baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
) - Ebert FieldEbert FieldEbert Field is a softball field located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and home to the Western Michigan University softball team. The field is named in honor of Fran Ebert, who started the WMU softball program in 1976. The area seats 400 fans in bleacher seating behind home plate and the first base...
(softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
) - Kanley TrackKanley TrackKanley Track is a track and field complex located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is the outdoor home of the Western Michigan University track and field varsity squad and university clubs. At one time, Kanley Track had been a part of Waldo Stadium, before moving across the street to its current location...
(outdoor track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
)
Hyames Field played host to the first two College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
held in 1947 and 1948. Future U. S. President George H. W. Bush was a first baseman for Yale in the 1947 series.
The Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
Hornets and Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
-History:The community college district was established by voters in 1966, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1968, and currently enrolls more than 13,500 students. With the selection of Marilyn J...
Cougars also have several collegiate athletic teams.
Kalamazoo is the hometown of New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
all-star shortstop Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
wide receiver Greg Jennings
Greg Jennings
Gregory Jennings, Jr. is a professional American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...
, and free agent running back T.J. Duckett. Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
pitcher Scott Olsen
Scott Olsen
Scott Matthew Olsen is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:Olsen was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
first baseman and gold glove winner Mike Squires
Mike Squires
Michael Lynn Squires is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the Chicago White Sox primarily as a first baseman from 1975 and 1977 to 1985. Squires was best known as a defensive player, often coming on in late inning situations when the White Sox had a slim lead...
was born in Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo was also the hometown of longtime Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
owner John Fetzer
John Fetzer
John Earl Fetzer was a radio and television executive who was best known as the owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1961 through the early 1980s.- Biography :...
, who owned the American League team from 1961 through 1984, when he sold the franchise to Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
founder Tom Monaghan
Tom Monaghan
Thomas Stephen "Tom" Monaghan is an entrepreneur and Catholic philanthropist and activist who founded Domino's Pizza in 1960. He owned the Detroit Tigers from 1983-1992....
.
The United States Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
Boys 18 and 16 National Tennis Championships are hosted every summer by Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
. The event has featured such players as Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors
James Scott "Jimmy" Connors is an American former world no. 1 tennis player....
, John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
, Jim Courier
Jim Courier
James Spencer "Jim" Courier, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles, two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open...
, Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
, Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player and former world no. 1. During his 15-year tour career, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles and became recognized as one of the greatest tennis players of all time....
, Michael Chang
Michael Chang
Michael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
, James Blake
James Blake
James Riley Blake is an American professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. As of August 2011, Blake is ranked no. 63 among active male players with 24 career finals appearances...
and Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick
Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
, before they turned professional.
Newspapers
Kalamazoo is served by one daily newspaper, the Kalamazoo GazetteKalamazoo Gazette
The Kalamazoo Gazette is the daily newspaper in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. The Gazette is owned by Booth Newspapers which is owned by Advance Publications....
.
The main office of Business Review Western Michigan, a business-to-business
Business-to-business
Business-to-business describes commerce transactions between businesses, such as between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer...
publication, is located downtown next to the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Located on campus, but completely independent of the university, Western Herald
Western Herald
The Western Herald is the student newspaper of Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It began printing in 1916.The Western Herald is different from many student newspapers because it does not receive university funding...
is the morning, weekday, student-run newspaper at Western Michigan University, distributed free of charge on-campus and around the greater Kalamazoo area. Unlike most college newspapers, the Herald is funded entirely by advertising dollars and does not receive any student activity fees or other funding from the university or taxpayers.
The Index is the weekly student newspaper of Kalamazoo College.
Television
WWMTWWMT
WWMT is the CBS-affiliated television station for West Michigan licensed to Kalamazoo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on Chief Noonday Road/M-179, northwest of Yankee Springs Township, along the Barry and Allegan County line. The station can also...
, West Michigan's CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
/ CW affiliate, is licensed and operates out of Kalamazoo but serves the entire West Michigan region. The station was originally owned and operated by famous broadcasting pioneer (and former Detroit Tigers owner) John Fetzer
John Fetzer
John Earl Fetzer was a radio and television executive who was best known as the owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1961 through the early 1980s.- Biography :...
, as "WKZO-TV". Along with television, Fetzer introduced Kalamazoo to radio in 1931, when AM 590 WKZO signed on the air. Fezter also created Kalamazoo's first cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
system, then known as Fetzer Cable; it is a predecessor of Kalamazoo's current cable franchise, Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
.
The Public Media Network, located in downtown Kalamazoo, hosts media outlets including Charter cable channels 19, 20, 21, 22, and 95 where daily public access programs are produced and aired to the public.
Kalamazoo is part of the West Michigan television market, which also includes Grand Rapids and Battle Creek. Most channels that serve the entire market are receivable in Kalamazoo, including WWMT, WOOD-TV
WOOD-TV
WOOD-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan licensed to Grand Rapids. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter in Middleville near the Barry and Allegan County line. The station can also be seen on Comcast and Charter channel...
(NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
), WXMI
WXMI
WXMI channel 17 is a Fox-affiliated television station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, owned by the Tribune Company. WXMI's studio and office facility is located in Grand Rapids and its transmitter is based southwest of Middleville, Michigan...
(Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
), WZPX
WZPX
WZPX-TV is a television station affiliated with the Ion Television network . It broadcasts on UHF digital channel 44 in the Grand Rapids and Lansing / Jackson, Michigan markets...
(Ion) and WLLA
WLLA
WLLA-DT is a Christian television station broadcasting in Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Michigan, broadcasting in digital on channel 45, tuned to channel 64 using PSIP. It is owned by Christian Faith Broadcast, Inc., who also owns WGGN-TV in Sandusky, Ohio. Recently, the station entered a revenue...
(religious). Some channels based in the northern part of the market reach Kalamazoo through a satellite or translator, such as WTLJ
WTLJ
WTLJ is a television station broadcasting in the Grand Rapids, Michigan metropolitan area on WTLJ channel 54 in Muskegon and Grand Rapids, and W26BX channel 26 in Kalamazoo...
Muskegon (religious, through W26BX), WGVU-TV
WGVU-TV
WGVU-TV is the Public Broadcasting Service member public television station for West Michigan, broadcasting on channel 35 in Grand Rapids. It operates a full-time satellite, WGVK, channel 52 in Kalamazoo...
Grand Rapids (PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, through WGVK), and WXSP-CA
WXSP-CA
WXSP-CD is the Class A MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan, licensed to Grand Rapids. It broadcasts a standard definition digital signal on UHF channel 15 from a transmitter in Walker along Interstate 96. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 15 and Comcast...
Grand Rapids (MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
, through WOKZ-CA). WOTV
WOTV
WOTV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan that is licensed to Battle Creek. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter in Orangeville Township. The station can also be seen on Charter and Comcast channel 4. There is a high...
in Battle Creek broadcasts ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
programming for the southern part of the market, including Kalamazoo. Charter offers all West Michigan channels on its system to Kalamazoo subscribers, including WZZM, the ABC affiliate for Grand Rapids and the northern part of the market.
Radio
WIDRWIDR
WIDR is a freeform FM radio station that broadcasts from the Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. WIDR, a volunteer/student-run radio station licensed to the Western Michigan University, broadcasts at 89.1 FM with 100 watts of power. The station is entirely volunteer/student run and...
is the college student-run, commercial free radio station at Western Michigan University. It is known for playing obscure and rarely heard underground music of all styles as well as some local news and talk. Broadcasting 100 watts on 89.1 FM, WIDR can be heard from about a 20-mile radius from campus.
WMUK
WMUK
WMUK is a non profit public radio station at 102.1 FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Owned and operated by Western Michigan University, WMUK broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. WMUK is a charter member of both National Public Radio and the Michigan Public Radio Network...
is also on Western Michigan University's campus. It hosts many local music programs including jazz and classical performances as well as programming from NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. WMUK broadcasts 50,000 watts in high definition on 102.1 FM.
WKDS
WKDS
WKDS is a high school radio station broadcasting a rhythmic contemporary hits format. Licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1983....
is West Michigan's only high school student-run radio station. The station signed on in 1983 at 89.9 on the FM dial, broadcasting from Loy Norrix High School
Loy Norrix High School
Loy Norrix High School is a high school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serving students from grades nine through twelve. It is one of two high schools in the Kalamazoo Public Schools district. The student body totals at approximately 1,400. The school is named for a former superintendent of...
. The call letters stood for Kalamazoo District Schools (now Kalamazoo Public Schools). For most of its history, WKDS broadcasted only during daytime hours and not at all on the weekend. In Fall of 2004, the station began broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in an attempt to prevent an outside organization to take over the time WKDS was off the air. WKDS was part of a county wide Education For Employment program for years. The radio station is still owned by Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Kalamazoo Public Schools are located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Graduates of the district are eligible to receive scholarships through the Kalamazoo Promise, a program launched in 2005 and funded by anonymous donors....
although the EFE program has been discontinued. High School students from around the area continue to operate the station.
FM radio stations which serve Kalamazoo include:
- WAYK 88.3 - Kalamazoo - Christian Top 40
- WIDRWIDRWIDR is a freeform FM radio station that broadcasts from the Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. WIDR, a volunteer/student-run radio station licensed to the Western Michigan University, broadcasts at 89.1 FM with 100 watts of power. The station is entirely volunteer/student run and...
89.1 - Kalamazoo - College/Variety - WKDSWKDSWKDS is a high school radio station broadcasting a rhythmic contemporary hits format. Licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1983....
89.9 - Kalamazoo - High School/Variety - WCSG 91.3 - Grand Rapids - Christian AC
- WZUUWZUUWZUU is a radio station broadcasting a rock music format which leans towards arena rock styled artists from the 1980s until current times. Licensed to Mattawan, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1990 under the WKGH call sign. During the first few years of the radio station, it broadcast...
92.5 - Mattawan/Kalamazoo - Classic Rock - WBCT 93.7 - Grand Rapids - Country
- WVICWVICWVIC is a radio station broadcasting a modern rock format. Licensed to Jackson, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on July 14, 1958 as WMKZ-FM simulcasting WIBM-AM. The station broadcasts from a tower near Springport, Michigan. The station can be heard from Kalamazoo to Ypsilanti, and from...
94.1 - Jackon/Lansing/Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - Alternative Rock - WTNRWTNRWTNR , is a country radio station located in Holland, Michigan, owned by Cumulus Media. It was established in October 2004, as a station that focueses mostly on new country music, with songs from the 1990's and early 2000's. It competes with B-93...
94.5 - Grand Rapids - Country - WNWNWNWN (AM)WNWN is a radio station licensed to Portage, Michigan broadcasting an urban adult contemporary format, provided by ABC Radio Networks . The station serves the greater Kalamazoo, Michigan area....
95.5 - Kalamazoo - Urban Adult Contemporary (translator for AM 1560) - WLKM-FM 95.9 - Three Rivers - Classic Hits
- WMAX-FMWMAX-FMWMAX-FM are the call letters of a radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, transmitting on a frequency of 96.1 MHz....
96.1 - Grand Rapids - Sports - WKZO-FM 96.5 - Portage/Kalamazoo - News/Talk (CBS) (simulcast of AM 590)
- WGRD 97.9 - Grand Rapids - Rock
- WNWN-FMWNWN-FMWNWN-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Coldwater, Michigan with studios in Battle Creek, it first began broadcasting in 1950 under the WTVB-FM call sign at 98.3 on the FM dial and spent most of its early existence as a simulcast of sister station WTVB before...
98.5 - Battle Creek - Country - WBCH-FMWBCH-FMWBCH-FM is a radio station licensed to Hastings, Michigan broadcasting a country music format.-Bronco Radio Network:WBCH is an affiliate of the Western Michigan University "Broncos Radio Network" and carries all of the Broncos football and men's hockey games....
100.1 - Hastings - Country - WQXC 100.9 - Otsego/Kalamazoo - Oldies
- WMUKWMUKWMUK is a non profit public radio station at 102.1 FM in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Owned and operated by Western Michigan University, WMUK broadcasts at an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. WMUK is a charter member of both National Public Radio and the Michigan Public Radio Network...
102.1 - Kalamazoo - NPR/Classical/Jazz - WKFR 103.3 - Battle Creek/Kalamazoo - CHR/Top 40
- WBXXWBXX (FM)WBXX is a radio station in Battle Creek, Michigan that broadcasts at 104.9 MHz. WBXX broadcasts an adult contemporary format and is now known as "Mix 104-9" after dropping its "Battle Creek's favorite at-work listening station" slogan sometime in December 2007....
104.9 - Battle Creek - Adult Contemporary - WOOD-FMWOOD-FMWSRW-FM , Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station on the frequency of 105.7 FM. It signal can be heard as far east as South Lyon, Michigan, far south as Topeka, Indiana, and as far north as Paris, Michigan.-History:The station signed on for the first time as...
105.7 - Grand Rapids - Adult Contemporary - WJXQWJXQWJXQ is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. Licensed to Charlotte, Michigan, it first began broadcasting under the WKHM-FM call sign. Its studios are located on Cedar St...
106.1 - Jackson/Lansing - Active Rock - WVFM 106.5 - Kalamazoo - Adult Contemporary
- WBBLWBBL-FMWBBL-FM is a radio station broadcasting an all-sports format in Grand Rapids, Michigan. WBBL is sometimes received on the east side of the state during certain atmospheric conditions and during the Spring and Summer months, the signal tends to trickle into East Michigan. It first began...
107.3 - Greenville/Grand Rapids - Sports - WRKRWRKRWRKR is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock music format, combining current and classic album-oriented rock tracks. Licensed to Portage, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1988.-External links:...
107.7 - Portage/Kalamazoo - Classic Rock
AM radio stations which serve Kalamazoo include:
- WKZO 590 - Kalamazoo - News/Talk (CBS)
- WAKVWAKVWAKV is a radio station broadcasting a mixture of adult standards and oldies. Licensed to Otsego, Michigan, it first began broadcasting circa 1960 the WDMC call sign....
980 - Allegan/Otsego - Adult Standards - WKMIWKMIWKMI is a radio station licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan broadcasting a news-talk format.WKMI is an affiliate of the Grand Valley State Laker football radio network....
1360 - Kalamazoo - Talk (ABC) - WKPRWKPRWKPR is a radio station licensed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, broadcasting a religious format....
1420 - Kalamazoo - Religious (daytime only) - WNWNWNWN (AM)WNWN is a radio station licensed to Portage, Michigan broadcasting an urban adult contemporary format, provided by ABC Radio Networks . The station serves the greater Kalamazoo, Michigan area....
1560 - Portage/Kalamazoo - Urban Adult Contemporary (daytime only; 24 hour FM translator at 95.5) - WQLRWQLRWVFM, known simply as FM 106.5 and formerly WQLR, is a Classic Hits-leaning Adult Contemporary outlet serving the Kalamazoo, Michigan radio market. The station's frequency is 106.5 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 33 kW. They are owned by Midwest Communications. WVFM 106.5 is located on...
1660 - Kalamazoo - Sports (FOX)
Radio Stations from Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, and Lansing are also heard in Kalamazoo.
Transportation
Interstates
-
I-94Interstate 94Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S... -
I-94 Business Loop
U.S. Highways
-
U.S. Route 131 -
BUS US 131 traversing downtown Kalamazoo.
State Highways
-
M-43M-43 (Michigan highway)M-43 is a state trunkline highway in southwestern and central parts of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from South Haven to Webberville along an indirect path through both rural areas and larger cities... -
M-96M-96 (Michigan highway)M-96 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Kalamazoo and Marshall. Its termini are both on business loops of Interstate 94 ; the eastern one coincides with an intersection with I-69...
Intercounty Highways
-
A-45
Kalamazoo is served by highways I-94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
, US 131
U.S. Route 131
US Highway 131 is a north–south United States Highway, of which all but 0.67 miles of its 266.82 miles are within the state of Michigan. The highway starts in rural Indiana south of the state line as a state road connection to the Indiana Toll Road...
, M-43
M-43 (Michigan highway)
M-43 is a state trunkline highway in southwestern and central parts of the US state of Michigan. The highway runs from South Haven to Webberville along an indirect path through both rural areas and larger cities...
and M-96
M-96 (Michigan highway)
M-96 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs between Kalamazoo and Marshall. Its termini are both on business loops of Interstate 94 ; the eastern one coincides with an intersection with I-69...
. It was on the original Territorial Road in Michigan of the 19th century, which started in Detroit and ran to Lake Michigan. Much of that, but not all, later became Old U.S. 12
U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 or US 12 is an east–west United States highway, running from Grays Harbor on the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Washington, to downtown Detroit, for almost . As a thoroughfare, it has mostly been supplanted by I-90 and I-94, but remains an important road for local travel.The...
—the "old" designation came about when I-94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
was built parallel to it—and also was called Red Arrow Highway after a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
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
Van Buren County, Michigan
-Parks, preserves, natural areas:* Dunes Parkway, an 84 acre preserve of dunes in Covert Township* Jeptha Lake Fen Preserve, a 49 acre preserve in Columbia Township...
and Berrien County
Berrien County, Michigan
Berrien County is a county located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,813. The county seat is St. Joseph....
to the west, are still called Red Arrow Highway. The term "Old U.S. 12" has faded from use.
Rail
- Kalamazoo has rail service provided by AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, with the station located downtown and combined with a newly renovated bus terminal. - Kalamazoo also has a freight service provided by Grand Elk RailroadGrand Elk RailroadThe Grand Elk Railroad is a Class III railroad which operates in the states of Indiana and Michigan. It is one of several short-line railroads owned by Watco Companies of Pittsburg, Kansas....
running north to Grand Rapids, Michigan and south to Elkhart, Indiana. The line they lease was a former Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad mainline.
Bus
- Bus service to and through the city is provided by GreyhoundGreyhound LinesGreyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
, Indian TrailsIndian TrailsIndian Trails is an inter-city bus company based in Owosso, Michigan.- History :Indian Trails was founded in 1910 in Owosso as the Phillips-Taylor Livery Service, whose main business was transporting cargo to and from Durand Union Station and the surrounding Shiawassee County...
and [the kalamazoo trolly]. - Public bus services within the city are provided by Metro Transit.
Air
- On the southern end of the city is the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, which offers flights on various airlines to hubs and leisure destinations.
Other
The Kal-Haven TrailKal-Haven Trail
The Kal-Haven Trail, formally known as the Kal-Haven Trail Sesquicentennial State Park, is a rail trail that originally ran 33.5 miles between South Haven, Michigan, to a point just west of the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, where there is a trailhead...
, heavily used by cyclists and snowmobilers, extends to downtown Kalamazoo. It runs 34 miles (54.7 km) between South Haven, Michigan
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census....
, to a trailhead just west of Kalamazoo. Between that trailhead and South Haven the trail is run by Van Buren County, even the parts within Kalamazoo County. A trail pass is no longer required.
The section east of the trailhead was opened in 2008 and extends to downtown Kalamazoo. It's known as the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail
Kalamazoo River Valley Trail
The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail is a 35-mile non-motorized trail in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. A master plan for the Trail was completed and portions of the trail are finished and open to the public...
and is run by Kalamazoo County. No pass is required on that section.
Sister cities
The city of Kalamazoo, Michigan has three sister citiesSister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
.
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
Numazu
Numazu, Shizuoka
is a city located in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2009, the city has an estimated population of 205,636 and a population density of 1,100 persons per km². The total area was 187.11 km².- Geography:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Pushkin
Pushkin (town)
Pushkin is a municipal town in Pushkinsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located south from the center of St. Petersburg proper, and its train station, Detskoye Selo, is directly connected by railway to the Vitebsky Rail Terminal of the city...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
See also
People from Kalamazoo, Michigan- Kalamazoo Department of Public SafetyKalamazoo Department of Public SafetyThe Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is the department in charge of police, fire and rescue in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is the largest public safety department in the nation, with over 300 sworn officers...